This White Paper was first put up by Digital Alert Systems in 2014. It is still a good resource today – an excellent checklist – for recommendations of best practices for users. Because the Emergency Alert System (EAS) equipment is required to be connected to the Internet, broadcasters have been introduced to all […]

Are you a professional procrastinator? All kidding aside, we all know the reasons why we should regularly backup our computers and key files. Yet, the reality is that everyday issues often take over the day, and we basically end up saying “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” But that could leave you open for […]

Broadcasting is mostly an “in the moment” medium. The air talent works hard to present an engaging presentation. After the program, it used to be that all that was left was memories. Today, technology has provided a way to get more – sometimes a lot more – use from the program. Many in […]

One thing about computers, not only do they get faster and carry more memory, but newer computers do not always “play nice” with files from another. Sometimes it is the operating system, other times it is the software itself. Sometimes, it is both. Once again, the broadcast engineer is asked to do something […]

Software “features” are sometimes among the most frustrating roadblocks to getting things done. David Bialik has a neat way to eliminate one annoying roadblock. It has happened to most of us. You need your PC and it starts doing updates, telling you to wait and not turn it off. A couple of restarts […]

For most of us, ransomware is just something we read about – an IT issue, more or less, at most an inconvenience for a short time. Perhaps worthy of a sigh. Or a mild chuckle. We might even feel bad for the company hit, but it most likely did not affect us. Is […]

Computer security covers a lot of areas. We need to protect ourselves, personally, from hackers and websites trying to push malware and ransomware on us. Have you ever noticed a sudden surge in spam coming to your email inbox? Or, how about an email from someone claiming to know your password – even […]

It is not a matter of a couple of computers, most stations have dozens of interconnected computers and departments. For that reason, as more and more instances of ransomware happen, stations are giving more attention to ways to harden security on the LAN. Any broadcast engineer or IT person who does not live […]

Periodically, the BDR takes note of some of the publicized hacking episodes, especially at radio stations, to alert everyone of the dangers from malware, especially ransomware, and bad actors. Things in the IT world definitely are getting more dangerous. In many ways, the Internet is what people used to call “the Wild West,” […]

In 2013, a self-styled security consultant told the national media a story about vulnerable EAS receivers – and that we are in danger of more “Zombie Alerts.” Is that true? More importantly, are there even more pressing issues that deserve our attention? It was quite a startling wake-up call: a half dozen stations […]