Hearst TV Chooses DASDEC-II EAS Platform

Digital Alert Systems (DAS), a provider of next-generation Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and Emergency Alert Systems (EAS), today announced that Hearst Television has standardized on the DASDEC-II emergency messaging platform with EAS-Net across 29 stations in 26 markets.

In addition to satisfying the federal requirement for CAP compliance, the DAS installation lets Hearst integrate a common CAP/EAS solution with the in-house master control branding system used by all of its 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,” said Joe Addalia, director of technology projects at Hearst Television. “Now equipped with the DASDEC-II units, our stations can run EAS the way they’ve always wanted. 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.”

DASDEC-II provides core EAS and CAP functionality in a small single-box design. It is available with integrated receivers; advanced hardware interfaces for adaptability to ever-evolving technology changes; simple software upgrades without un-cabling, un-racking, opening the case, removing parts and reassembly; and a network-centric perspective using common Web browsers and leveraging common information exchange protocols.

Hearst is using EAS-Net, an exclusive 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, can ensure that emergency messaging matches the look and feel, as well as the quality, of other station content.