Category Archives: National

FCC Directs Stations to Submit Form One to ETRS by February 28

The FCC announced in mid-December that February 28 is the new deadline for submitting a Form One in the EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) in anticipation of a National EAS Test, which, as of this writing, does not have a test date established.

While there was no national test in 2022, if your station was operating before last year, you likely have an account set up on the ETRS. The FCC said it would open the site for Form One filings on January 3, 2023.

FCC Announces NPRM to Address EAS Security Updates

The FCC issued the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking FCC-22-82 last week in an effort to shore up security vulnerabilities discussed recently. The vulnerabilities include the usual easy-to-guess passwords, lack of EAS device software updates, and so on. The FCC wants to require broadcasters and cable operators to report cyber threats to their EAS equipment within 72 hours and file a cybersecurity risk management plan with the FCC for their EAS system. The commission also wants broadcasters to download and install security patches for their EAS gear.

EAS IPAWS Security Advisory

[FROM FEMA Advisory published 8/1/2022]

We recently became aware of certain vulnerabilities in EAS encoder/decoder devices that, if not updated to most recent software versions, could allow an actor to issue EAS alerts over the host infrastructure (TV, radio, cable network).

This exploit was successfully demonstrated by Ken Pyle, a security researcher at CYBIR.com, and may be presented as a proof of concept at the upcoming DEFCON 2022 conference in Las Vegas, August 11-14.

In short, the vulnerability is public knowledge and will be demonstrated to a large audience in the coming weeks.

FEMA strongly encourages EAS participants to ensure that:

  1. EAS devices and supporting systems are up to date with the most recent software versions and security patches;
  2. EAS devices are protected by a firewall;
  3. EAS devices and supporting systems are monitored and audit logs are regularly reviewed looking for unauthorized access.

KFMB-TV Goes Private Again

Investment private equity firms Standard General and Apollo Global Management announced last week they are jointly purchasing broadcasting holding company TEGNA for $5.4-billion. The purchase will include San Diego CBS affiliate KFMB (TV), which had been picked up by TEGNA in late 2017.

Standard General previously led Young Broadcasting out of bankruptcy, with the company acquiring a controlling stake in Media General, which sold to Nexstar in 2018. Apollo, meanwhile, owns the TV stations that had been operated by Cox Media Group, having acquired them in 2019.