EAS Filings Due to SECCs by November 6, 2017

In an Order released last year, the FCC mandated that EAS Participants, including radio and TV stations, provide a written report to their State Emergency Coordinating Committees (SECCs) describing efforts to provide multilingual emergency alert system (EAS) alerts. These reports must be filed with the appropriate SECC by November 6, 2017. Although the FCC’s rules do not currently set forth specific actions that stations must take to provide multilingual EAS alerts, EAS Participants must now file these reports with their SECCs describing the current and future efforts the EAS Participant has made to provide EAS alert content to non-English speaking audiences in its community. SECCs are then required to provide the FCC with a summary of this information on or before May 4, 2018.

EAS Participants must also notify their SECCs and the FCC of any material changes regarding their multilingual EAS alert efforts within 60 days of such change. While not required, EAS Participants may provide additional information that might be relevant to advancing multilingual EAS alerts, including information regarding languages other than English that are spoken within the respective communities served by the EAS Participant.

Information regarding SECC Chairpersons and current State EAS Plans are available here. Stations should consult with their appropriate SECCs to determine how the reports should be filed.

If you have any questions about these reporting requirements or would like assistance preparing these reports, please contact any attorney in our office.

Categories: Media