Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. ...

Federal Communications Commission FCC 02-64G. Use of Common EAS Equipment by “Key” Broadcast Stations and Cable Systems60. Under the Part 11 rules, broadcast stations that are co-owned and co-located with acombined studio and cable systems that are co-owned and co-located with a combined control facility arepermitted to use a common set of EAS equipment to comply with the EAS rules. 130 In the NPRM, wesought comment on a suggestion by SBE that the Commission amend Part 11 to provide that where morethan one of the co-owned and co-located broadcast stations or cable systems are designated as “key”stations or systems, 131 the common EAS equipment must be configured such that the EAS message of onekey station or system is either simulcast or relayed by the remaining key station(s) or system(s). 132 Insupport of this request, SBE stated that since EAS equipment does not provide for the relay of a messageoriginated by itself, co-located key stations that do not simulcast program originations must originatetests and alerts separately. When the same EAS message is originated on co-located key stations atdifferent times, two apparently separate messages for the same event circulate through the EAS relayweb, and automated, unattended, or manned stations set to automatic will air both messages.61. We will not adopt SBE’s suggestion concerning co-owned, co-located key stations andsystems. Several commenters endorse this suggestion, asserting that there is a potential for confusionwhen the same EAS message is originated on co-located key stations at different times. 133 However, aswe noted in the NPRM, we have not received any reports of specific instances of the problem describedby SBE. 134 Further, none of the commenters in this proceeding cite specific instances where this problemhas occurred. 135 In addition, we have no information as to how many co-owned, co-located key stationsand systems there currently are. We also note that one EAS equipment manufacturer indicates thatadoption of SBE’s suggestion would necessitate a major redesign effort with respect to its equipment andestimates that the per unit cost to modify existing hardware and software to incorporate this feature mightexceed $500. 136 Given that it is unclear from the record before us whether or to what extent the problemdescribed by SBE exists, we are unwilling to require potentially costly modifications to EAS equipment.Instead, if this problem does arise, we think that a better approach would be for broadcast stations andcable systems to work with their SECCs and LECCs to explore less costly alternatives, e.g., by takingsteps to ensure that two or more co-owned, co-located stations or systems are not designated in state andlocal EAS plans as key stations or systems.H. EAN Network62. In the NPRM, we proposed to delete those portions of the Part 11 rules that reference thenow-defunct Emergency Action Notification (“EAN”) network and its participants. 137 Previously, the130See 47 C.F.R. §§ 11.51(j) and 11.52(c).131“Key” stations and systems are broadcast stations and cable systems that are designated as state or localprimary EAS sources in their EAS plan and thus are monitored by other stations and systems in their EAS area.132133134135136137NPRM, 16 FCC Rcd at 7263-64.Named StBAs Comments at 15; WSAB/WA SECC Comments at 13, Ohio EMA Comments at 5.NPRM, 16 FCC Rcd at 7264.Ohio EMA reports that the State of Ohio has not experienced this problem. Ohio EMA Comments at 5.TFT Comments at 10.NPRM, 16 FCC Rcd at 7264-65.24