[EAS] Missed Tests

[Adrienne Abbott]

Is there something in the water?

Usually reliable, big company, Local Primary stations are forgetting to send tests. Not just weekly tests, which is inexcusable given that equipment can be set to automatically send these tests but they aLao aren't sending the few monthly tests they're scheduled to launch every year. 

These stations have the schedules, they're sent to GMs, CEs, corporate CEs, Chief OPs, PDs, Traffic Directors and staffers who have EAS duties. And they've all been reminded in our weekly newsletter. They haven't notified the SECC Chair that they can't send the test, they haven't responded to questions from the Chair about why their weekly log reports haven't been submitted, and, worst of all, they haven't responded to emails and calls from the Chair, with the exception of one response that was, shall I say noteworthy in tone and language but not enlightening in content?  

Of course, this lack of response leaves a big question mark for the downstream stations who have to explain in their own logs about why RWTs and RMTs were missed and wonder whether it's them or the LP station until the weekly report from the chair notes that no report was received from the LP station. We are trying to contact some higher ups for help in understanding the situation. When we've done this in the past, the station comply for a few months, then things go south again. 

This has been off and on for many months and somehow I don't think the FCC is going to accept "I forgot" or "the equipment lost its programming" as an excuse. The equipment tells you what happened last week and even lets you know that required tests weren't sent. What else does a person need? 

Anyone else seeing EAS becoming a lower priority for local stations? 

Adrienne