E8-1328. Information Collection Requirement Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval, Comments Requested

January 16, 2008.

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 clarity 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:

Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before February 25, 2008. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contacts listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget, via Internet at [e-mail] or via fax at [phone] and to Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC or via Internet at [e-mail] or [e-mail]. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain,, (2) look for the section of the Web page called “Currently Under Review,” (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading, (4) select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box, (5) click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, (6) when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the title of this ICR (or its OMB control number, if there is one) and then click on the ICR Reference Number to view detailed information about this ICR.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection(s), contact Cathy Williams at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0216.

Title: Informal Requests to Discontinue Only One Service and Informal Requests to Flash Cut; Section 73.3538, Application To Make Changes in an Existing Station, Section 73.1690(e) Modification of Transmission Systems.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 700.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; recordkeeping requirement.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.50-3 hours.

Total Annual Burden: 1,125 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Nature of Response: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

Confidentiality: No need for confidentiality required.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only digital signals and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 31, 2007, the Commission released a Report and Order, In the Matter of the Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228. In this Report and Order, among other things, the Commission requires stations to request Commission approval to return their currently assigned, pre-transition-only DTV channel (i.e., a DTV channel that is not their final, post-transition channel) and flash cut at or before the transition deadline from their current analog channel to their final, post-transition channel. This process will be accomplished by permitting broadcasters to file an informal letter to the Video Division of the Media Bureau and send an email to [e-mail] in lieu of a formal construction permit application (FCC Forms 301 and 340). 47 CFR 73.1690(e) requires AM, FM, and TV station licensees to prepare an informal statement or diagram describing any electrical and mechanical modification to authorized transmitting equipment that can be made without prior Commission approval provided that equipment performance measurements are made to ensure compliance with FCC rules. This informal statement or diagram must be retained at the transmitter site as long as the equipment is in use. 47 CFR 73.3538 requires broadcast stations to file an informal application to modify or discontinue the obstruction marking or lighting of an antenna supporting structure.

OMB Control Number: 3060-1104.

Title: Section 73.682(d), TV Transmission Standards.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: New collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 1,812.

Frequency of Response: Weekly reporting requirement; third party disclosure requirement.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.50 hours.

Total Annual Burden: 47,112 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Nature of Response: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

Confidentiality: No need for confidentiality required.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only digital signals and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 31, 2007, the Commission released a Report and Order, In the Matter of the Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228.

In this Report and Order, among other things, the Commission updates Section 73.682(d) of the Commission's rules to reflect revisions to the Advanced Television Systems Committee Inc's (ATSC) Program System Information Protocol (PSIP) Standards. The revised ATSC PSIP standard requires broadcasters to populate the Event Information Tables (“EITs”) with accurate information about each event and to update the EIT if more accurate information becomes available. In other words, it requires broadcasters to provide detailed programming information when transmitting their broadcast signal.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary.