[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] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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