[EAS] More questions for the list...

[Tom Taggart]

Clay, Richard:

I see no real evidence that the government is serious about
improving emergency communications. Nor can we expect any
tempering or moderation on compliance issues.

The EAS/CAP process has degenerated into a gentile
inter-agency turf war between the FCC and FEMA.  With the
only national emergency alert player (NOAA "All-Hazard"
radio) left out of the process. 

We have an FCC Chairman who is determined to destroy
over-the-air TV in order to please the wireless industry
(and snare some more coin for the Congress to dissipate). If
FM broadcast was on a shorter wavelength, we would soon be
gone as well. As it is, the consensus view is that radio is
irrelevant anyway, so let's make this wonderful universal
system play fancy games on cable TV and smart phones.
Indeed, reading some of the comments by Commissioner Copps
and Commissioner Clyburn's father, I suspect this
Commission's druthers would be to scrap the present system
for public radio, cable TV and internet--all more easily
controlled then several thousand privately owned radio
stations. (And no Beck, Hannity and Rush!).

We also have an FCC traffic cop who finds broadcast stations
easy marks in order to meet their forfeiture quota. If you
can't get the station for some minor error with the EAS/CAP,
there is always something that can be found wrong with the
paperwork. On the other hand, it's too much work and hassle
to go after the cable companies for EAS, and there is no
requirement for wireless to even participate in the system.