NEWS 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, S.W. 
Washington, D. C. 20554 
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. 
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974). 
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 
Internet: http://www.fcc.gov 
TTY: 1-888-835-5322 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: 
November 23, 2010 Robert Kenny 202-418-2668 or 
202-355-2524 (cell) 
Email: robert.kenny@fcc.gov 
FCC TAKES ACTION TO EXTEND DEADLINE FOR BROADCASTERS AND OTHER 
EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM PARTICIPANTS TO COMPLY WITH TECHNICAL 
REQUIREMENTS FOR NEXT-GENERATION EMERGENCY ALERTS 
Washington D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission recently took action to extend the deadline for 
broadcasters, cable companies, satellite radio and television operators, and wireline video service providers 
to implement the new federal common messaging protocol adopted by the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) for the transmission of next generation emergency alerts and warnings to the public. 
In 2007, the FCC required all Emergency Alert System (EAS) participants to have the capability to receive 
Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-formatted EAS messages within 180 days of FEMA’s adoption of a CAP 
standard (i.e., March 29, 2011). Under today’s action, the new deadline for all EAS participants to 
implement the new technology was extended to September 30, 2011. 
James Arden Barnett, Jr., Rear Admiral (ret.) and Chief of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security 
Bureau, said, “We are pleased to provide the extension to broadcasters and other EAS participants to come 
into CAP-compliance. It is critical that we get this right from the beginning and after weighing considerable 
public input calling for an extension, we believe today’s action to do so provides broadcasters and other EAS 
participants with greater flexibility to meet the technical requirements for delivering next generation 
emergency alerts to the public.” 
The FCC’s decision to provide an extension was based on public comment and a specific recommendation 
by the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council (CSRIC), a federal advisory 
committee, calling for an extension of the CAP-compliance deadline. CSRIC and others from the public cited 
multiple factors in their call for an extension of the deadline, including the need for more time for the 
development, testing and potential certification of the new equipment and the costs associated with 
purchasing the CAP-compliant equipments by EAS participants. The FCC took these factors into 
consideration and extended the deadline from 180 days to 360 days for EAS participants to come into 
compliance. 
Action by the Commission, November 18, 2010, by Order (FCC 10-191). Chairman Genachowski, and 
Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn and Baker. Separate Statement issued by Commissioner 
McDowell. 
For additional information about the CAP deadline extension, please contact Gregory Cooke, Associate 
Chief, Policy and Licensing Division, FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, at 202-418-2351 
or via email: Gregory.Cooke@fcc.gov. 
-FCCFor 
more news and information about the Federal Communications Commission 
please visit: www.fcc.gov