SiriusXM has resumed sending weekly Emergency Alert System tests on its promotional “barker channel” — which many states use as a redundant monitoring source for national alerts — after pausing them earlier this year.
We reported previously that the company had temporarily stopped retransmitting Required Weekly Tests (RWTs) at the request of the technical partner whose RWTs it had been retransmitting. That partner was not identified, but people familiar with the arrangement said it was WTOP(FM) in Washington.
Now a company spokesperson tells Radio World that “SiriusXM-initiated EAS Weekly Testing successfully resumed on July 27.”
This comes as FEMA and the FCC are planning a nationwide EAS test for Nov. 17.
The SiriusXM promotional or barker channel is an un-hosted channel with an audio loop that typically is used to promote the satellite service to new vehicle buyers in order to get them to activate a subscription. The feeds are also used on sports play-by-play channels to broadcast an audio loop guiding listeners to that day’s scheduled game locations.
According to alerting observers, many states use the barker channel in their EAS plans as a redundant monitoring source for radio stations to receive national-level tests and alerts. The channel is often used to help fill out gaps in the Primary Entry Point network.
For example, several years ago the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association provided all LP-1 and PEP stations in the state with SiriusXM receivers to use as another monitor source for National EAS messages, according to Chris Tarr, chair of the Wisconsin State Emergency Communications Committee and a field engineer at K-Love.
“This latest development improves the reliability of the network and will provide another test path for the NPT this fall,” Tarr said.
When the company paused RWTs in May, it began “an evaluation process to determine a best path forward,” according to our earlier reporting. The company decided to originate weekly EAS tests with its own internal system to ensure continuity for remote stations and listeners.
SiriusXM continued to carry and relay required Regular Monthly Tests (RMT) in compliance with FCC regulations.
The satellite radio company is required by the FCC to carry national EAS alerts across all of its satellite channels, but not across its streaming channels.
