US

The FCC approved updates to the Emergency Alert System rules to make EAS alerts delivered over radio and television easier to understand. Broadcasters will now be required to transmit the internet based version of alerts to the public when available instead of the legacy system. The FCC states that the “increased use of Internet-based alerts, in Common Alerting Protocol format, will produce higher-quality audio messages, improve the availability of multilingual alerts, and ensure that more of the alerts displayed on television screens contain all of the information provided by the government. The updated rules will also replace the technical jargon that accompanies certain alerts, including test messages, with plain language terms so that the visual and audio messages are clearer to the public.”

If a CAP version of an alert is available, all EAS Participants are now required to transmit that version rather than the legacy version. To allow sufficient time for the new version to appear, the EAS system will have 10 seconds after receiving its header codes unless they confirm by polling the IPAWS feed that no matching CAP version of the message is available before they send the message.

The changes will also replace terminology of “National Periodic Test” to “Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System” and change the originator code from “Primary Entry Code System” to “United States Government” so that new header text of tests would state “The United States Government has issued a Nationwide Test of the Emergency Alert System.”

Silent Notifications

Radio Amor Inc’s 690 WADS Adsonia CT (Loss of transmitter site)
Unity Broadcasting’s 1410 WQBQ Leesburg FL (Lightning strike of transmitter)
Midwest Communications’ 1440 WIBU Paris IL (Lightning strike causing power surge)
Phoenix Radio Inc’s 1480 WRCK Remsen NY (Lessor evicted)
Educational Media Foundation’s 870 WFLO Farmville VA (Transmitter failure)

FM Changes
The Estate of Albert Benevides’ 103.5 KAMZ Tahoka TX applies to change COL […]

Former Cherry Creek Media CEO Jonathan Brewster is joining El Dorado Broadcasters in the same role. Brewster led Cherry Creek Media from 2016 until the closing of its sale earlier this year to Townsquare Media. He previously has served as a Senior VP for Qantum Communications and held various sales and management positions across the […] […]

WQED Multimedia President/CEO Deborah Acklin has announced she is stepping down following a diagnosis of non-smoker’s lung cancer. Acklin has led the Pittsburgh PBS and Classical 89.3 WQED-FM combo since 2010 after serving as Executive Vice President from 2002 to 2009. She also previously worked at the group as an Executive Producer from 1997 to […] […]

Following the final show of Pat Prescott after 22 years with the station, Audacy Rhythmic AC “94.7 The Wave” KTWV Los Angeles has announced the arrival of Liz Hernandez to the 6am to 12pm shift starting Monday, October 3. Hernandez spent a decade as part of Big Boy In The Morning on “Power 106” KPWR […] […]

When I started covering the radio business for Radio & Records in 1983, I wanted to prove that I spoke the radio-programming language. R&R’s mantra was “by radio programmers for radio programmers,” and because I didn’t actually program a radio station until a decade later, it made me that much more determined to prove that […] […]

Townsquare Media relaunched Sports “ESPN Lafayette” 1420 KPEL/103.3 K277DQ Lafayette LA as “103.3 The Goat“. Timed to today’s homecoming at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, the station is now positioning as “The Greatest Sports Talk Of All Time”. The station features local shows hosted by Lynden Burton from 6-7am and Scott Prather from 7-9am. Fox Sports […] […]