On June 4, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission released the Sixth Report and Order addressing results from the national EAS test conducted in 2011. The 50-page report covers many points, including creation of a new national location code, addressing equipment and discrepancies in video and audio presentations, and a reporting structure for EAS activations on a national level. The R&O sets a 12-month timeline for some of the implementation and compliance of the majority of the R&O. A separate six-month timeline was set for compliance of new requirements for video and audio display of CAP messages.

There are four significant changes:

■ The commission adopted 000000 as the location code to cover every state and county in the United States. All EAS participants will be required to use equipment that can recognize the new location code.

■ Participating equipment must also recognize the National Periodic Test event code for future nationwide EAS tests.

■ EAS participants will be required to electronically file test results via the FCC's Electronic Test Report System.

■ Minimum accessibility standards are being implemented to ensure message readability and to ensure that people with disabilities are able to receive messages.

The full report is online: