[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 15, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2157-2159]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-929]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission

January 7, 1997.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
following information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for 
failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control 
number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the Commission, including whether the information 
shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's 
burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarify 
of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should 
submit comments March 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Dorothy Conway, Federal 
Communications Commission, Room 234, 1919 M St., NW., Washington, DC 
20554 or via internet to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collections contact Dorothy Conway at 202-418-0217 
or via internet at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Approval Number: 3060-0593.
    Title: FCC Form 1215 A la Carte Channel Offerings.
    Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 5,400. (3,600 filings + 1,800 LFA reviews).
    Estimated Time Per Response: .5 hours - 1 hour.
    Total Annual Burden: 4,500 hours. We estimate that 3,600 FCC Form 
1215s

[[Page 2158]]

are filed annually, approximately 50% with the Commission and 50% with 
LFAs. The average burden to complete the FCC Form 1215 is estimated to 
be 1 hour. 3,600 x 1 hour = 3,600 hours. LFAs will review approximately 
1,800 FCC Form 1215 filings per year at an average burden of .5 hours 
per filing. 1,800 x .5 hours per filing = 900 hours.
    Cost to Respondents: $2,000. We estimate photocopying and 
stationery costs to respondents to be approximately 3,600 filings x 50 
cents per filing = $1,800 and then rounded up to $2,000. There are no 
postage expenses specifically attributed to this collection because the 
FCC Form 1215 is not a unique mailing, but rather is submitted as part 
of a package with other rate regulation forms such as FCC Form 1200, 
FCC Form 1210 or FCC Form 1240.
    Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1215 
is filed by cable operators in conjunction with the filing of other 
rate regulation forms. A la carte channel offerings are not regulated 
by the Commission; however, the submission of a la carte data is a 
necessary component to the Commission's system of rate regulation so 
that the Commission and local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') can 
examine the entire scope of programming offered by respective cable 
systems. The requirement to file FCC Form 1215 with the Commission's 
other rate regulation forms ensures that the Commission's system of 
rate regulation is not being circumvented. The data are used by 
Commission staff and LFAs to determine which channels a cable operator 
is offering on an individual, unregulated basis.
OMB Approval Number: 3060-0594.
    Title: FCC 1220 Cost of Service Filing for Regulated Cable 
Services.
    Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 30. (20 cable operators + 10 LFAs).
    Estimated Time Per Response: 4 hours - 80 hours.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,640 hours. We estimate that no more than 20 
FCC Form 1220s are filed annually, approximately 50% with the 
Commission and 50% with LFAs. The average burden to complete FCC Form 
1220 is estimated to be 80 hours. Cable operators will use in-house 
staff to complete approximately 50% of the filings. Cable operators 
will use outside assistance to complete approximately 50% of the 
filings, undergoing a burden of 4 hours per filing to coordinate 
information with the outside assistance. 10 (50% of 20) filings 
completed with in-house staff x 80 hours per filing = 800 hours. 10 
(50% of 20) filings coordinated with outside assistance x 4 hours per 
filing = 40 hours. LFAs will review approximately 10 FCC Form 1220 
filings per year at an average burden of 80 hours per filing. 10 x 80 
hours per filing = 800 hours. Total burden = 800 + 40 + 800 = 1,640 
hours.
    Cost to Respondents: $120,000. Cable operators will use outside 
assistance paid at $150 per hour to complete approximately 10 FCC Form 
1220 filings. 10 filings x 80 hours per filing x $150 per hour = 
$120,000. Diskettes, postage and stationery costs are estimated at an 
average of $5 per filing. 20 filings x $5 = $100. Total costs = 
$120,000 + $100 = $120,100.
    Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1220 
is used by cable operators to demonstrate their costs of providing 
cable service in order to justify rates above levels determined under 
the Commission's benchmark methodology. Cable operators submit this 
form to local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') or the Commission (in 
situations where the Commission has assumed jurisdiction) only when 
justifying rates based on cost of service. It may also be filed with 
the Commission as part of the operator's response to a complaint filed 
with the Commission about cable programming service rates and 
associated equipment when justifying rates based on cost of service. 
The data are used by Commission staff and LFAs to determine whether 
cable rates for basic service, cable programming service and associated 
equipment are reasonable under Commission regulations.
OMB Approval Number: 3060-0596.
    Title: FCC 1225 Computation of Cable Services Revenue Requirements 
and Charges, Cost of Service for Small Systems.
    Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 15. (10 cable operators + 5 LFAs).
    Estimated Time Per Response: 4 hours - 60 hours.
    Total Annual Burden: 620 hours. We estimate that no more than 10 
FCC Form 1225s are filed annually, approximately 50% with the 
Commission and 50% with LFAs. The average burden to complete FCC Form 
1225 is estimated to be 60 hours. Cable operators will use in-house 
staff to complete approximately 50% of the filings. Cable operators 
will use outside assistance to complete approximately 50% of the 
filings, undergoing a burden of 4 hours per filing to coordinate 
information with the outside assistance. (50% of 10) filings completed 
with in-house staff x 60 hours per filing = 300 hours. (50% of 10) 
filings coordinated with outside assistance x 4 hours per filing = 20 
hours.LFAs will review approximately 5 FCC Form 1225 filings per year 
at an average burden of 60 hours per filing. 5 x 60 hours per filing = 
300 hours. Total burden = 300 + 20 + 300 = 620 hours.
    Cost to Respondents: $45,100. Cable operators will use outside 
assistance paid at $150 per hour to complete approximately 5 FCC Form 
1225 filings. 5 filings x 60 hours per filing x $150 per hour = 
$45,000. Total annual costs for purchase of diskettes, postage and 
stationery are estimated to be $100.
    Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1225 
may be used by a small cable systems to demonstrate their costs of 
providing cable service in order to justify rates above levels 
determined under the Commission's benchmark methodology. For purposes 
of using FCC Form 1225, a small system means one with no more than 
1,000 subscribers. A small system generally qualifies to use this form 
if it is either (a) an independent system, or (b) it is owned by an 
multiple system operator (``MSO'') that has 250,000 subscribers or 
less, no system with more than 10,000 subscribers, an average system 
size of 1,000 or fewer subscribers. Cable operators submit this form to 
local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') or the Commission (in 
situations where the Commission has assumed jurisdiction) only when 
justifying rates based on cost of service. It may also be filed with 
the Commission as part of the operator's response to a complaint filed 
with the Commission about cable programming

[[Page 2159]]

service rates and associated equipment when justifying rates based on 
cost of service. The data are used by Commission staff and LFAs to 
determine whether cable rates for basic service, cable programming 
service and associated equipment are reasonable under Commission 
regulations.
OMB Approval Number: 3060-0601.
    Title: FCC Form 1200 Setting Maximum Initial Permitted Rates for 
Regulated Cable Services.
    Type of Review: Extension of existing collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 150. (100 cable operators + 50 LFAs).
    Estimated Time Per Response: 2-10 hours.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,100 hours. We estimate that 100 FCC Form 
1200s are filed annually, approximately 50% with the Commission and 50% 
with LFAs. The average burden to complete FCC Form 1200 is estimated to 
be 10 hours. Cable operators will use in-house staff to complete 
approximately 50% of the filings. Cable operators will use outside 
assistance to complete approximately 50% of the filings, undergoing a 
burden of 2 hours per filing to coordinate information with the outside 
assistance. 50 (50% of 100) filings completed with in-house staff x 10 
hours per filing = 500 hours. 50 (50% of 100) filings coordinated with 
outside assistance x 2 hours per filing = 100 hours. LFAs will review 
approximately 50 FCC Form 1200 filings per year at an average burden of 
10 hours per filing. 50 x 10 hours per filing = 500 hours.
    Cost to Respondents: $75,500. Cable operators will use outside 
assistance paid at $150 per hour to complete approximately 50 FCC Form 
1200 filings. 50 filings x 10 hours per filing x $150 per hour = 
$75,000. Diskettes, postage and stationery costs are estimated at an 
average of $5 per filing. 100 filings x $5 = $500.
    Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992 required the Commission to prescribe rules and 
regulations for determining reasonable rates for basic tier cable 
service and to establish criteria for identifying unreasonable rates 
for cable programming services and associated equipment. FCC Form 1200 
is used by cable operators to justify the reasonableness of rates in 
effect on or after May 15, 1994. Cable operators submit this form to 
local franchising authorities (``LFAs'') or the Commission (in 
situations where the Commission has assumed jurisdiction). It is also 
filed with the Commission when responding to a complaint filed with the 
Commission about cable programming service rates and associated 
equipment. The data are used by Commission staff and LFAs to evaluate 
cable rates the first time they are reviewed on or after May 15, 1994 
so that the maximum permitted rates for regulated cable services can be 
determined.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-929 Filed 1-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-F