FCC extends EAS CAP deadline

On September 16, the FCC released and order extending the Common Alerting Protocol compliance Emergency Alert System deadline from September 30 to June 30, 2012.

The move comes after TAB, all of the other state broadcast associations, the NAB, the Broadcast Warning Working Group, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, the American Cable Association, National Public Radio, the Association of Public Television Stations, and the Public Broadcasting Service requested a further extension of the deadline for EAS Participants to implement the CAP standard for EAS.

Paul Cicelski, an attorney with TAB?s FCC counsel Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, said the FCC?s decision means ?that the thousands of EAS participants across the country now have additional time to acquire and install the equipment needed to become CAP-compliant.?

In its order, the FCC agreed with the arguments made in the petition by the broadcast and cable industries that a later deadline was necessary in light of the regulatory uncertainty that remains regarding what is necessary for CAP compliance, particularly because the FCC's EAS Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will undoubtedly lead to significant EAS rule changes that could alter the requirements for EAS Participants in a way that would impact the manner in which they will go about buying, installing, testing and operating new CAP-compliant EAS equipment. 

In short, the extension will enable EAS participants to review and adapt to the final rules adopted or altered in the EAS proceeding. 

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