[EAS] Action Required by April 23

[Ed Czarnecki]

Adrienne - I think that is a bit of a gray area. The FCC can, of course, regulate just about anything they like on an FCC certified unit.

To paraphrase a key part of the order, the FCC will not allow the use of text to speech software on an EAS device to generate the audio portion of an EAS message.   This particular language is buried in a footnote - something like fn. 423 ( the note is in the 400 range).

Whether intended or not, the language they use would appear to constrain this prohibition to keeping TTS out of the EAS message itself. 

On the other hand, I believe there is at least one other reference in the main body of the text that would appear to more generally disallow use of TTS capability on EAS device.

Ed

-----Original message-----
>From:Adrienne Abbott <nevadaeas at charter.net>

>Question--if the FCC is prohibiting the use of Test To Speech for EAS can we
>still use the TTS capability for non-EAS purposes? An example would be to
>use the TTS like an actuality for a news story as a follow up to an EAS
>activation? Does the FCC have the authority to ban all TTS uses or does the
>ban apply solely to EAS activations?

>Adrienne Abbott
>Nevada EAS Chair
>"Radio burps, it cries, it needs to be fed all the time, it requires
>constant attention, but we love it." Jim Aaron WGLN

>-----Original Message-----
>From: eas-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On
>Behalf Of Gary Timm

>Broadcasters and Cable Operators,
>As regular readers of this list are no doubt aware, the FCC has prohibited
>the use of text-to-speech (TTS) technology in CAP/EAS units at broadcast and
>cable facilities. Be mindful that this ban takes effect on April 23, the
>date that the EAS 5th Report and Order becomes law, not the later June 30th
>date when CAP/EAS equipment becomes mandatory. You must take action to
>disable the TTS feature in your CAP/EAS unit by April 23 in order to stay
>legal with FCC rules. For those heading to the NAB Convention next week,
>you may want to address this issue sooner rather than later. For more
>details on this story, please see my AWARE post:
>http://www.awareforum.org/2012/04/broadcasters-must-turn-off-text-to-speech/

>Gary Timm
>WI SECC

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