[EAS] $55K fine for misuse of EAS tones

[Tim Stoffel]

The 'compliance and reporting plan' is always a kick to me. Compliance is simple-- you don't use EAS tones in advertising or programming. There is no grey area here at all. There is virtually no cost, burden or problem created by compliance. So, at the end of the day, what is there to report? If no one uses EAS tones (and should know better after such a hefty fine) in their productions, there is therefore nothing to report about.

I'm surprised there doesn't have to be an 'EAS Compliance Officer'.

The same sentiment applies to the performance tests we are supposed to be doing for closed captioning. Closed captioning either works or it doesn't, There's nothing to measure or tweak, no values to stay within range of. If closed captioning is going out over the air and is readable, there is no need for testing. If it stops going over the air, you fix the problem and keep going.

The $55,000 fine is fully justified in this case. But the compliance and reporting plan is just silly on something as simple and basic as not using EAS tones in programming.

Tim Stoffel

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-----Original Message-----
From: EAS [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Ed Czarnecki

EAS tones included in a commercial spot . $55,000 fine and implement a compliance and reporting plan.