E7-16006. Notice of Public Information Collection Requirement(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

August 9, 2007.

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 October 15, 2007. 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 Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information concerning the information collection(s), contact Cathy Williams at [phone] or via the Internet at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 

OMB Control Number: 3060-0466.

Title: Station Identification Sections 73.1201, 74.783 and 74.1283.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local and Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 4,200.

Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes to 2 hours.

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

Total Annual Burden: 6,566 hours.

Total Annual Costs: None.

Nature of Response: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

Confidentiality: No need for confidentiality required.

Privacy Impact Assessment(s): No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: On May 31, 2007, the Commission released the Second Report and Order, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service (“Second Order”), FCC 07-33, MM Docket 99-325. Provisions of the Second Order require station identification requirements for Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) stations to facilitate public participation in the regulatory process. Both AM and FM stations with DAB operations will be required to make station identification announcements at the beginning and end of each time of operation, as well as hourly, for each programming stream.

47 CFR 73.1201(a) requires television broadcast licensees to make broadcast station identification announcements at the beginning and ending of each time of operation, and hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural break in program offerings. Television and Class A television broadcast stations may make these announcements visually or aurally.

47 CFR 73.1201(b)(1) requires that official station identification shall consist of the station's call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station's location; Provided that the name of the licensee, the station's frequency, the station's channel number, as stated on the station's license, and/or the station's network affiliation may be inserted between the call letters and station location. DTV stations, or DAB stations, choosing to include the station's channel number in the station identification must use the station's major channel number and may distinguish multicast program streams. For example, a DTV station with major channel number 26 may use 26.1 to identify an HDTV program service and 26.2 to identify an SDTV program service. A radio station operating in DAB hybrid mode or extended hybrid mode shall identify its digital signal, including any free multicast audio programming streams, in a manner that appropriately alerts its audience to the fact that it is listening to a digital audio broadcast. No other insertion between the station's call letters and the community or communities specified in its license is permissible.

47 CFR 74.783(e) permits any low power television (LPTV) station to request a four-letter call sign after receiving its construction permit. All initial LPTV construction permits will continue to be issued with a five-character LPTV call sign. LPTV respondents are required to use the on-line electronic system. To enable these respondents to use this on-line system, the Commission eliminated the requirement that holders of LPTV construction permits submit with their call sign requests a certification that the station has been constructed, that physical construction is underway at the transmitter site, or that a firm equipment order has been placed.

47 CFR 74.783(b) requires licensees of television translators whose station identification is made by the television station whose signals are being rebroadcast by the translator, must secure agreement with this television licensee to keep in its file, and available to FCC personnel, the translator's call letters and location, giving the name, address and telephone number of the licensee or service representative to be contacted in the event of malfunction of the translator. 47 CFR 74.1283(c)(1) requires FM translator stations whose station identification is made by the primary station to furnish current information on the translator's call letters and location. This information is kept in the primary station's files. This information is used to contact the translator licensee in the event of malfunction of the translator.

OMB Control Number: 3060-1034.

Title: Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service Broadcast Station Annual Employment Report.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 710.

Estimated Time per Response: 2.0 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 1,420 hours.

Total Annual Costs: None.

Nature of Response: Required to obtain or retain benefits.

Confidentiality: No need for confidentiality required.

Privacy Impact Assessment(s): No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: On May 31, 2007, the Commission released the Second Report and Order, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service (“Second Order”), FCC 07-33, MM Docket 99-325. Provisions of the Second Order require radio station licensees to provide information necessary for the implementation of interim hybrid digital operations. Implementation of hybrid digital operations is entirely voluntary.

47 CFR 73.404(b) states in situations where interference to other stations is anticipated or actually occurs, AM licensees may, upon notification to the Commission, reduce the power of the primary DAB sidebands by up to 6 dB. Any greater reduction of sideband power requires prior authority from the Commission via the filing of a request for special temporary authority or an informal letter request for modification of license.

47 CFR 73.404(e) states licensees which include commercial and noncommercial AM and FM radio stations must provide notification to the Commission in Washington, DC, within 10 days of commencing IBOC digital operation. The notification must include the following information:

(1) Call sign and facility identification number of the station;

(2) date on which in-band, on channel (IBOC) operation commenced;

(3) certification that the IBOC DAB facilities conform to permissible hybrid specifications;

(4) name and telephone number of a technical representative the Commission can call in the event of interference;

(5) certification that the analog effective radiated power remains as authorized;

(6) transmitter power output; if separate analog and digital transmitters are used, the power output for each transmitter;

(7) if applicable, any reduction in an AM station's primary digital carriers;

(8) if applicable, the geographic coordinates, elevation data, and license file number of the auxiliary antenna employed by an FM station as a separate digital antenna;

(9) if applicable, for FM systems employing interleaved antenna bays, a certification that adequate filtering and/or isolation equipment has been installed to prevent spurious emissions in excess of the limits specified in 73.317;

(10) a certification that the operation will not cause human exposure to levels of radio frequency radiation in excess of the limits specified in 1.1310 of the Commission's rules and is therefore categorically excluded from environmental processing pursuant to 1.1306(b). Any station that cannot certify compliance must submit an environmental assessment (“EA”) pursuant to 1.1311 and may not commence IBOC operation until such EA is ruled upon by the Commission.

Implementation of the notification will eliminate both the need for the FCC staff to issue a Special Temporary Authority (STA) to the broadcaster and for the broadcaster to file and pay the initial and any subsequent filing fees.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary.