On Sunday, prior to the start of its 1pm Eastern coverage of the National Football League, the FOX television network aired a 45-second promotional message that in its first three seconds incorporated an EAS tone.
The promotion ran nationally, on affiliates and on FOX-owned stations. While the FCC Enforcement Bureau’s Chief, Rosemary Harold, is likely reviewing the matter along with her team, non-FOX owned television stations that had no idea the promotional message was set to air until after the fact could also be held liable for what appears to be a blatant violation of Commission rules on emergency alert messages.
Or, are the affiliates not the guilty party, thus escaping a potentially large financial penalty?