OMB files this comment in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.11( c ). This OMB action is not an approval to conduct or sponsor an information collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This action has no effect on any current approvals. If OMB has assigned this ICR a new OMB Control Number, the OMB Control Number will not appear in the active inventory. For future submissions of this information collection, reference the OMB Control Number provided. Resubmit when proposed rule is finalized.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
06/30/2015
36 Months From Approved
09/30/2015
59,056
0
59,056
2,158,080
0
2,158,080
882,236
0
882,236
In 2012, the Commission replaced the decades-old requirement that commercial and noncommercial television stations maintain public files at their main studios with a requirement to post most of the documents in those files to a central, online public file hosted by the Commission. On December 17, 2014, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NPRM") in MB Docket No. 14-127, FCC 14-209, In the Matter of Expansion of Online Public File Obligations to Cable and Satellite TV Operators and Broadcast and Satellite Radio Licensees. The NPRM proposes to expand the requirement that public inspection files be posted to an FCC- hosted online public file database to cable operators, satellite TV (also referred to as "Direct Broadcast Satellite" or "DBS") providers, broadcast radio licensees, and satellite radio (also referred to as "Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services" or "SDARS") licensees. The Commission stated that its goal is to make information that these entities are already required to make publicly available more accessible while also reducing costs both for the government and the public sector. The Commission proposes to take the same general approach to transitioning these entities to the online file that it took with television broadcasters in 2012, tailoring the requirements as necessary to the different services. The Commission also proposed to take similar measures to minimize the effort and cost entities must undertake to move their public files online. Specifically, the Commission proposes to require entities only to upload to the online public file documents that are not already on file with the Commission or that the Commission maintains in its own database. The Commission also proposes to exempt existing political file material from the online file requirement and to require only that political file documents be uploaded on a going-forward basis.
With respect to broadcast radio licensees, the Commission proposes to commence the transition to an online file with commercial stations in larger markets with five or more full-time employees, while postponing temporarily all online file requirements for other radio stations. The NPRM also proposes a minor additional change to the existing public file requirements for radio licensees. It proposes to require stations to provide information to the online file regarding the location of the station's main studio, which will help members of the public engage in an active dialogue with radio licensees regarding their service and also inform the public of the location of the station's correspondence file and existing political file (until its retention period expires), both of which will be publicly available at the station.
With respect to cable operator public file requirements, the Commission proposes to phase-in the requirement to commence uploading political file documents to the online file for smaller cable systems and to exempt cable systems with fewer than 1,000 subscribers from all online public file requirements, either permanently or at least initially.
If the proposed requirements are adopted by the Commission in a final rulemaking, 403 respondents, 846 responses, and $2,771,136 in annual costs will be added to OMB's inventory. The Commission will also have a reduction in the annual burden hours of 297,424 hours.
There are no adjustments to this collection.
$453,333
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Kim Matthews 202 418-2130
No
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.
Supporting Statement OMB 3060-0214 (FCC 14-209) (NPRM)(2015).docx
Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files