The Commission adopted on April 23,
2008, an Order of Reconsideration, In the Matter of DTV Consumer
Education Initiative, MB Docket 07-148, FCC 08-119. In this Order,
we modify our requirements regarding the timing, scope, and content
of manufacturer notices and the method of delivery of eligible
telecommunications carriers (ETC) notices, and clarify other
manufacturer requirements. The revised requirements are as follows:
a. Consumer Electronics Manufacturer Notices (47 CFR 15.124). The
responsible party, as defined the Commissions rules, has to
include a notice about the digital television (DTV) transition on
television receivers and related devices manufactured between May
30, 2008 and March 31, 2009. The notices themselves must include
the Commissions contact information (rather than the
manufacturers), convey information about the DTV transition, and
must be included with covered devices. b. Eligible
telecommunications carriers (ETCs) Federal Universal Service
Low-Income Program Participant Notices (47 CFR 54.418). ETCs that
receive federal universal service funds shall provide their
Lifeline or Link-up customers (low-income customers) with notices
about the transition for over-the-air full power broadcasting from
analog to digital service (the DTV Transition) in monthly bills,
bill notices, or as a monthly stand-alone mailer (e.g., postcard,
brochure), beginning May 30, 2008 through March 31, 2009.
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 adopted a number of requirements 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 (Letter). These requirements were made
available for public comment and approved by OMB. The revisions
that we propose to adopt will reduce the burden of this collection
on the respondents to which they apply. Under the existing rules,
manufacturers of television receivers and related devices are
required to provide notice to consumers of the transitions impact
on that equipment. These revised rules narrow the list of devices
that are covered by these rules, provide additional time to prepare
to include the required notices, and remove the requirement for the
manufacturers contact information to be contained in those
notices, replacing it with the Commissions contact information.
They also limit the parties responsible for inclusion of the
notices, and push back the point in the manufacturing process at
which the requirement begins. Under the existing rules, eligible
telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that receive federal universal
service funds must provide monthly notices of the transition in the
bills of their low income customers. These revised rules permit
ETCs to instead provide monthly notice via postcards or other
methods, at their discretion. As with the previously adopted
collections, these requirements will be in place for a limited time
only. Beginning January 1, 2008, television viewers were able to
request coupons to subsidize the purchase of digital-to-analog
converter boxes to attach to their analog televisions so that they
can continue to work after analog broadcasting ends on February 17,
2009. Given this ongoing program, it is essential that consumer
education continue in as effective a manner as possible. Record
evidence shows nearly 69 million televisions in current use are
analog-only, including 24 million in homes that also have cable or
satellite subscription television service. 19.6 million U.S.
households (17%) receive only over-the-air, broadcast signals.
These are the households that will be most affected by the digital
television transition and need consumer education to provide the
information to enable them to obtain the equipment they need to
continue receiving television service after the transition.
Television service is essential not only for news, sports and
entertainment, but also for emergency information, including
weather alerts. Emergency OMB approval is necessary for this
collection to ensure that all consumers are aware of the transition
from analog to digital television service as early as possible to
minimize the burden to the public. The effective date proposed by
the Commission provides for these consumer education efforts to
commence as early as possible. Due to the limited period of time
for which the requirements will be in effect, the urgent need to
ensure that all television viewers are made aware of the upcoming
digital transition, and the fact that more burdensome versions of
these collections were very recently provided for public review and
comment, we find there is good cause to obtain emergency OMB
approval for this modified collection on the following schedule, so
that the requirements may take effect immediately thereafter.
As a result of the Commissions
action adopted on April 23, 2008, FCC 08-119, the annual hour
burden has decreased -423 hours. This decrease is due to the
manufacturer notices not having to be included in as many products.
Also, the notices do not need to contain contact information for
the manufacturer. These two changes with the notices allow them to
be more standardized across the industry, and have less of a burden
impact on manufacturers.
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.
Form FCC Form388 DTV Consumer Education Initiative
Supporting Statement OMB 3060-1115( May 2008)(due to order on recon)doc.doc
Emergency Justification Letter (3060-1115).pdf
DTV Consumer Education Initiative