EAS in Mass

[Gary's Ice Cream]

They are doing them 7 days a week, twice a day. The overnight one is usually
at 1am - give or take 10 minutes.  The afternoon one is around 3pm.



-----Original Message-----
From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org
[mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of
Sid Schweiger
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 5:07 PM
To: Boston radio e-mail list
Subject: RE: EAS in Mass

"Weekly tests originate with the station/cable system, not with the EAS
people.  So the blame here is squarely on Comcast, unless they are
originating from the station that you are watching on Comcast.  I know from
my former employment at a Boston TV station that the general manager at the
time got quite upset that an EAS test was aired by Comcast during the first
segment of the 11 PM news on the first day of sweeps a few years ago, and
probably a few less-than-nice words were exchanged between him and someone
at Comcast."

Wrong party to blame, and it's not Mark Manuelian's fault either.  Blame the
FCC.

First:  All weekly tests must be run on random days at random times [47 CFR
§11.61(a)(2)(i)(A, B & C)].  Burying them overnight consistently = a hefty
contribution to the federal treasury.

Second:  On cable systems with over 5000 subscribers, all channels must be
interrupted simultaneously for all EAS tests, per 47 CFR §11.61(a)(2)(i)(B).
Cable systems with fewer than 5000 subscribers get away with doing the
weekly tests on just one channel.

Comcast is only doing what they are supposed to do.  No matter when the
tests are done, someone will be ticked off.

Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Brighton MA  02135-2040