[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 180 (Wednesday, September 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54454-54455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-23792]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 03-2867]


Media Bureau To Terminate Temporary Broadcast Station Application 
Freeze; Revised Processing Guidelines Announced

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission is revising the processing 
guidelines for broadcast station applications filed on Forms 301, 314, 
and 315, reinstating the June 2002 versions of Forms 301, 314 and 315, 
and terminating the temporary application filing freeze. The United 
States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued an Order staying 
the effectiveness of the new media ownership rules adopted by the 
Commission on June 2, 2003, 68 FR 48265 (August 5, 2003).

DATES: Effective September 17, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter H. Doyle or Nina Shafran of the 
Audio Division, Media Bureau, at (202) 418-2700, or Barbara Kreisman or 
Jim Brown of the Video Division, Media Bureau, at (202) 418-1600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 3, 2003, the United States 
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued an Order \1\ staying the 
effectiveness of the new media ownership rules adopted by the 
Commission on June 2, 2003.\2\ The Court ordered ``that the prior 
ownership rules remain in effect pending resolution of these 
proceedings.''\3\ In response, the Commission established a freeze on 
the filing of certain

[[Page 54455]]

commercial broadcast station applications and amendments.\4\
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    \1\ Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC, No. 03-3388 (3d Cir. Sept. 
3, 2003) (per curiam) (order granting motion to stay effective date 
of FCC's new ownership rules) (``Order'').
    \2\ Report and Order in MB Docket No. 02-277 and MM Docket Nos. 
01-235, 01-317, and 00-244 (adopted June 2, 2003) (published in 
summary form in the Federal Register, 68 FR 48265 (August 5, 2003)) 
(``Report and Order'').
    \3\ Order at 3.
    \4\ Currently, no application or amendment may be filed on Form 
301, 314, or 315 by a commercial applicant or licensee.
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    The Order requires that the Commission process broadcast station 
applications under the prior ownership rules. Accordingly, the Media 
Bureau is issuing this Public Notice to announce revised processing 
guidelines for broadcast station applications filed on Forms 301, 314, 
and 315. The prior versions of these forms will be effective and 
available for use upon publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. The temporary application filing freeze will be terminated 
simultaneously with this Federal Register publication.
    Applications filed on June 2002 Versions of Forms 301, 314, and 
315: The staff has resumed the processing of these commercial radio and 
television station applications. Applicants are not required to 
demonstrate compliance with the ownership rules adopted in the Report 
and Order. The invitation to file amendments demonstrating compliance 
with these rules is withdrawn.\5\
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    \5\ See FCC Forms 301, 314, and 315 Approved and Available For 
Use; Media Bureau Announces End to Freeze on the Filing of Form 301, 
314, and 315 Applications and Amendments, Public Notice, DA 03-2642 
(rel. Aug. 14, 2003) (permitting parties to file amendments 
demonstrating compliance with new multiple ownership rules).
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    Applications Filed on July 2003 Versions of Forms 301, 314, and 
315: Commercial and noncommercial educational station applications 
filed on or after August 14, 2003, on the July 2003 versions of these 
forms must be amended by resubmitting complete applications on the June 
2002 versions of these forms. Applicants should promptly submit these 
filings following publication in the Federal Register of this public 
notice. Waiver requests must be submitted for applications that do not 
comply with the prior ownership rules. The failure to submit a waiver 
request will result in an application's dismissal. All applications 
will retain originally assigned file numbers.
    New Applications on Forms 301, 314, and 315: Commercial and 
noncommercial educational broadcast station applicants must use June 
2002 versions of Forms 301, 314, and 315. The Media Bureau will begin 
accepting new applications on these forms following publication in the 
Federal Register of this Public Notice.
    Noncommercial Educational Station Application Freeze: To facilitate 
the transition to the June 2002 versions of the affected forms, the 
Media Bureau will no longer accept any applications or amendments filed 
on the July 2003 versions of Forms 301, 314, and 315. This freeze is 
effective immediately, September 17, 2003. Accordingly, the current 
temporary filing freeze is extended to include all noncommercial 
educational radio and television station applications filed on these 
forms.

FCC Notice Required by the Paperwork Reduction Act

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it has approval from the 
Office of Management and Budget for the collection(s) of information 
contained in FCC Forms 301, 314, and 315.
    The OMB Control Numbers are: 3060-0027 (FCC Form 301, June 2002), 
3060-0031 (FCC Form 314, June 2002), and 3060-0032 (FCC Form 315, June 
2002). The annual reporting burden for each of these collection(s) of 
information, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the required data and 
completing and reviewing the collection of information, are estimated 
to be: FCC Form 301: 3,370 respondents, 37 to 121 hours per annum, for 
a total annual burden of 7,427 hours, and $35,485,300 in total annual 
costs; FCC Form 314: 1,591 respondents, 12 to 48 hours per annum, for a 
total annual burden of 2,546 hours, and $12,236,878 in total annual 
costs; and FCC Form 315: 1,591 respondents, 12 to 48 hours per annum, 
for a total annual burden of 2,546 hours, and $12,236,878 in total 
annual costs. If you have any comments on these burden estimates, or 
how we can improve the collection(s) and reduce the burden(s) they 
cause you, please write to Les Smith, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 1-A804, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. 
Please include the OMB Control Number(s): 3060-0027, 3060-0031, and/or 
3060-0032, in your correspondence. We will also accept your comments 
regarding the Paperwork Reduction Act aspects of the collection(s) via 
the Internet if you send them to [email protected] or call (202) 
418-0217.
    Under 5 CFR Section 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB 
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 OMB Control Number. 
The OMB Control Numbers are 3060-0027 (FCC Form 301), 3060-0031 (FCC 
Form 314), and 3060-0032 (FCC Form 315).
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507.

Federal Communications Commission.
Robert Ratcliffe,
Deputy Chief, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 03-23792 Filed 9-16-03; 8:45 am]
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