FCC Considers Public Input on NAB's Petition to Postpone Certain EAS Regulation Enforcements
FCC Seeks Public Comment on Retroactive Extension of Broadcaster Waiver
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it is seeking public comment on a request from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) to extend a waiver that delays the implementation of certain emergency alert rules.
The waiver in question concerns a rule requiring broadcasters to provide an aural representation of visual, non-textual emergency information, such as radar maps or other graphics, on a secondary audio stream. The original rule was adopted on April 8, 2013, but has been waived and delayed several times due to a lack of a technical solution for automated descriptions of the information in such graphics.
The waiver expired on November 26, 2024, and the NAB has filed a request with the FCC to extend the waiver retroactively. The FCC has clarified that commenters should limit their submissions to the question of whether the Bureau should grant a retroactive extension of the waiver and if so, the appropriate timeframe of such a waiver.
The FCC has emphasized that commenters should not address broader issues in their submissions, but should instead focus on the question of a retroactive extension of the waiver and the duration of the extension. Broader issues relevant to the resolution of the Petition should be addressed in response to the November 25, 2024 Public Notice.
The FCC's Media Bureau is seeking comment on the issue of extending the waiver, and the agency has indicated that the expiration of the waiver will harm the public. The FCC is accepting comments on the NAB's request for a retroactive extension of the waiver.
In a November 15 filing, the NAB stated that because the waiver expired during the comment period on the Petition, "numerous large television station groups have ceased the display of such weather radar maps and similar visual images," which "will harm the public."
The search results do not provide information on which organizations have commented on the FCC waiver extension or the deadline stated in those comments regarding the delay of certain emergency alert provisions. It is unclear how long the comment period will last, as the FCC has not yet announced a specific deadline for submissions.
In conclusion, the FCC is seeking public comment on the NAB's request to extend a waiver that delays the implementation of certain emergency alert rules. Commenters are asked to focus on the question of a retroactive extension of the waiver and the duration of the extension, and should not address broader issues. The FCC has indicated that the expiration of the waiver will harm the public, and the agency is accepting comments on the issue.
