The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has proposed to fine WVID(FM), Anasco, Puerto Rico, $8,000 because the station's EAS equipment was not configured to interrupt regular programming with EAS announcements. Responding to a complaint, FCC personnel from the agency's San Juan office visited the station. They found that the station's EAS equipment was installed and operational in every respect except that it was incapable of transmitting an EAS message unless station staff manually reduced or muted the on-air program volume. The EAS lacked the capability to automatically override or interrupt regular programming. When station staff is present, the system can function adequately. However, although WVID is the on the air 24 hours per day, it operates unattended from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Without a human being present to assist, the EAS was stifled at night and no emergency messages could be broadcast.
The Commission's rules mandate that stations be EAS-capable at all times they are on the air – whether attended or unattended by live personnel. The Enforcement Bureau decidedly concluded that WVID was in willful violation of this rule. It was unclear how long this condition had existed. The station manager disclosed to the Commission inspectors that the situation had been this way since he assumed his current position in September, 2011. WVID is a noncommercial station licensed to a small college. Nonetheless, the Enforcement Bureau issued a Notice of Proposed Liability for Forfeiture and Order that includes a fine for the full amount of the base forfeiture of $8,000 established in the Forfeiture Policy Statement. The station will also be required to certify to the Commission within 30 days that its EAS operation is fully rule compliant.
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