The FCC has proposed a $20,000 fine against Entercom Hot AC “New 102.7” WNEW New York for “its apparently willful violation of the Commission’s rules” by utilizing the EAS tones in a parody skit.

The FCC states that on October 3, 2018 as the agency and FEMA was preparing for a test that afternoon of a test to wireless devices, the “Karen & Jeffrey” morning show at WNEW used the tone “in a skit lampooning the nationwide WEA test that was conducted later that day” that aired at 7:52am. After sending Entercom a letter of inquiry, the station admitted they used the EAS Attention Signal that was not in connection with an actual emergency, authorized test of the EAS, or a PSA. Program Director Jim Ryan told the FCC that an initial version of the skit was produced by a station employee that included the EAS Header Code and was identified as problematic by Ryan and replaced by approximately one second of the Attention Signal which was approved for airing.

In determining the $20,000 fine amount beyond the base $8,000 penalty, the FCC noted that “Even though the instant violation was limited in duration to a single transmission on a single day and apparently caused no downstream EAS activation, the fact that Entercom’s programming reached potentially vast audiences increases the extent and gravity of the violation and therefore supports an upward adjustment. In this regard, the Station’s audience reach is considerable; it is ranked #11 in the Nielsen Radio Market Ratings in New York, New York, the largest radio market in the U.S.”

We do note that while the FCC tabbed the show in question as “Karen & Jeffrey”, co-host Jeffrey Jameson had exited the station months prior in July upon the station’s rebranding from “Fresh 102.7“. Karen Carson was hosting mornings solo at the time.