[EAS] EAS is serious business

[Sean Donelan]

On Mon, 3 Mar 2014, Barry Mishkind wrote:
> Would $1.9 million in fines impress this message?  Even if it "only" on 
> cable? Even if "it was supplied to us that way?" Rule 11.45 is pretty 
> clear.

Do broadcast and cable commercial acceptance systems automatically
check the files for EAS tones and data, much like they check for other
audio and video qualities such as "loudness" and encoding?

This seems like a check that could be automated with a "loose" computer 
check as part of the commercial intake system, but then commercial 
agencies would just use the computer check as a way to come close but not 
exactly match an EAS tone and data audio.

What seems to annoy the public is advertisments using EAS sounds as an
attention getting device in order to sell something, rather than the use
of EAS sounds in context such as in a news story or movie.  For example, 
the waiver for Pubic Service Ads explaining the new cell phone Wireless 
Emergency Alert messages or a documentary about tornadoes including the 
sound of a tornado siren.

The FCC seems to be targetting EAS "like" sounds in commercials, not
news stories or even documentaries.