OMB 3060‑0716 January 2015
Title: Sections 73.88, 73.318, 73.685 and 73.1630, Blanketing Interference.
Justification:
1. 47 CFR Section 73.88 (AM) states that the licensee of each broadcast station is required to satisfy all reasonable complaints of blanketing interference within the 1 V/m contour. The licensee is financially responsible for resolving complaints of interference.
47 CFR Section 73.318(b)(FM) states that after January 1, 1985, permitees or licensees who either (1) commence program tests, (2) replace the antennas, or (3) request facilities modifications and are issued a new construction permit must satisfy all complaints of blanketing interference which are received by the station during a one year period. Resolution of complaints shall be at no cost to the complainant. These requirements specifically do not include interference complaints resulting from malfunctioning or mistuned receivers, improperly installed antenna systems, or the use of high gain antennas or antenna booster amplifiers. Mobile receivers and non-RF devices such as tape recorders or hi-fi amplifiers (phonographs) are also excluded.
47 CFR Section 73.318(c)(FM) states that a permitee collocating with one or more existing stations and beginning program tests on or after January 1, 1985, must assume full financial responsibility for remedying new complaints of blanketing interference for a period of one year. Two or more permitees that concurrently collocate on or after January 1, 1985, shall assume shared responsibility for remedying blanketing complaints within the blanketing area unless an offending station can be readily determined and then that station shall assume full financial responsibility.
47 CFR Section 73.685(d)(TV) states that present information is not sufficiently complete to establish “blanket areas” of television broadcast stations. A “blanket area” is that area adjacent to a transmitter in which the reception or other stations is subject to interference due to the strong signal from this station. The authorization of station construction in areas where blanketing is found to be excessive will be on the basis that the applicant will assume full responsibility for the adjustment of reasonable complaints arising from excessively strong signals of the applicant’s station or take other corrective action.
The Commission has an outstanding Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), , In the Matter of Amendment of Parts 73 of the Commission's Rules to More Effectively Resolve Broadcast Blanketing Interference, Including Interference to Consumer Electronics and Other Communications Devices. MM Docket No. 96-62, FCC 96-124. This rulemaking proceeding proposed to provide detailed clarification of the AM, FM, and TV licensee's responsibilities in resolving/eliminating blanketing interference caused by their individual stations. This NPRM proposed to consolidate all blanketing interference rules under a new 47 CFR Section 73.1630, Blanketing Interference. This new proposed rule was designed to facilitate the resolution of broadcast interference problems and set forth all responsibilities of the licensee/permittee of a broadcast station. Final rules have not been adopted.
The Commission is seeking an extension of this information collection in order to receive the full three year OMB clearance/approval.
The collection of information 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 Section 154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
2. The information provided to complainants will be used to facilitate the resolution of complaints of blanketing interference.
3. We do not believe the use of information technology is feasible in this situation.
4. No other agency imposes a similar information collection on the respondents. There is no similar data available.
5. This information collection will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities/businesses.
6. The frequency for this disclosure of information is determined by respondents, as necessary. If this information were not disclosed, complainants would continue to receive interference from licensed broadcast stations.
7. This collection of information is consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR Section 1320.5(d)(2).
8. The Commission published a Notice (79 FR 70528) in the Federal Register on November 26, 2014 seeking comments from the public on the information collection requirements contained in this collection. No comments were received from the public.
9. No payment or gift was provided to respondents.
10. There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.
11. This section does not address any private matters of a sensitive nature.
12. Number of Respondents: During the first year after program tests are commenced, we estimate that 20,000 complaints are received by broadcast stations concerning blanketing interference. The resolution of these complaints has an average burden of two hours per complaint. After the first year after the station commences program tests, we estimate that approximately 1,000 complaints are received by broadcast stations concerning blanketing interference. The technical assistance provided to complainants is estimated to have an average burden of one hour. This estimate is based on FCC staff's knowledge and familiarity with the availability of the data required.
Total Number of Annual Respondents: 21,000 Broadcast Stations
Total Number of Annual Responses: 21,000 complaints
Total Annual Burden Hours:
20,000 complaints x 2 hrs./complaint/year = 40,000 hours
1,000 complaints x 1 hr./complaint/year = 1,000 hours
Total Burden Hours = 41,000 hours
Annual “In-house cost”: We assume that broadcast stations would use an engineer at the station to resolve complaints of blanketing interference received during the first year of operation after commencement of program tests. We estimate that this engineer would have an average salary of $101,914/year ($48.83/hour). This is equivalent to a GS-13, step 5, government employee. It is also assumed that this station engineer would provide technical assistance to resolve complaints of blanketing interference after the first year of operation.
$48.83/hour x 2 hours/complaint x 20,000 complaints = $1,953,200
$48.83/hour x 1 hour/complaint x 1,000 complaints = $ 48,830
TOTAL COST TO RESPONDENTS: $2,002,030
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. There are no program changes or adjustments to this collection.
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 exceptions to the Certification Statement.
B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:
No statistical methods are employed.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | JSWANK |
| Last Modified By | Cathy Williams |
| File Modified | 2014-12-02 |
| File Created | 2014-11-19 |