NBA FILED PETITION TODAY

Earlier today, the Nevada Broadcasters Association, along with 45 other State Broadcasters Associations, the National Association of Broadcasters, National Cable and Telecommunications Association, Society of Broadcast Engineers, American Cable Association, Association for Maximum Service Television, National Public Radio, Association of Public Television Stations and Public Broadcasting Service, urged the FCC to extend the current March 29, 2011 CAP-compliance deadline to at least September 30, 2011 or later, as well as to consider holding the deadline in abeyance until the FCC has completed its own CAP-related equipment certification process and has resolved its anticipated rulemaking proceeding concerning modifications to Part 11 of its EAS rules and regulations.

We pointed out that it would be premature at best, and potentially very wasteful at worst, for some 25,000 to 30,000 EAS participants to be required to purchase, install and test new or modified CAP-related equipment in circumstances where (i) the IPAWS list of CAP tested and certified EAS equipment has yet to be released, (ii) the FCC may conduct its own certification process which could necessitate further changes to equipment which FEMA has already approved, and (iii) the FCC may, as a result of an expected rulemaking, change its EAS regulations in ways that impact the future suitability of CAP-related equipment.

We also urged the Commission to take into consideration the extra time needed for EAS participants to coordinate with their state and local representatives to insure that the conversion of government owned EAS equipment would be compatible with CAP-related equipment that radio and television stations, and others, may employ. Given the importance of getting "CAP" right the first time, we stressed that flexibility should be the watchword in this context.

Please address any questions or concerns you may have directly to Adrienne Abbott -- nevadaeas@charter.net