The FCC posted today that it had granted the assignment of the license for KUSI (TV) to Nexstar Media Group. In May, Nexstar announced that it agreed to purchase KUSI from the McKinnon family for $35-million. This will create a duopoly in San Diego with the recent acquisition of KSWB-TV from the Tribune Publishing Company. According to sources at KUSI, KSWB will move into the KUSI facility on Murphy Road since the sale includes that property and KSWB leases its space on Engineer Road.

KUSI has been an independent station since its creation by the United States International University in 1982 except for a 4-year period from 1995—1998 when they were affiliated with UPN. The station was initially built with all RCA gear from the cameras and tape recorders to the transmitter atop Mt. San Miguel.

Fred Swift has been the station’s chief engineer since Richard Large retired in 2013, 10 years ago. The pair had worked together for 29 years before that.

Some people can’t help but play with the artificial intelligence engine ChatGPT in ways that will make you cringe. Richard Rudman, EAS volunteer California State Emergency Coordination Committee Vice-Chair from Santa Paula sent us this little ditty he had ChatGPT compose. The best I can think of as a tune to sing it to is, “This Land is Your Land,” but the meter changes impossibly. Give it a go:

In the dead of night, when all is still,
A sound breaks through, a warning shrill,
It’s the Emergency Alert System, here to say,
Stay alert, stay safe, come what may.

(Chorus)
Oh, the Emergency Alert System,
A voice of caution, a call to listen,
When danger looms, it’s there to warn,
From storms to emergencies, day or morn.

(Verse 2)
Through the airwaves, the message spreads,
A lifeline in times of dread,
With its distinct tone and urgent plea,
It echoes across the land, for you and me.

(Chorus)
Oh, the Emergency Alert System,
A voice of caution, a call to listen,
When danger looms, it’s there to warn,
From storms to emergencies, day or morn.

(Bridge)
From tornadoes to floods, and everything between,
The EAS keeps us informed, a trusted machine,
With its alerts and updates, we stay aware,
In times of crisis, it shows it cares.

(Verse 3)
So let’s heed the call, when it rings out,
Follow the instructions, without a doubt,
For the Emergency Alert System is here,
To guide us through, to calm our fear.

(Chorus)
Oh, the Emergency Alert System,
A voice of caution, a call to listen,
When danger looms, it’s there to warn,
From storms to emergencies, day or morn.

(Outro)
So remember, my friend, when the sirens blare,
The Emergency Alert System is there,
To keep us safe, to keep us strong,
In unity, we’ll face whatever comes along.

KPBS-FM/TV Senior Engineering Manager Kevin Schrader told us that Jeff Crane joined their staff in April as a Broadcast Engineer. Jeff comes from KSWB-TV Fox 5 where he was a Broadcast IT Engineer for three years. He had previously worked with KSTS (TV) in San Jose, and as a freelance entertainment event technician in various roles.

We’ve revised the 10-year-old San Diego County Emergency Alert System Plan and it’s ready for distribution. Changes are minor. You’re no longer asked to fax in your alerts, thank you very much. The old CLERS and San Diego County LIFE system with their radio backbones are gone. KSSX (FM) 95.7 is no longer listed as an LP1 station; you might remember that station had served for a while as a simulcast FM source of KOGO (AM). We cleaned up grammar and layout.

I was the primary editor of the document, but it could not have been properly done without the valuable input of John Rigg of iHeartMedia; Richard Rudman, volunteer Vice-Chair of the California State Emergency Coordination Committee; and Daniel Vasquez of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services. 

If you are in charge of your broadcast facility EAS execution, you should keep a copy of the revised plan with your other EAS materials. The plan is not publicly distributed, but you can obtain it by sending me a request. Mention what stations in San Diego County you take care of if I don’t already know. 

SBE Chapter 36 Chairman Tony McDaid began his new position as Broadcast Engineer at KPBS-FM/TV last month. Most recently he was a Systems Engineer at KNSD/NBC 7. He has also worked as a broadcast engineer for iHeart Media, KFMB, and Qualcomm.

Tony said, “Among the reasons for making the change was a desire to get back to working in radio, which I had come to miss while at KNSD. KPBS is now the only broadcaster in San Diego with both radio and TV stations. It feels like something of a coming home, having worked for the BBC in the UK. I’m very lucky to be here just as new radio studios are beginning to be installed and look forward to a long and happy career at KPBS.”