The Commission is in the process of
releasing a Public Notice, in which the following information
collection requirement will be adopted: Voluntary In-Person
Education Reporting Form to allow stations to voluntarily submit to
the FCC information about DTV Walk-In Help Centers and other
opportunities for face-to-face DTV education of which they are
aware. The last DTV order (FCC 09-19) required most analog
broadcasters to publicize the locations and hours of walk-in DTV
help centers located in their market. The analog termination form
was designed to collect some of this information from early
terminators. This new voluntary form, if adopted, would be used by
any station to voluntarily notify the FCC about Walk-In Centers and
other education opportunities in their service areas. This
information will not be collected via the Media Bureau CDBS, but
instead will be collected electronically, and made publicly
available, online through the FCCs National Call Center web site
and will allow the Call Center to better help consumer and direct
them to opportunities for face-to-face assistance.
On February 11, 2009,
the DTV Delay Act was signed by the President and enacted into law,
extending the nationwide DTV transition date from February 17 until
June 12, 2009. As a result, after June 12, 2009, full-power
television broadcast stations must transmit only digital signals,
and may no longer transmit analog signals, except for limited
analog nightlight service. The DTV Delay Act directs the
Commission to take any actions necessary or appropriate to
implement the provisions, and carry out the purposes of the DTV
Delay Act, and to do so within 30 days. Congress extended the
transition date in order to permit analog service to continue until
consumers have had additional time to prepare. But Congress also
directed the Commission to provide flexibility for stations wanting
to transition prior to the new date. Stations may have made
extensive preparations for a February 17 digital transition and
some may have difficulty altering their commitments at this time.
The Commissions challenge is to provide opportunities for some
stations to end analog broadcasting early without sacrificing the
goal of giving consumers additional time to prepare.
There are program changes to
the annual burden hours of +800 hours and annual cost burden of
+$80,000. These program changes will be due to the Commission
releasing a Public Notice allowing the voluntary filing of notices
concerning DTV Walk-In Help Centers and other opportunities for
face-to-face DTV education with the Commission.
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.