To avoid confusion and to make sure viewers and listeners don't brush off alerts as false alarms, the agency doesn't allow EAS tones or simulations of them to be broadcast outside of public service announcements, official tests or genuine emergencies. "CBS's modifications to the EAS tones did not make broadcasting such tones permissible because the audio elements used in the episode were substantially similar to the actual EAS tones," the FCC said in a statement. As such, it proposed a $272,000 against the broadcaster.

The agency recently reached settlements with ABC, AMC, Meruelo Radio and Discovery over similar infractions. It fined Jimmy Kimmel Live $395,000 for using the actual EAS tone and The Walking Dead $104,000 as part of a $600,000 round of civil penalties last month.