Engineering, ABIP & EAS
Next Best Thing Technology Tour Coming to Michigan in August
The 2022 “Next Best Thing” Media Tour, hosted by Broadcasters General Store and Second Opinion Communications will be visiting Michigan August 17-19 with stops in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit. The tour brings the best and new innovative technologies in broadcasting and will feature products from over 25 companies and will showcase the new NBT…
Read MoreBroadcasters Urge FCC to Leave EAS Unchanged, Calling It ‘Vital Backup’
In comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission, broadcasters are urging the Commission to not mess with success. “Although internet connectivity can be affected by weather and other extreme conditions, the legacy EAS system is always available to provide a resilient, redundant pathway when internet outages occur,” the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) wrote. It…
Read MoreNo National EAS Test in 2022
According to FEMA, there will be no EAS or IPAWS test for broadcasters in 2022. This was announced at the NAB last week. According to a report appearing in Inside Radio, FEMA Deputy Assistant Administrator Antwane Johnson stated: “It will not happen this year. We are planning to do that in the early part of…
Read MoreCable Groups Ask for 2-year Window on EAS Changes
A trade organization representing small- and medium-size cable television operators is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a two-year moratorium if the regulator moves forward with adopting a proposal to change how emergency alert messages are broadcast for visually-impaired and hard-of-hearing individuals. The request comes as the FCC considers amending its rules regarding the…
Read MoreMMTC Pushes for Hybrid EAS ‘Designated Hitter’ Program
InsideRadio reports that the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) has long been pushing for a so-called designated hitter system that would ensure that foreign-language programming is available on the radio during a disaster. It would depend on the Federal Communications Commission administering such a program. But with broadcasters resistant to such a formalized…
Read MoreBook Your 2022 ABIP Inspection Now
Scheduling is underway for the 2022 Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP). The ABIP is a unique partnership between the MAB and the FCC under which stations that participate can receive a three-year exemption from routine FCC inspections. The MAB’s inspector, Blake E. Thompson CBNT, will be traveling our state 4/25-4/30; 5/16-5/24; and 6/13-6/17/22. Thompson notes,…
Read MoreSBE 2022 Leadership Development Course Set for August
The Society of Broadcast Engineers will hold the 2022 SBE Leadership Development Course August 3-5, 2022, in Atlanta, GA. This three-day course is an intensive study of successful leadership and management, designed specifically for broadcast engineers. The course explores the nature of leadership, the difference between being a manager and being a leader, how to…
Read MoreDetroit SMPTE Presents “Argus Building Buildout of Michigan Radio Studios”
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Detroit Section will host a free virtual meeting open to all members, guests and non-members on Tuesday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m. The topic will be “Argus Building Buildout of Michigan Radio Studios” with speaker Bob Skon, Chief Engineer, Michigan Radio. This virtual meeting is free…
Read MoreFCC: 2021 National EAS Test Showed Improvement
The nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System last August showed improvement over the previous test in 2019, according to the Federal Communications Commission and a report on the test released in December. On August 11, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC), conducted a…
Read MoreAdvisory: Stations Should Check With Web/IT Providers on New Apache Vulnerability
Member stations are advised to check with their IT, web and cloud services providers to be certain they are patched for a new Apache vulnerability. The vulnerability, first discovered late last week, is severe because it is in a system that underlies most company systems around the world, and has been in use for decades. …
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