US proposes to fine ESPN $147,000 over improper emergency tones in NBA promotions

The Federal Communications Commission said on Thursday it was proposing to fine Walt Disney’s ESPN network $147,000 for violating rules on broadcasting emergency alert tones during promotional segments for the start of the 2023-2024 NBA season.

The use of the emergency alert system or wireless emergency alert tones is barred by FCC rules “to avoid confusion when the tones are used, alert fatigue among listeners, and false activation of the system by the operative data elements contained in the alert tones,” the agency said.

ESPN has a history of noncompliance with FCC rules and was fined in 2015 and 2021 for emergency alert violations, the FCC added. Reuters