FCC Publishes Annual Reminder on Accessibility Obligations for Broadcast of Emergency Information
By David Oxenford on July 1, 2021
Posted in Emergency Communications
The FCC yesterday released a Public Notice reminding TV stations and other video programming providers including cable and satellite television providers of their obligations on making emergency information accessible for all viewers. With a few tweaks, including emphasizing that more hurricanes and wildfires occurred in the last year, the reminder is very similar to what the FCC said last year. Here is what we wrote about that notice, equally applicable to the one released yesterday:
The FCC provides examples of the kinds of emergencies that the rules are intended to cover – which for the first time this year includes pandemics. Other examples of the emergencies that these obligations would apply to include “tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, tidal waves, earthquakes, icing conditions, heavy snows, widespread fires, discharge of toxic gases, widespread power failures, industrial explosions, civil disorders, school closings and changes in school bus schedules resulting from such conditions, and warnings and watches of impending changes in weather.” The details that must be conveyed to the entire audience include “specific details regarding the areas that will be affected by the [...]