Supporting Statement OMB 3060-0466 (2011 nonsubstantial change request)

OMB Control Number: 3060-0466 November 2011

Title: Station Identification, Sections 73.1201, 74.783 and 74.1283

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

A. Justification:

In May 2007, the Commission released the Second Report and Order, Digital Audio Broadcasting 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 (Section 73.1201(b)(1)) for Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB)¹ 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.

The Information Collection Requirements Covered Under this Collection are as Follows:

47 CFR Section 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 stations² may make these announcements visually or aurally.

47 CFR Section 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 station 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 his service representative to be contacted in the event of malfunction of the translator. It shall be the responsibility of the translator licensee to furnish current information to the television station licensee for this purpose.

47 CFR Section 73.1201(b)(1) requires that the official station identification consist of the station's call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station's location. 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. Digital Television (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 a High Definition Television (HDTV) program service and 26.2 to identify a Standard Definition Television (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. A station may include in its official station identification the name of any additional community or communities, but the community to which the station is licensed must be named first.

47 CFR Section 74.783(e) permits low power TV permittees or licensees to request to be assigned four-letter call signs in lieu of the five-character alpha-numeric call signs.

47 CFR Section 74.1283(c)(1) requires a FM translator station licensee whose identification is made by the primary station must arrange for the primary station licensee to furnish the translator’s call letters and location (name, address, and telephone number of the licensee or service representative) to the FCC. The licensee must keep this information in the primary station’s files.

History:

Section 73.1201(a): On August 4, 2004, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MB Docket No. 03-15, FCC 04-192, In the Matter of Second Periodic Review of the Commission’s Rules and Policies Affecting the Conversion to Digital Television. With this Report and Order, the Commission requires digital television stations to follow the same rules for station identification as analog television stations.

Section 74.783: On December 8, 1998, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MM Docket No. 98-98, In the matter of Amendment of Part 73 and Part 74 Relating to Call Sign Assignments for Broadcast Stations. With this Report and Order, the Commission modified its practices and procedures with regard to the assignment of call signs to radio and television broadcast stations. Existing procedures were replaced by an on-line system for the electronic preparation and submission of requests for the reservation and authorization of new and modified call signs. Access the call sign system is made via the Internet.

Section 74.1283(c)(1). On November 8, 1990, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in MM Docket No. 88-140, FCC 90-375, Amendment of Part 74 of the Commission’s Rules concerning FM translator Stations which amended rules governing FM translator stations.

This information collection does not affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the Privacy Act.

Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in Sections 154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

2. For Section 73.1201, station licensees provide station identification so the public is aware of who is providing TV programming. For Sections 74.783 and 74.1283, the furnishing of current information is used by the primary station licensee and/or FCC staff in field investigations to contact the translator licensee in the event of malfunction of the translator.

3. For Section 73.1201, this is a simple notification requirement For Section 74.783, the Commission has implemented an on-line system for the electronic preparation and submission of requests for the reservation and authorization of new and modified call signs. For Section74.1283, this is a simple notification and recordkeeping requirement. We do not prescribe the method that the notification must take. Electronic mail could be used to furnish this information to the primary station. However, a paper copy must be kept in the primary station’s files.

4. No other agency imposes a similar information collection on the respondents. There is no similar data available.

5. In conformance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commission is making an effort to minimize the burden on all respondents. Therefore, this information collection will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities/businesses.

6. This collection of information is determined by respondents need to notify the FCC of change in operation. So, it is provided as necessary.

7. This collection of information is consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR Section 1320.5(d)(2).

8. The Commission published a Notice (75 FR 39936) in the Federal Register on July 13, 2010 seeking public comment on the information collection requirements contained in this supporting statement. No public comments were received from the public as result of this notice.

9. No payment or gift was provided to the respondents.

10. There is no need for confidentiality with this collection.

11. This collection of information does not address any private matters of a sensitive nature.

12. We report the following public burdens:

Number of Respondents	Number of Filings	Number of Responses	Respondent's Burden Hours	Annual Burden Hours	Respondent’s Salary	Annual In-House Cost
Section 73.1201
17,0173	1	17,017	1	17,017	$18.00	$306,306.00
Section 74.783
1,0004	1	1,000	0.166	166	$24.04	$ 3,990.64
Section 74.1283
6,1415	1	6,141	1	6,141	$24.04	$147,629.64
Totals 24,158		24,158		23,324		$457,926.28

Total Number of Annual Respondents: 1,774 television broadcast station licensees/permittees

14,728 radio broadcast station licensees/permittees

1,000 LPTV licensees

515 Class A television broadcast stations

6,141 FM translator licensees

24,158 (respondents)

Total Number of Annual Responses: 24,158 responses

Total Annual Burden Hours: 23,324 hours

Total Annual “In-house” Cost: $457,926.28

These estimates are based on FCC staff’s knowledge and familiarity with the availability of the data required.

These estimates are based on FCC staff’s knowledge and familiarity with the availability of the data required.

13. Annual Cost Burden:

(a) Total annualized capital/startup costs: None

(b) Total annual costs (O&M): None

(c) Total annualized cost requested: None

14. There is no cost to the Federal Government.

15. The Commission previously underestimated the station number totals for the respondents to this information collection. This submission corrects the number of respondents and in turn will also increase the number of responses and burden hours because of the increase/correction to the number of respondents.

16. The data will not be published.

17. OMB approval of the expiration date of the information collection will be displayed at 47 CFR Section 0.408.

18. There are no other exceptions to the Certification Statement.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

No statistical methods are employed.

1 DAB generally refers to the digital service broadcast by radio stations.

2 Class A television broadcast stations are required to (1) broadcast a minimum of 18 hours per day and (2) broadcast an average of at least three hours per week of locally produced programming each quarter.

3 There are 1,774 full-power television broadcast licensees and permittees, 515 Class A television broadcast licensees, and 14,728 radio broadcast licensees and permittees that will notify the public of their station identification. This represents the licensees’ notification and recordkeeping requirements.

4 These translator stations will furnish current information to primary stations.

5 There are 6,141 FM translator/booster stations that will furnish current information to the primary station. This represents the licensees’ recordkeeping and notification requirements.

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