E8-7884. Public Information Collection Requirement Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval, Comments Requested

April 8, 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 May 14, 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: 3060-0027.

Title: Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast Station.

Form Number: FCC Form 301.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

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

Number of Respondents/Responses: 4,278.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; One time reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.

Estimated Time per Response: 2 to 4 hours.

Total Annual Burden: 10,513 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $51,350,347.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority is contained in Sections 154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

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 in digital signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 22, 2007, the Commission adopted 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, to establish the rules, policies and procedures necessary to complete the nation's transition to DTV. With the DTV transition deadline less than 14 months away, the Commission must ensure that broadcasters meet their statutory responsibilities and complete construction of, and begin operations on, the facility on their final, post-transition (digital) channel that will reach viewers in their authorized service areas by the statutory transition deadline, when they must cease broadcasting in analog. The Commission wants to ensure that no consumers are left behind in the DTV transition. Specifically, the Report and Order requires full-power commercial television stations to use revised FCC Form 301 to obtain the necessary Commission approvals (i.e., construction permits and licenses) in time to build their post-transition facility.

• Applications for post-transition facilities. Full-power commercial television stations without a construction permit for their final, post-transition (DTV) facility must file an application to construct or modify that facility using FCC Forms 301.
• Requests to transition early to post-transition channel. Full-power commercial television stations may request authority to transition early to their post-transition channel using FCC Forms 301.
• Revisions to FCC Form 301. FCC Form 301 was revised to accommodate the filing of post-transition applications.

The FCC received approval under the “emergency processing provisions” of the PRA on January 7, 2008. The requirements for this collection have not changed since we received approval.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0029.

Title: Application for TV Broadcast Station License, FCC Form 302 TV; Application for DTV Broadcast Station License, FCC Form 302-DTV; Application for Construction Permit for Reserved Channel Noncommercial Educational Broadcast Station, FCC Form 340; Application for Authority to Construct or Make Changes in an FM Translator or FM Booster Station, FCC Form 349.

Form Number(s): FCC Form 302-TV; FCC Form 302-DTV; FCC Form 340; FCC Form 349.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not-for-profit institutions; State, local or tribal government.

Number of Respondents/Responses: 4,325.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Recordkeeping requirement; One time reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 to 4 hours.

Total Annual Burden: 12,150 hours.

Total Annual Costs: $21,091,625.

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

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 in digital signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 22, 2007, the Commission adopted 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, to establish the rules, policies and procedures necessary to complete the nation's transition to DTV. With the DTV transition deadline less than 14 months away, the Commission must ensure that broadcasters meet their statutory responsibilities and complete construction of, and begin operations on, the facility on their final, post-transition (digital) channel that will reach viewers in their authorized service areas by the statutory transition deadline, when they must cease broadcasting in analog. The Commission wants to ensure that no consumers are left behind in the DTV transition. Specifically, the Report and Order requires Noncommercial Educational (“NCE”) television stations to use revised FCC Form 340 to obtain the necessary Commission approvals (i.e., construction permits and licenses) in time to build their post-transition facility.

• Applications for post-transition facilities. NCE television stations without a construction permit for their final, post-transition (DTV) facility must file an application to construct or modify that facility using FCC Forms 340.
• Requests to transition early to post-transition channel. NCE television stations may request authority to transition early to their post-transition channel using FCC Form 340.
• Revisions to FCC Form 340. FCC Form 340 was revised to accommodate the filing of post-transition applications.

In addition, the Report and Order requires that stations that have applied to construct or modify post-transition facilities must use the Form 302-DTV to obtain a new or modified station license to cover those post-transition facilities.

The FCC received approval under the “emergency processing provisions” of the PRA on January 7, 2008. The requirements for this collection have not changed since we received approval.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary.