One day before FCC Chairman Brendan Carr unveiled his “Build America” Agenda, the NAB and a coalition of major radio stakeholders met with his office to continue their campaign for the use of software-based Emergency Alert System encoders and decoders.
In the July 1 meeting, NAB Associate General Counsel Larry Walke was joined by representatives from iHeartMedia, Beasley Media Group, Cox Media Group, and New York Public Radio. The group pressed Carr’s team to advance NAB’s March 2025 Petition for Rulemaking, which calls for broadcasters to have the voluntary option to use secure, software-based alternatives to the hardware-only EAS systems currently required under FCC rules.
“We emphasized that, if approved, implementing NAB’s approach would be optional for EAS Participants, and as described in the attached presentation, enhance the effectiveness and security of EAS,” wrote Walke.
The conversation highlighted how the shift to software would bring EAS infrastructure in line with other modernized broadcast technologies, simplify compliance and maintenance, and provide critical failover capabilities in disaster scenarios.
NAB also positioned the proposal as aligned with Carr’s ongoing Delete, Delete, Delete initiative, which seeks to eliminate outdated or burdensome broadcast regulations. “Allowing the use of a software-based EAS ENDEC would relieve entities that choose this option of the regulatory and practical burdens associated with having to own and maintain hardware devices,” said the NAB.
The meeting comes as Sage Alerting Systems, one of two leading providers of EAS equipment, has announced it will cease offering new EAS hardware. However, the other company – Digital Alert Systems – has publicly clashed with the NAB over the issue, warning of unresolved cybersecurity and compliance risks. DAS says it remains open to continued dialogue.
