The Commission adopted on February 19,
2008, a Report and Order, In the Matter DTV Consumer Education
Initiative, MB Docket 07-148, FCC 08-56. As the Nation transitions
from analog broadcast television service to digital broadcast
television service, the Commission has been committed to working
with representatives from industry, public interest groups, and
Congress to make the significant benefits of digital broadcasting
available to the public. The digital transition will make valuable
spectrum available for both public safety uses and expanded
wireless competition and innovation. By compressing television
broadcasting into a smaller amount of the available spectrum, the
digital transition has allowed the Commission to make valuable 700
MHz spectrum available for sale and use by wireless companies and
public safety organizations. The transition will also provide
consumers with better quality television picture and sound, and
make new services available through multicasting. These
innovations, however, are dependent upon widespread consumer
understanding of the benefits and mechanics of the transition. The
Congressional decision to establish a hard deadline of February 17,
2009, for the end of full-power analog broadcasting has made
consumer awareness even more critical. Therefore, the information
collection requirements contained in FCC 08-56 are necessary to
ensure that the American public is adequately prepared for the
digital transition.
Congress has established
February 17, 2009 as the deadline for the transition from analog to
digital television service. After that date full power television
stations will not be permitted to broadcast an analog television
signal. Consequently, people with analog-only televisions will not
be able to receive an over-the-air broadcast signal unless they
purchase a digital TV or digital-to-analog converter box or
subscribe to a pay TV service. In light of this transition, the
Commission anticipates adoption of a number of requirements,
chiefly that television broadcasters must air public service
announcements describing the digital television transition and
explaining to viewers how the transition will affect them and what
they must do to be prepared. These requirements were suggested in a
letter from the Honorable John D. Dingell, Chairman of the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Honorable Edward J.
Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the
Internet, U.S. House of Representatives. In addition to the
requirement to air transition education information, all full power
television stations are also required to report quarterly on these
and other consumer education actions so that the Commission can
track these activities and ensure compliance. The Commission is
also requiring multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs)
to provide monthly notices about the DTV transition in their
customer billing statements. Manufacturers of television receivers
and related devices will be required to provide notice to consumers
of the transitions impact on that equipment. Partners in the
Commissions www.DTV.gov website must provide the Commission with
quarterly updates on their consumer education efforts. Eligible
telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that receive federal universal
service funds must provide monthly notices of the transition to
their low income customers, and in their advertisements to
potential customers. Winners of the 700 MHz spectrum auction must
report their consumer education efforts quarterly. Lastly,
commercial and noncommercial education TV broadcast stations must
retain in their public inspection files and also post on their
public websites a copy of their DTV Consumer Education Quarterly
Activity Report, FCC Form 388, on a quarterly basis. The Commission
found that all of these requirements are necessary to ensure that
the American public is adequately prepared for the digital
transition, but that they will no longer be necessary after the
transition is fully complete in 2009. Therefore, these requirements
will be in place for a limited time only.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.