97-929. Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 1997)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 2157-2159]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-929]
    
    
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    FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
    
    Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the 
    Federal Communications Commission
    
    January 7, 1997.
    
    SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
    continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public 
    and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
    following information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
    Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or 
    sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
    valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for 
    failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
    Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control 
    number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed 
    collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
    the functions of the Commission, including whether the information 
    shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
    burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarify 
    of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
    the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of 
    automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
    technology.
    
    DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should 
    submit comments March 17, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Dorothy Conway, Federal 
    Communications Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St., NW., Washington, DC 
    20554 or via internet to dconway@fcc.gov.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
    of the information collections contact Dorothy Conway at 202-418-0217 
    or via internet at dconway@fcc.gov.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Approval Number: 3060-0593.
        Title: FCC Form 1215 A la Carte Channel Offerings.
        Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
        Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
        Number of Respondents: 5,400. (3,600 filings + 1,800 LFA reviews).
        Estimated Time Per Response: .5 hours - 1 hour.
        Total Annual Burden: 4,500 hours. We estimate that 3,600 FCC Form 
    1215s
    
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    are filed annually, approximately 50% with the Commission and 50% with 
    LFAs. The average burden to complete the FCC Form 1215 is estimated to 
    be 1 hour. 3,600 x 1 hour = 3,600 hours. LFAs will review approximately 
    1,800 FCC Form 1215 filings per year at an average burden of .5 hours 
    per filing. 1,800 x .5 hours per filing = 900 hours.
        Cost to Respondents: $2,000. We estimate photocopying and 
    stationery costs to respondents to be approximately 3,600 filings x 50 
    cents per filing = $1,800 and then rounded up to $2,000. There are no 
    postage expenses specifically attributed to this collection because the 
    FCC Form 1215 is not a unique mailing, but rather is submitted as part 
    of a package with other rate regulation forms such as FCC Form 1200, 
    FCC Form 1210 or FCC Form 1240.
        Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
    Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
    regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
    service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
    for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1215 
    is filed by cable operators in conjunction with the filing of other 
    rate regulation forms. A la carte channel offerings are not regulated 
    by the Commission; however, the submission of a la carte data is a 
    necessary component to the Commission's system of rate regulation so 
    that the Commission and local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') can 
    examine the entire scope of programming offered by respective cable 
    systems. The requirement to file FCC Form 1215 with the Commission's 
    other rate regulation forms ensures that the Commission's system of 
    rate regulation is not being circumvented. The data are used by 
    Commission staff and LFAs to determine which channels a cable operator 
    is offering on an individual, unregulated basis.
    OMB Approval Number: 3060-0594.
        Title: FCC 1220 Cost of Service Filing for Regulated Cable 
    Services.
        Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
        Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
        Number of Respondents: 30. (20 cable operators + 10 LFAs).
        Estimated Time Per Response: 4 hours - 80 hours.
        Total Annual Burden: 1,640 hours. We estimate that no more than 20 
    FCC Form 1220s are filed annually, approximately 50% with the 
    Commission and 50% with LFAs. The average burden to complete FCC Form 
    1220 is estimated to be 80 hours. Cable operators will use in-house 
    staff to complete approximately 50% of the filings. Cable operators 
    will use outside assistance to complete approximately 50% of the 
    filings, undergoing a burden of 4 hours per filing to coordinate 
    information with the outside assistance. 10 (50% of 20) filings 
    completed with in-house staff x 80 hours per filing = 800 hours. 10 
    (50% of 20) filings coordinated with outside assistance x 4 hours per 
    filing = 40 hours. LFAs will review approximately 10 FCC Form 1220 
    filings per year at an average burden of 80 hours per filing. 10 x 80 
    hours per filing = 800 hours. Total burden = 800 + 40 + 800 = 1,640 
    hours.
        Cost to Respondents: $120,000. Cable operators will use outside 
    assistance paid at $150 per hour to complete approximately 10 FCC Form 
    1220 filings. 10 filings x 80 hours per filing x $150 per hour = 
    $120,000. Diskettes, postage and stationery costs are estimated at an 
    average of $5 per filing. 20 filings x $5 = $100. Total costs = 
    $120,000 + $100 = $120,100.
        Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
    Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
    regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
    service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
    for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1220 
    is used by cable operators to demonstrate their costs of providing 
    cable service in order to justify rates above levels determined under 
    the Commission's benchmark methodology. Cable operators submit this 
    form to local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') or the Commission (in 
    situations where the Commission has assumed jurisdiction) only when 
    justifying rates based on cost of service. It may also be filed with 
    the Commission as part of the operator's response to a complaint filed 
    with the Commission about cable programming service rates and 
    associated equipment when justifying rates based on cost of service. 
    The data are used by Commission staff and LFAs to determine whether 
    cable rates for basic service, cable programming service and associated 
    equipment are reasonable under Commission regulations.
    OMB Approval Number: 3060-0596.
        Title: FCC 1225 Computation of Cable Services Revenue Requirements 
    and Charges, Cost of Service for Small Systems.
        Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
        Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
        Number of Respondents: 15. (10 cable operators + 5 LFAs).
        Estimated Time Per Response: 4 hours - 60 hours.
        Total Annual Burden: 620 hours. We estimate that no more than 10 
    FCC Form 1225s are filed annually, approximately 50% with the 
    Commission and 50% with LFAs. The average burden to complete FCC Form 
    1225 is estimated to be 60 hours. Cable operators will use in-house 
    staff to complete approximately 50% of the filings. Cable operators 
    will use outside assistance to complete approximately 50% of the 
    filings, undergoing a burden of 4 hours per filing to coordinate 
    information with the outside assistance. (50% of 10) filings completed 
    with in-house staff x 60 hours per filing = 300 hours. (50% of 10) 
    filings coordinated with outside assistance x 4 hours per filing = 20 
    hours.LFAs will review approximately 5 FCC Form 1225 filings per year 
    at an average burden of 60 hours per filing. 5 x 60 hours per filing = 
    300 hours. Total burden = 300 + 20 + 300 = 620 hours.
        Cost to Respondents: $45,100. Cable operators will use outside 
    assistance paid at $150 per hour to complete approximately 5 FCC Form 
    1225 filings. 5 filings x 60 hours per filing x $150 per hour = 
    $45,000. Total annual costs for purchase of diskettes, postage and 
    stationery are estimated to be $100.
        Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
    Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
    regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
    service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
    for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1225 
    may be used by a small cable systems to demonstrate their costs of 
    providing cable service in order to justify rates above levels 
    determined under the Commission's benchmark methodology. For purposes 
    of using FCC Form 1225, a small system means one with no more than 
    1,000 subscribers. A small system generally qualifies to use this form 
    if it is either (a) an independent system, or (b) it is owned by an 
    multiple system operator (``MSO'') that has 250,000 subscribers or 
    less, no system with more than 10,000 subscribers, an average system 
    size of 1,000 or fewer subscribers. Cable operators submit this form to 
    local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') or the Commission (in 
    situations where the Commission has assumed jurisdiction) only when 
    justifying rates based on cost of service. It may also be filed with 
    the Commission as part of the operator's response to a complaint filed 
    with the Commission about cable programming
    
    [[Page 2159]]
    
    service rates and associated equipment when justifying rates based on 
    cost of service. The data are used by Commission staff and LFAs to 
    determine whether cable rates for basic service, cable programming 
    service and associated equipment are reasonable under Commission 
    regulations.
    OMB Approval Number: 3060-0601.
        Title: FCC Form 1200 Setting Maximum Initial Permitted Rates for 
    Regulated Cable Services.
        Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
        Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
        Number of Respondents: 150. (100 cable operators + 50 LFAs).
        Estimated Time Per Response: 2-10 hours.
        Total Annual Burden: 1,100 hours. We estimate that 100 FCC Form 
    1200s are filed annually, approximately 50% with the Commission and 50% 
    with LFAs. The average burden to complete FCC Form 1200 is estimated to 
    be 10 hours. Cable operators will use in-house staff to complete 
    approximately 50% of the filings. Cable operators will use outside 
    assistance to complete approximately 50% of the filings, undergoing a 
    burden of 2 hours per filing to coordinate information with the outside 
    assistance. 50 (50% of 100) filings completed with in-house staff x 10 
    hours per filing = 500 hours. 50 (50% of 100) filings coordinated with 
    outside assistance x 2 hours per filing = 100 hours. LFAs will review 
    approximately 50 FCC Form 1200 filings per year at an average burden of 
    10 hours per filing. 50 x 10 hours per filing = 500 hours.
        Cost to Respondents: $75,500. Cable operators will use outside 
    assistance paid at $150 per hour to complete approximately 50 FCC Form 
    1200 filings. 50 filings x 10 hours per filing x $150 per hour = 
    $75,000. Diskettes, postage and stationery costs are estimated at an 
    average of $5 per filing. 100 filings x $5 = $500.
        Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
    Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
    regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
    service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
    for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1200 
    is used by cable operators to justify the reasonableness of rates in 
    effect on or after May 15, 1994. Cable operators submit this form to 
    local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') or the Commission (in 
    situations where the Commission has assumed jurisdiction). It is also 
    filed with the Commission when responding to a complaint filed with the 
    Commission about cable programming service rates and associated 
    equipment. The data are used by Commission staff and LFAs to evaluate 
    cable rates the first time they are reviewed on or after May 15, 1994 
    so that the maximum permitted rates for regulated cable services can be 
    determined.
    
    Federal Communications Commission.
    William F. Caton,
    Acting Secretary.
    [FR Doc. 97-929 Filed 1-14-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6712-01-F
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
01/15/1997
Department:
Federal Communications Commission
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
97-929
Dates:
Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should submit comments March 17, 1997.
Pages:
2157-2159 (3 pages)
PDF File:
97-929.pdf