Non-substantive Change Request

Non-Substantive Change Request for Information Collection 3060-0922

The Federal Communication Commission (“Commission”) is submitting a non-substantive change request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) because under Congressional directives, Commission staff reviews the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) practices of broadcast television stations in station employment units with five or more full-time employees, and radio stations in employment units with eleven or more full-time employees, around the midpoint of broadcasters’ eight-year license terms. To facilitate this review, 47 CFR § 73.2080(f)(2) requires subject licensees to file with the Commission the Broadcast Mid-Term Report (FCC Form 397) four months prior to that date.

On February 15, 2019, the Commission released a Report and Order (“Order”), MB Docket No. 18-23, FCC 19-10; In the Matter of Elimination of Obligation to File Broadcast Mid-Term Report (Form 397) Under Section 73.2080(f)(2).  The Order eliminates the provision of Section 73.2080(f)(2) which requires stations to file FCC Form 397 and replaces it with a more streamlined technological approach designed to be more efficient and less burdensome to licensees. When uploading future EEO public file reports to the Commission’s Online Public Inspection File (OPIF), broadcast radio and Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services (SDARS) licensees will be prompted to answer “Yes” or “No” regarding whether they have eleven or more full-time employees. The screenshot has been included with this change request submission.

All television stations required to upload an EEO public file report to the OPIF necessarily have sufficient staff sizes to trigger a mid-term review, as the requisite staff size for both obligations with respect to television employment units is five full-time employees. Thus, the very act of filing the report will be sufficient to identify these television stations.

The Commission has updated the supporting statement for collection 3060-0922 accordingly.