On August 10, 2016, the Commission adopted a Second Report and Order (Report and Order) in MB Docket Nos. 14-50, 09-182, 07-294, 04-256, FCC 16-107, which completed the 2010 and 2014 Quadrennial Reviews of the Commissionâs broadcast ownership rules. The Order finds that competitive television stations in a local market are able to combine certain operations through the use of Shared Service Agreements (SSAs), with effectively the same station personnel handling or facilities performing functions for multiple, independently owned stations. The Order also finds that the Commission has an obligation to ensure that these agreements are not being used to circumvent the Commissionâs broadcast ownership rules and are not otherwise inconsistent with the Commissionâs rules and policies. The Order notes that consideration of these issues is impeded because so little is known by the Commission and the public about the content, scope, and prevalence of SSAs and finds that disclosure of SSAs is necessary to facilitate the Commissionâs regulatory purposes. Accordingly, the Commission adopts a definition of SSAs and requires commercial television stations to disclose those SSAs by placing the agreements in each stationâs online public inspection file.
On November 16, 2017, the Commission adopted an Order on Reconsideration (Order) in MB Docket Nos. 14-50, 09-182, 07-294, 04-256, 17-289, FCC 17-156, which completed the 2010 and 2014 Quadrennial Reviews of the Commissionâs broadcast ownership rules. The Order upholds the definition of SSAs adopted in the Second Report and Order (FCC 16-107), finding that it is appropriately tailored to reflect relevant station-related services. The Order also upholds the decision in the Second Report and Order to require commercial television stations to disclose SSAs, finding that the decision was supported by the record and that it effectively demonstrated that the FCC has the authority to require disclosure of SSAs in order to help it obtain information relevant to its statutory responsibilities. Accordingly, the Commission affirms the definition of SSAs adopted in the Second Report and Order and requires commercial television stations to disclose those SSAs by placing the agreements in each stationâs online public inspection file.
The information collection requirement will provide the Commission and the public with more comprehensive information about the prevalence and content of SSAs between television stations, which will improve the Commissionâs and the publicâs ability to assess the potential impact of these agreements on the Commissionâs rules and policies.
Please see the non-substantive change request justification for the reason behind this change request submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
The Commission has program changes/decreases to the following figures which are due to the modifications to the number of stations/entities that have to comply with the public file requirement: -17,682 to the number of respondents, -103 to the annual number of responses, -5,195 to the annual burden hours and -$3,640,171 to the annual cost burden.
There are no adjustments to this collection.
$2,000
No
No
No
No
No
No
Uncollected
Christopher Clark 202 418-2609
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.