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