[SBE] ARCO Commercial Trips EAS Units

[Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT]

After posting the following comment on the Chapter 70/NE Ohio email list, I felt 
it was also appropriate for this conversation.  Those members who are on both 
lists, please accept my apologies.  
 
A similar discussion on the legality of the Arco spot and others like it is also 
happening on the EAS Exchange.

Our industry and the regulators tend to work on a complaint/response basis. 
 Many broadcasters, who are responsible for the legality of their programming 
may not evaluate commercials for this sort of thing (who's turning down money in 
this economy?).  However, if listeners complain by email or letter to the 
broadcaster or to the FCC, the advertising crutch of using "faux alerts" would 
result in a quick education up the chain to agency creative types who are likely 
unfamiliar with the problem.  I suspect the practice would quickly cease.  


Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT
Atlanta, GA
barryt at sbe.org