2019-22068. Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.” The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted on or before November 8, 2019. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments but find it difficult to do so with 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, OMB, via email [e-mail]; and to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email [e-mail] and to [e-mail]. Include in the comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at [phone]. 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 and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. 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 estimates; (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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.”

OMB Control Number: 3060-0214.

Title: Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection Files; Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for profit entities; Not for profit institutions; State, Local or Tribal government; Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 23,984 respondents; 62,839 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1-52 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, Recordkeeping requirement, Third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. Statutory authority for these collections is contained in Sections 151, 152, 154(i), 303, 307 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 2,043,805 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Privacy Impact Assessment: The Commission prepared a system of records notice (SORN), FCC/MB-2, “Broadcast Station Public Inspection Files,” that covers the PII contained in the broadcast station public inspection files located on the Commission's website. The Commission will revise appropriate privacy requirements as necessary to include any entities and information added to the online public file in this proceeding.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Most of the documents comprising the public file consist of materials that are not of a confidential nature. Respondents complying with the information collection requirements may request that the information they submit be withheld from disclosure. If confidentiality is requested, such requests will be processed in accordance with the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 0.459.

In addition, the Commission has adopted provisions that permit respondents subject to the information collection requirement for Shared Service Agreements to redact confidential or proprietary information from their disclosures.

Needs and Uses: On July 10, 2019, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MB Docket Nos. 18-202 and 17-105, FCC 19-67, In the Matter of Children's Television Programming Rules; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, which modernizes the children's television programming rules in light of changes to the media landscape that have occurred since the rules were first adopted. The Report and Order revises the following information collection requirements:

Pursuant to 47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(ii), commercial TV and Class A TV broadcast stations must maintain records sufficient to permit substantiation of the station's certification, in its license renewal application, of compliance with the commercial limits on children's programming established in 47 U.S.C. Section 303a and 47 CFR 73.670. In the Report and Order, the Commission revises this rule to permit these stations to place such records in their public files annually rather than quarterly and to permit the filing of these records within 30 days after the end of the calendar year. The Commission also revises 47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(iii) to require commercial television stations to place in their public files the Children's Television Programming Report (Report) (FCC Form 2100 Schedule H) on an annual rather than quarterly basis, within 30 days after the end of the calendar year and to eliminate the requirement to publicize the existence and location of the Report.

All other information collection requirements contained under 47 CFR 73.1212, 73.3526, 73.3527, 73.1943, and 76.1701 are still a part of the information collection and remain unchanged since last approved by OMB.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0316.

Title: 47 CFR 76.5, Definitions, 76.1700, Records to Be Maintained Locally by Cable System Operators; 76.1702, Equal Employment Opportunity; 76.1703, Commercial Records on Children's Programs; 76.1707, Leased Access; 76.1711, Emergency Alert System (EAS) Tests and Activation.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,000 respondents; 3,000 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 14 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this information collection is contained in sections 151, 152, 153, 154, 301, 302, 302a, 303, 303a, 307, 308, 309, 312, 315, 317, 325, 339, 340, 341, 503, 521, 522, 531, 532, 534, 535, 536, 537, 543, 544, 544a, 545, 548, 549, 552, 554, 556, 558, 560, 561, 571, 572, 573 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 42,000 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impacts.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: On July 10, 2019, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MB Docket Nos. 18-202 and 17-105, FCC 19-67, In the Matter of Children's Television Programming Rules; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, which modernizes the children's television programming rules in light of changes to the media landscape that have occurred since the rules were first adopted. The Report and Order revises the following information collection requirements:

Pursuant to 47 CFR 76.1703, cable operators that air children's programming must maintain records sufficient to verify compliance with 47 CFR 76.225 and make such records available to the public. Such records must be maintained for a period sufficient to cover the limitations period specified in 47 U.S.C. Section 503(b)(6)(B). In the Report and Order, the Commission revises the rules to permit cable television operators to file their certifications of compliance with the commercial limits in children's programming annually rather than quarterly and to permit the filing of these certifications within 30 days after the end of the calendar year. All other information collection requirements contained under 47 CFR 76.5, 76.1700, 76.1702, 76.1703, 76.1707, and 76.1711 are still a part of the information collection and remain unchanged since last approved by OMB.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0750.

Title: 47 CFR 73.671, Educational and Informational Programming for Children; 47 CFR 73.673, Public Information Initiatives Regarding Educational and informational Programming for Children.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,770 respondents; 1,125,720 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.017-0.084 hours.

Frequency of Response: Third-party disclosure requirements.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 154(i), 303, and 336 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 57,560 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impacts.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: On July 10, 2019, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MB Docket Nos. 18-202 and 17-105, FCC 19-67, In the Matter of Children's Television Programming Rules; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, which modernizes the children's television programming rules in light of changes to the media landscape that have occurred since the rules were first adopted. The Report and Order revises the following information collection requirements:

Pursuant to 47 CFR 73.671(c)(5), each commercial television broadcast station must identify programming as specifically designed to educate and inform children by the display on the television screen throughout the program of the symbol E/I. This requirement is intended to assist parents in identifying educational and informational programming for their children. Noncommercial television broadcast stations are no longer be required to identify Core Programming by displaying the E/I symbol throughout the program.

Pursuant to 47 CFR 73.671(e), each television broadcast station that preempts an episode of a regularly scheduled weekly Core Program on its primary stream will be permitted to count the episode toward the Core Programming processing guidelines if it reschedules the episode on its primary stream in accordance with the requirements of 47 CFR 73.671(e). Similarly, each television broadcast station that preempts an episode of a regularly scheduled weekly Core Program on a multicast stream will be permitted to count the episode toward the Core Programming processing guidelines if it reschedules the episode on the multicast stream in accordance with the requirements of 47 CFR 73.671(e). Among other requirements, the station must make an on-air notification of the schedule change during the same time slot as the preempted episode. The on-air notification must include the alternate date and time when the program will air. This requirement will help to ensure that parents and children are able to locate the rescheduled program.

Pursuant to 47 CFR 73.673, each commercial television broadcast station licensee must provide information identifying programming specifically designed to educate and inform children to publishers of program guides. This requirement is intended to improve the information available to parents regarding programming specifically designed for children's educational and informational needs. Commercial television broadcast station licensees are no longer be required to provide program guide publishers an indication of the age group for which the programming is intended. The Report and Order finds that very few program guides include this information.

OMB Control Number: 3060-1065.

Title: Section 25.701 of the Commission's Rules, Direct Broadcast Satellite Public Interest Obligations.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 2 respondents; 2 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1-10 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; on occasion reporting requirement; one time reporting requirement; annual reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority which covers this information collection is contained in Section 335 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 48 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impacts.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Although the Commission does not believe that any confidential information will need to be disclosed in order to comply with the information collection requirements, applicants are free to request that materials or information submitted to the Commission be withheld from public inspection. (See 47 CFR 0.459).

Needs and Uses: On July 10, 2019, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MB Docket Nos. 18-202 and 17-105, FCC 19-67, In the Matter of Children's Television Programming Rules; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, which modernizes the children's television programming rules in light of changes to the media landscape that have occurred since the rules were first adopted. The Report and Order revises the following information collection requirements:

Pursuant to 47 CFR 25.701(e)(3), DBS providers that air children's programming must maintain records sufficient to verify compliance with this rule and make such records available to the public. Such records must be maintained for a period sufficient to cover the limitations period specified in 47 U.S.C. Section 503(b)(6)(B). In the Report and Order, the Commission revises the rules to permit DBS operators to file their certifications of compliance with the commercial limits in children's programming annually rather than quarterly and to permit the filing of these certifications within 30 days after the end of the calendar year.

All other information collection requirements contained under 47 CFR 25.701 are still a part of the information collection and remain unchanged since last approved by OMB.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.