{"id":19596,"date":"2018-10-22T06:00:01","date_gmt":"2018-10-22T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.robertfeder.com\/?p=19596"},"modified":"2018-10-22T06:00:01","modified_gmt":"2018-10-22T11:00:01","slug":"false-alarm-land-cbs-2-trouble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/robertfeder.dailyherald.com\/2018\/10\/22\/false-alarm-land-cbs-2-trouble\/","title":{"rendered":"False alarm could land CBS 2 in trouble"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/a> CBS 2 Chicago<\/p><\/div>\n

WBBM-Channel 2<\/a> could be facing a substantial fine or other penalty from the Federal Communications Commission for illegally broadcasting emergency warning tones in a news promo.<\/p>\n

The CBS-owned station aired the Emergency Alert System Attention Signal<\/a> in the opening of its 5 p.m. newscast Thursday. It was used to tease a story about an Amber Alert child abduction that had been issued \u2014 and rescinded \u2014 earlier in the day.<\/p>\n

FCC regulations strictly forbid the false, fraudulent or unauthorized<\/a> use of the signal. \u201cAny transmission, including broadcast, of the EAS Attention Signal or codes, or a simulation of them, under any circumstances other than a genuine alert or an authorized test of the EAS system violates federal law and undermines the important public safety protections the EAS provides,\u201d according to an FCC enforcement advisory. \u201cFailure to comply . . . may subject a violator to sanctions including, but not limited to, substantial monetary forfeitures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Derek Dalton<\/p><\/div>\n

Derek Dalton, president and general manager of CBS 2, acknowledged that the signal was used improperly. \u201cIt was a mistake and we have taken the appropriate steps to make sure it does not happen again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Dalton would not say whether the part-time producer who was believed to be responsible for the error had been disciplined. He declined further comment on the matter, including whether the FCC had been informed.<\/p>\n

A violator is required to notify<\/a> the FCC that it has transmitted a false alert to the public within 24 hours of its discovery, \"informing the commission of the event and of any details that the EAS participant may have concerning the event.\"<\/p>\n

In this case, the signal tones were used to preview a story<\/a> by CBS 2 reporter Mai Martinez about the kidnaping of a 7-month-old girl Thursday afternoon. The car she was in had been driven off by a man who jumped into the driver's seat during a traffic stop in the area of I-90 westbound in Belvidere. The Amber Alert was canceled less than an hour later when the child was located unharmed and reunited with family.<\/p>\n

Among recent citations by the FCC for similar infractions:<\/p>\n