Digital Signage: Adding Eas Support

Last week, I discussed the ability of private TVemergency messages;
channels and digital signage networks to• a communication interface between
disseminate emergency alert messaging when athe ENDEC and the media server used to drive
threat is posed. I also pointed out that unlikethe private TV or digital signage network;
Emergency Alert System messages transmitted• media server software that
by radio and TV stations or the wailing siren in theautomatically recognizes incoming EAS information,
distance, the delivery of emergency messaginggenerates the appropriate text crawl, and
via private TV channels and digital signageinterrupts the ongoing playlist or adds the
networks can target specific warnings andemergency crawl.
instructions to a defined group of people, whoUsing a weather radio would only provide partial
may be facing a unique emergency, such as a fireEAS capacity requiring constant monitoring by
in their office building.someone who's responsible for the digital signage
This week, I'll focus on main points you need tonetwork and direct physical intervention with the
know if you want to prepare your digital signagesystem. Using an ENDEC provides for full EAS
network or private TV channel to delivercoverage -specifically weather and emergency
Emergency Alert System messaging from themessages for local, state and national authorities.
National Weather Service or governmentalThe ENDEC receives transmitted EAS data that
authorities, including those at the local, state andincludes information about who transmitted the
federal level.alert, for instance civil authorities or the National
EAS warningsWeather Service, the type of emergency, such
The Emergency Alert System stems from theas flash flooding, tornado or Amber Alert, the
desire of the president of the United States togeographic area of the emergency, how long the
communicate with the public in times of nationalemergency message is valid and the when it was
emergencies. In the early 1960s, the chiefissued.
executive began allowing local and state authoritiesOnward and upward
to use the system to transmit localized warnings.The FCC has been active in promulgating rules to
The system has been designed to deliverupdate the EAS system to take advantage of
messages quickly and automatically in the eventthe latest digital technologies and new means to
of an emergency. Among its most conspicuousreach the American public. In May, the commission
features to the public may be the automaticmoved to add support for a new technology
interruption of broadcast programming thatknown as CAP -or Common Alerting Protocol- to
replaces program audio with an aural alert andthe EAS delivery system. CAP will usher in
superimposes a text crawl with warningsupport of a variety of transmission formats
information at the bottom of the TV screen.including text, audio and video via broadcast, cable,
EAS works automatically largely because of thesatellite and other networks.
efforts of the Federal CommunicationsMost notably it promotes next generation EAS,
Commission to standardize the system and thewhich among other things may lead to automatic
cooperation of the nation's broadcasters togeneration of aural warnings based on text crawls
participate in the program.to assist those with hearing impairments as well
To add EAS capability a private TV or digitalas generation of warnings for non-English
signage network requires:speakers.
• a special weather radio receiver tunedWhile these moves by the FCC will take time to
to receive emergency warnings, such as tornadoplay out, it's encouraging to note that the nation's
warnings issued by the National Weather ServiceEAS system continues to develop. In the
for a given geographic area; ormeantime, there's a clear path for those with
• an EAS ENDEC or encoder/decoderprivate TV and digital signage networks to
that can transmit and receive digitally codedtraverse to support today's EAS messaging.