2023-11118. 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 can further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

DATES:

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted on or before June 26, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Comments should be sent to www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain. Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. Your comment must be submitted into www.reginfo.gov per the above instructions for it to be considered. In addition to submitting in www.reginfo.gov also send a copy of your comment on the proposed information collection to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to [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 (202) 418–2918. 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:

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.

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: 3060–0906.

Title: Annual DTV Ancillary/Supplemental Services Report for DTV Stations, FCC Form 2100, Schedule G; 47 CFR 73.624(g).

Form Number: FCC Form 2100, Schedule G (formerly FCC Form 317).

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

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

Number of Respondents and Responses: 7,175 respondents, 14,350 responses.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement, annual reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain benefits—Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in sections 154(i), 303, 336 and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Estimated Time per Response: 2–4 hours.

Total Annual Burden: 43,050 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $1,076,100.

Needs and Uses: Each licensee/permittee of a digital television (DTV) station that provides feeable ancillary or supplementary services during the relevant reporting period must file on an annual basis FCC Form 2100, Schedule G. Specifically, required filers include the following (but we generally refer to all such entities herein as a “DTV licensee/permittee”): A licensee of a digital commercial or noncommercial educational (NCE) full power television (TV) station, low power television (LPTV) station, TV translator or Class A TV station. A permittee operating pursuant to digital special temporary authority (STA) of a commercial or NCE full power TV station, LPTV station, TV translator or Class A TV station.

Each DTV licensee/permittee must report the feeable ancillary or supplementary services provided at any time during the reporting cycle. Specifically, a DTV licensee/permittee must include the following in its annual report: a brief description of the feeable ancillary or supplementary services provided; the gross revenues received from such services during the applicable period and the amount of bitstream used to provide such services during the applicable period.

Concurrent with the submission of FCC Form 2100, Schedule G, each DTV licensee/permittee is required to remit a payment to the Commission, via FCC Form 159 (see OMB Control No. 3060–0589), in the amount of five percent of the gross revenues derived from the provision of its ancillary or supplementary services.

Each DTV licensee/permittee is required to retain the records supporting the calculation of the fees due for three years from the date of remittance of fees. Each NCE licensee/permittee must also retain for eight years documentation sufficient to show that its entire bitstream was used “primarily” for NCE broadcast services on a weekly basis.

OMB Control Number: 3060–1240.

Title: FCC Form 2100, Application for Media Bureau Video Service Authorization, Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report).

Form Number: FCC Form 2100, Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report Form).

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

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

Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,000 respondents; 3,333 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 2 hours (1 hour to complete the form, 1 hour to respond to technical questions).

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 6,666 hours.

Total Annual Costs: No costs.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Public Law 112–96, 6402 (codified at 47 U.S.C. 309(j)(8)(G)), 6403 (codified at 47 U.S.C. 1452), 126 Stat. 156 (2012) (Spectrum Act).

Needs and Uses: By Public Notice released January 10, 2017, The Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau Release Transition Progress Report Form and Filing Requirements for Stations Eligible for Reimbursement from the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund and Seek Comment on the Filing of the Report by Non-Reimbursable Stations, MB Docket No. 16–306, Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 256 (IATF/Med. Bur. 2017). The Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau described the information that must be provided in the adopted FCC Form 2100, Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report Form) to be filed by Reimbursable Stations and when and how the Transition Progress Reports must be filed. We also proposed to require broadcast television stations that are not eligible to receive reimbursement of associated expenses from the Reimbursement Fund (Non-Reimbursable Stations), but must transition to new channels as part of the Commission's channel reassignment plan, to file progress reports in the same manner and on the same schedule as Reimbursable Stations, and sought comment on that proposal. By Public Notice released May 18, 2017. The Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau Adopt Filing Requirements for the Transition Progress Report Form by Stations That Are Not Eligible for Reimbursement from the TV Broadcast Relocation Fund, MB Docket No. 16–306, Public Notice, DA 17–484 (rel. May 18, 2017) (referred to collectively with Public Notice cited above as Transition Progress Report Public Notices). We concluded that Non-Reimbursable Stations will be required to file Transition Progress Reports following the filing procedures adopted for Reimbursable Stations.

The Commission is seeking a three-year extension for this information collection from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for FCC Form 2100, Schedule 387 (Transition Progress Report).

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary.