Hearst Television has standardized its emergency alert systems (EAS) and common alerting protocol (CAP) technologies on Digital Alert Systems' DASDECTM-II emergency messaging platform with EAS-Net.
The product is being used at 29 stations in 26 markets. The move allows Hearst to comply with federal CAP regulations and integrate a common CAP/EAS solution with the in-house master control branding system that is used by all the broadcaster's stations.
"The DASDEC system offered the CAP functionality we sought, and its flexible EAS-Net option enabled the unit to serve as a 'snap-in' solution that could be integrated into our existing branding environment and quickly deployed," explained Joe Addalia, director of technology projects at Hearst Television in a statement. "As we move forward and as CAP is refined, we're confident that our ongoing relationship with Digital Alert Systems will enable us to leverage CAP/EAS messaging even more fully and effectively within our broadcasts. We feel that we've aligned with the right company to get it done."
In addition to the DASDEC-II platform, which provides core EAS and CAP functionality in a small single box design, Hearst is also using EAS-Net, an communications protocol software that enables EAS data and audio transmission over a TCP/IP network, to integrate its new DASDEC-II systems with the HD master control branding engine that runs at all of its stations.
The engine, which sits between the stations' Vizrt graphics systems and Harris automation, ensures that emergency messaging matches the look and feel, as well as the quality, of other station content.
