[EAS] About this multilingual order...

[Ed Czarnecki]

Paul,

- the FCC simply wants EAS participants to let their SECCs know but if anything they might be doing in the area of supporting non-english emergency alerts.  The answer may well be " English only."

- the FCC has never stated anything about wanting EAS participants to do anything else.  Not even a suggestion that multiple languages might be considered.  There's a lot of odds here Rising going on on this year's list, and some of it is - in my opinion - way off base.  A lot of radio static on this issue in the ether.

- in terms of reporting format, no there is nothing like an ETRS for this.  The FCC did not specify how you were supposed to communicate with your secc.  In retrospect, it might have been a good idea for State committees to let participants know how they were going to gather this information. ( insert ongoing dialogue about different SECC capabilities and commitment here).

Your regulatory counsel may advise a more formal method and content of communicating the requested information to your SECC, but for 90% of EAS participant, is this really  much more complicated than sending an e-mail to your SECC chair just saying "no, we are only using emergency alerts in English, the primary language of our station, and the language as provided by the originator?"  That's not advice, it's a question ...

Edward Czarnecki, Ph.D.
Senior Director - Strategic and Government Affairs
Monroe Electronics Inc. / Digital Alert Systems

ed.czarnecki at monroe-electronics.com
585-765-2254 | fax 585-765-9330
Reston VA | Lyndonville NY

From: Paul Campbell
maxmediava.com>
radiolists.net>
radiolists.net>
maxmediava.com>

I'm starting to get questions from the folks in my market about this latest gift from the Commission, and thought it might help to just get some quick feedback from you (if you'd be so kind) on the following:

-In a nutshell, the FCC wants all of us to better serve the non-English speaking populace about all things EAS. To that end, we're all required to submit an official document to our respective State Chairs by Nov. 6 that indicates just how we're going to accomplish this task. Moreover, we're then required to list future steps we're planning on taking to further implement this. Questions:

1) Is there some form template online we should be using (sorta like the ETRS)? If so, is there a link?
2) All it says is "other than English". I'm sure what they mean is Spanish, but I just started working with a new tower crew that's all Russian. It doesn't seem fair to leave them out.
3) Would having my RMT script rerecorded first in English and then immediately in the other language be enough to satisfy this latest fiasco? Perhaps for our future steps, we might indicate on our official document that we're planning on adding Japanese to the RMT script, and then a new language every six months.

Seriously, are stations going to get fined if this isn't done? You guys are wayyyy more up on this than me, so I'd appreciate the help.

Arigato.

The EAS Forum Discussion List is hosted by the BWWG (Broadcast Warning Working Group). http://eas.radiolists.net
Please invite your friends to join our Forum! The sign up is at: https://lists.radiolists.net/mailman/listinfo/eas