Belo Turns to DAS for Emergency Messaging

The Belo Corp. is standardizing on Digital Alert Systems' (DAS) DASDEC-II digital EAS/CAP encoder and decoder for their emergency messaging for all of their broadcast stations. The fact that the system is CAP compatible, flexible and easily integrated into Belo's BTi system were cited as key reasons for choosing the product.

"After extensive analysis, we selected the DASDEC-II system for our enterprise-wide EAS/CAP implementation," said Reed Wilson, executive director of technology at Belo in a statement. "The DASDEC-II came through not only with the CAP compatibility we required, but also with the flexibility to accommodate new requirements as CAP evolves. DAS worked closely with us to make sure that the systems were configured correctly for our air paths and that they operate smoothly with our existing systems. The seamless interface between the DASDEC-II and our BTi system allows Belo stations to get critical emergency messages on-air automatically."

The DASDEC-11 features integrated receivers, advanced hardware interfaces, simple software upgrades, and network-based design as well as a wide range of physical connections and third-party interfaces. Broadcast station personnel on an IP network can use any standard Web browser to view, change, or activate DASDEC functions from anywhere.

In markets where a single facility is managing more than one broadcast station or channel, Belo is using Digital Alert Systems' MultiStation software, which allows staff from a central location to schedule alerts without interrupting critical programs. The system produces regular reports and helps ensure that FCC and other operational requirements are being met for each market.