This collection is approved with the following terms of clearance. This NTIA collection is approved as an emergency clearance to meet ARRA requirements. This collection will be valid for six months. If NTIA decides to continue to use this collection past the approved emergency request clearance time period, it must resubmit to OMB under the normal PRA clearance process for a three year approval.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
11/30/2009
6 Months From Approved
1,000
0
0
17
0
0
0
0
0
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), signed by President Obama on February 17, authorizes $650 million in funding for additional coupons and the extension of related activities, including consumer education. To communicate the change in the transition date  and to help unprepared consumers to take action and maintain their access to television programming  the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is extending its consumer education outreach effort.
Days before the nationÂs full-power television stations were slated to complete the transition to all-digital broadcasting, President Obama signed the DTV Delay Act into law, moving the final day for transition from February 17 to June 12, 2009. Congress passed the legislation, which gave unprepared consumers more time to prepare for the transition.
As of March 29, 2009 Nielsen indicated 3.4 percent (approximately 3.9 million of the 114.5 million U.S. TV homes) were completely unprepared for the switch. While this number is relatively small, several demographic groups are unprepared at a rate significantly higher than the national average: 1) 6.3 percent of TV homes where the head of the household is under 35 years of age; 2) 6.2 percent of African-American TV homes; and 3) 5.6 percent of Hispanic TV homes.
The proposed viral texting outreach campaign will give NTIA the opportunity to reach unprepared consumers.
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.