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Please note that the OMB number and expiration date may not have been determined when this Information Collection Request and associated Information Collection forms were submitted to OMB. The approved OMB number and expiration date may be found by clicking on the Notice of Action link below.
View ICR - OIRA Conclusion
OMB Control No:
3060-0214
ICR Reference No:
201602-3060-020
Status:
Historical Active
Previous ICR Reference No:
201509-3060-007
Agency/Subagency:
FCC
Agency Tracking No:
MB
Title:
Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files
Type of Information Collection:
Revision of a currently approved collection
Common Form ICR:
No
Type of Review Request:
Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action:
Approved with change
Conclusion Date:
05/04/2016
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)
Date Received in OIRA:
02/29/2016
Terms of Clearance:
Updated docket to include comment response.
Inventory as of this Action
Requested
Previously Approved
Expiration Date
05/31/2019
36 Months From Approved
11/30/2018
Responses
64,374
0
63,235
Time Burden (Hours)
2,093,149
0
2,375,337
Cost Burden (Dollars)
3,653,372
0
882,631
Abstract:
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 January 28, 2016, the Commission adopted a Report and Order (“R&O”) in MB Docket No. 14-127, FCC 16-4, In the Matter of Expansion of Online Public File Obligations to Cable and Satellite TV Operators and Broadcast and Satellite Radio Licensees. The R&O expands 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 took 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 took similar measures to minimize the effort and cost entities must undertake to move their public files online. Specifically, the Commission required entities to upload to the online public file only documents that are not already on file with the Commission or that the Commission maintains in its own database. The Commission also exempted existing political file material from the online file requirement and required that political file documents be uploaded only on a going-forward basis. With respect to broadcast radio licensees, the Commission commenced 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 R&O also requires stations to provide information to the online file regarding the location of the station’s main studio. With respect to cable operator public file requirements, the R&O phased-in the requirement to commence uploading political file documents to the online file for smaller cable systems and exempted cable systems with fewer than 1,000 subscribers from all online public file requirements. Please note that the attached PRA comment is for this collection as well per the commenter. It should have been noted in the comment.
Authorizing Statute(s):
US Code:
47 USC 151, 152, 154(i), 303,307, 308
Name of Law: Communications Act of 1934, as amended
Citations for New Statutory Requirements:
None
Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:
Stage of Rulemaking:
Federal Register Citation:
Date:
3060-AK23
Final or interim final rulemaking
81 FR 10105
02/29/2016
Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
80 FR 8031
02/13/2015
30-day Notice:
Federal Register Citation:
Citation Date:
81 FR 9851
02/26/2016
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR?
No
Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR:
2
IC Title
Form No.
Form Name
Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files
Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection File, Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files
ICR Summary of Burden
Total Approved
Previously Approved
Change Due to New Statute
Change Due to Agency Discretion
Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate
Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses
64,374
63,235
0
846
293
0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)
2,093,149
2,375,337
0
-297,424
15,236
0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)
3,653,372
882,631
0
2,771,136
-395
0
Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
No
Burden Increase Due to:
Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion:
Yes
Burden Reduction Due to:
Changing Regulations
Short Statement:
The Commission has the following program changes to this collection as a result of the information collection requirements adopted in FCC 16-4: 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 also adjustments of +293 in annual responses,+15,236 in annual burden hours and -395 in annual cost which are due to the Commission reevaluating some burdens for this collection.
Annual Cost to Federal Government:
$200,000
Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods?
No
Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002?
No
Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]?
No
Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]?
No
Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)?
No
Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response?
Uncollected
Agency Contact:
Kim Matthews 202 418-2130
Common Form ICR:
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:
(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
(c) It reduces burden on small entities;
(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;
(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;
(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;
(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:
(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;
(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.
(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and
(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.
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.
Certification Date:
02/29/2016
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