02-12668. Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

May 13, 2002.

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(s), 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 comments should be submitted on or before July 22, 2002. 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all comments to Judith Boley Herman or Leslie Smith, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C804 or Room 1-A804, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554 or via the Internet to [e-mail] or [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection(s), contact Judith Boley Herman at 202-418-0214 or via the Internet at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control No.: 3060-0214.

Title: Section 73.3526, Local Public Inspection File of Commercial Stations.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 10,780 commercial radio licensee recordkeepers; 1,310 commercial TV licensee recordkeepers; 1,310 commercial TV stations making must-carry/retransmission consent elections.

Estimated Time Per Response: 104 ours per year for radio recordkeeping; 130 hours per year for TV recordkeeping; 5 hours per election statement per TV station.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement and third party disclosure requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 1,356,920 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Needs and Uses: Section 73.3526 requires that each licensee/permittee of a commercial broadcast station maintain a file for public inspection. The contents of the file vary according to type of service and status. The contents include, but are not limited to, copies of certain applications tendered for filing, a statement concerning petitions to deny filed against such applications, copies of ownership reports and annual employment reports, statements certifying compliance with filing announcements in connection with renewal applications, letters received from members of the public, etc. The data are used by the public and FCC to evaluate information about the broadcast licensee's performance, to ensure that broadcast stations are addressing issues concerning the community to which it is licensed to serve and to ensure that radio stations entering into time brokerage agreements comply with Commission policies pertaining to licensee control and to the Communications Act and the antitrust laws. Broadcasters are required to send each cable operator in the station's market a copy of the election statement applicable to that particular cable operator. Placing these retransmission consent/must-carry elections in the public file provide public access to documentation of station's elections which are used by cable operators in negotiations with television stations and by the public to ascertain why some stations are/are not carried by the cable systems.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary.