Both RadioInk and InsideRadio reported this week on conversations between the National Association of Broadcasters and the FCC regarding the future of EAS equipment, an issue that is growing in importance with the recent announcement from Sage Alerting Systems that it will not longer manufacture its current version of its EAS hardware.

InsideRadio writes that under a proposal first submitted to the Federal Communications Commission in December 2022, the NAB says giving radio and television stations the option of using software-based EAS encoder/decoder technology in place of a physical hardware equipment box would enhance the security, readiness, and reliability of the emergency alerting system. Not only would it cut or eliminate the down-time needed to repair malfunctioning equipment and install security-related software patches, but NAB sees the shift as a way to improve the reliability of EAS. It would enable the immediate use of standby equipment if needed at the station level, while also allowing, in the event of a large disaster, for the use of redundant, geographically diverse locations of encoder/decoder operations.

In a disclosure filing about the meeting, NAB Associate General Counsel Larry Walke says any new software-based encoder/decoder products would have to function “seamlessly” within the existing EAS system and their proposal envisions testing and certification by vendors. He also points out that broadcasters are already familiar with software-based systems given the similarity to the existing processes routinely used for Nielsen PPM ratings software.

Digital Alert Systems worries much of the discussion about virtualization may be driven more by economic benefits, rather than public safety. It is working on an internet-based option that it describes as a “hybrid virtual” approach that would allow broadcasters to insert internet-based EAS processing into the air chain, simplify the reception and playback of EAS messages, and allow autonomous EAS processing at either the local station or the local transmission site.

Digital Audio System’s approach involves an IP-enabled hardware appliance, and Walke says the FCC is embracing new internet technology.

“A primary goal of NAB’s proposal is to provide broadcasters the flexibility not to rely on a physical device, and certainly not on a specific branded device,” Walke writes in the filing. “That said, we remain agnostic regarding the development of the desired software and would likely prefer that the existing trusted vendors of EAS equipment take the lead in developing such a product.”

The FCC staff and broadcasters explored the practical implications of implementing a software-based system, including concerns over cybersecurity, operational efficiency, and alignment with existing EAS infrastructure. NAB representatives pointed to the similarity of their proposal to current software processes used in broadcasting, such as Nielsen PPM ratings, to illustrate its feasibility.

The meeting concluded with a discussion of next steps, including the potential development and testing of software-based EAS products by trusted industry vendors. NAB remains optimistic that this transition will modernize the system while addressing broadcasters’ operational needs.