The National, State, and Local EAS: Participation and Priorities
B. State/Local EAS Participation
C. Conditions of EAS Participation
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3/11/97 1 II. The National, State, and Local EAS Participation and Priorities
All broadcasters and subject cable operators are required to participate in the National-level EAS. Participating National (PN) stations and cable operators will carry the Presidential message; Non-Participating National (NN) stations will make an announcement and sign off. In addition, all broadcasters and subject cable operators must transmit a Required Weekly Test (RWT), and once a month, must re-transmit the Required Monthly Test (RMT) within one hour of receiving it on their EAS decoder. These actions are required of all broadcasters and subject cable operators, regardless of their PN or NN EAS status.
B. State/Local EAS Participation
Participation in the State and/or Local Area EAS is voluntary for all broadcasters and cable operators. However, broadcast stations and cable operators electing to participate in the State and/or Local Area EAS must follow the procedures found in this Plan. Stations designated ANN@ (Non-Participating National) may participate in the State and/or Local Area EAS without any prior FCC approval, even though they elect not to carry National EAS Alerts.
C. Conditions of EAS Participation
Participation in this Plan shall not be deemed as a relinquishment of program control, and shall not be deemed to prohibit broadcast licensees from exercising independent discretion and responsibility in any given situation. Broadcast stations and cable systems transmitting EAS emergency communications shall be deemed to have conferred rebroadcast authority. Management of each broadcast station and cable system may exercise discretion regarding the broadcast of emergency information and instructions to the general public. This authority is provided by FCC Rules and Regulations [11.54d].
EAS Priorities as set forth in the FCC rules [11.44] are as follows:
1) National EAS Messages 2) Local Area EAS Messages 3) State EAS Messages 4) Messages from the National Information Center (NIC) (These are follow-up messages after a national EAS activation.)
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