[EAS] The BWWG Files ex parte Comments on Governor Must Carry with the FCC

[Richard Rudman]

As readers of this list know, The Broadcast Warning Working Group (BWWG) recently published an editorial on the governor must carry issue on the EAS Forum. That editorial sparked comments from subscribers to the BWWG's EAS Forum list server as well as our core members.
 
Last week the BWWG decided to file ex parte Comments with the Commission on this issue based on the belief we spelled out in the editorial that what is needed is "event-driven must carry" not "governor must carry." Our filing is based on those comments we received.
 
In our ex parte Comments, we advocate a sensible "event-driven must carry" approach integrated within existing emergency management. This is a better way to accomplish the goal of better assurance that warnings will be issued without involving elected officials or their potentially untrained designees in being ready 24/7 for the legal duty, mission, and mechanics of "must carry" EAS warnings to better preserve lives and property for a public at risk.
Life saving warning messages, both weather and civil, must be delivered immediately by all possible means, without political or economic considerations that might be introduced by a "governor must carry" solution. Properly crafted, vetted, and issued timely local, state and regional life safety warnings should be "must carry" without involving any vestige of politics to get in the way.

Our ex parte Comments can be found on the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). You can easily get to the page that holds filings on the EAS issue carrying the Preceding Number 04-296 at:
 
< http://tinyurl.com/FCC-ECFS-2012 >

Regards,
Richard Rudman, The BWWG