[EAS] Rogue EAS tones on BBC

[Rich Parker]

A bit peripheral to the recent APM/BBC/EAS debacle - I was looking
around for some detailed information about SAME and EAS and found
these two wonderful sites:

https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System_(EAS)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_Area_Message_Encoding

Which got me thinking - if all of our audio passes through our EAS
box(es) on the way to the transmitters, with this new age more
powerful computer processing and AI upon us, it could be the 'next
step' to have a look ahead type of decoder that can see 'false' or
'rogue' EAS 'sounds' and either mute them or alter then sonically, so
they don't ever get on the air.

We checked a number of boxes that listen 'down stream;, and as far as
we can tell, although the 'sounds' were remarkably similar to EAS
SAME/Header tones, none of the boxes decoded them as such, not even as
partial or erroneous codes.

Tuesday, Steve is going to start taking the audio he recorded apart to
see if he can detect what the AFSK sound 'really' sent, just as a
matter of curiosity.

But again, the onus is on stations to NOT broadcast anything that
'might' be construed as being an EAS tone, at the risk of incurring
heavy FCC fines.

This is an area where our more powerful computer processing, coupled
with the correctly trained AI, could protect us from ever airing
anything like that - mistaken or not.
And of course, one of the most 'logical' places to put such a system
initially would be at headends - like NPR/PRSS, APM, etc.

I don't think this is such a crazy idea - and, frankly, with some of
the advances we are seeing in text to speech and so forth, the same
technology could also be incorporated into profanity 'eliminators'
(instead of just delays).

(Excuse me while I go and file a couple of patents....)  ?

Rich Parker
Director of Engineering
CoastAlaska, Inc.

On Fri, May 26, 2023 at 12:20 AM Rich Parker rparker1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Probably mostly affects public radio, but anyone who carries BBC programming.
>
> I've been busy today and just saw this from NPR/PRSS. The BBC aired EAS tones on a program and I honestly don't know if any of our stations air it in the time window noted, but if so, are port must be made to the FCC asap. This would have been mostly for stations which take programming from NPR/PRSS, or BBC some other way
>
> Text of message below:
>
> "Alert - Program Update: BBC (APM) World Service, EAS Tones in Witness History
> From: BBC APM World Service prsscd at npr.org>
> Message Type: Alert Program Update
> Date Created: Thu May 25, 2023 17:42:20 EDT
> The Wednesday, May 24, 2023 feeds of BBC WITNESS HISTORY contained EAS tones and a tornado warning alert. The EAS tones and alert are heard at :19 and 1:32 in the program (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct4xjd). BBC WITNESS HISTORY was broadcast in the US at the following times on Wednesday, May 24, 2023: 0450 ET, 0850 ET, 1350 ET, 1820 ET and 2250 ET
>
> If your station aired the BBC World Service at any of the times listed above, you are required by FCC Section 11.45(b) to notify the FCC in writing that a false EAS Tone was transmitted. This must be done within 24 hours of discovering such a transmission. https://www.fcc.gov/enforcement/areas/misuse-eas-sound
>
> Please consult your station counsel on next steps. For more information, reach out to your APM Station Representative."
>
> Not sure if APM will be liable for a fine, but our stations sure don't have the staff or time to deal with this.
>
> One could hope that APM could notify the FCC and include a list of all of their subscribed affiliate stations.
>