[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 106 (Monday, June 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31481-31484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12123]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Approved by the Office 
of Management and Budget

May 23, 2008.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission has received Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public 
information collection(s) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995 (44 U.S.C. sections 3501-3520). An agency may not conduct or 
sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number, and no person is required to respond to a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 
control number. Comments concerning the accuracy of the burden 
estimate(s) and any suggestions for reducing the burden should be 
directed to the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please 
contact Cathy Williams, [email protected], or on (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0027.
    OMB Approval Date: 05/14/08.
    Expiration Date: 05/31/2011.
    Title: Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast 
Station.
    Form Number: FCC Form 301.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 4,278 responses; 2 to 4 hours per 
response; 10,513 hours total per year.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
154, 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality.

[[Page 31482]]

    Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, 
full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only in digital 
signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 22, 
2007, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in the matter of the 
Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting 
the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228, 
to establish the rules, policies and procedures necessary to complete 
the nation's transition to DTV. With the DTV transition deadline less 
than 14 months away, the Commission must ensure that broadcasters meet 
their statutory responsibilities and complete construction of, and 
begin operations on, the facility on their final, post-transition 
(digital) channel that will reach viewers in their authorized service 
areas by the statutory transition deadline, when they must cease 
broadcasting in analog. The Commission wants to ensure that no 
consumers are left behind in the DTV transition. Specifically, the 
Report and Order requires full-power commercial television stations to 
use revised FCC Form 301 to obtain the necessary Commission approvals 
(i.e., construction permits and licenses) in time to build their post-
transition facility.
    Applications for post-transition facilities. Full-power commercial 
television stations without a construction permit for their final, 
post-transition (DTV) facility must file an application to construct or 
modify that facility using FCC Form 301.
    Requests to transition early to post-transition channel. Full-power 
commercial television stations may request authority to transition 
early to their post-transition channel using FCC Form 301.
    Revisions to FCC Form 301. FCC Form 301 was revised to accommodate 
the filing of post-transition applications.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0029.
    OMB Approval Date: 05/14/08.
    Expiration Date: 05/31/2011.
    Title: Application for TV Broadcast Station License, FCC Form 302 
TV; Application for DTV Broadcast Station License, FCC Form 302-DTV; 
Application for Construction Permit for Reserved Channel Noncommercial 
Educational Broadcast Station, FCC Form 340; Application for Authority 
to Construct or Make Changes in an FM Translator or FM Booster Station, 
FCC Form 349.
    Form Number(s): FCC Form 302-TV; FCC Form 302-DTV; FCC Form 340; 
FCC Form 349.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 4,325 responses; 1 to 4 hours per 
response; 12,150 hours total per year.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality.
    Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, 
full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only in digital 
signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 22, 
2007, the Commission adopted a Report and Order in the matter of the 
Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting 
the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228, 
to establish the rules, policies and procedures necessary to complete 
the nation's transition to DTV. With the DTV transition deadline less 
than 14 months away, the Commission must ensure that broadcasters meet 
their statutory responsibilities and complete construction of, and 
begin operations on, the facility on their final, post-transition 
(digital) channel that will reach viewers in their authorized service 
areas by the statutory transition deadline, when they must cease 
broadcasting in analog. The Commission wants to ensure that no 
consumers are left behind in the DTV transition. Specifically, the 
Report and Order requires Noncommercial Educational (``NCE'') 
television stations to use revised FCC Form 340 to obtain the necessary 
Commission approvals (i.e., construction permits and licenses) in time 
to build their post-transition facility.
    Applications for post-transition facilities. NCE television 
stations without a construction permit for their final, post-transition 
(DTV) facility must file an application to construct or modify that 
facility using FCC Forms 340.
    Requests to transition early to post-transition channel. NCE 
television stations may request authority to transition early to their 
post-transition channel using FCC Form 340.
    Revisions to FCC Form 340. FCC Form 340 was revised to accommodate 
the filing of post-transition applications.
    In addition, the Report and Order requires that stations that have 
applied to construct or modify post-transition facilities must use the 
Form 302-DTV to obtain a new or modified station license to cover those 
post-transition facilities.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0216.
    OMB Approval Date: 02/28/08.
    Expiration Date: 02/28/2011.
    Title: Informal Requests to Discontinue Only One Service and 
Informal Requests to Flash Cut; Section 73.3538, Application To Make 
Changes in an Existing Station, Section 73.1690(e) Modification of 
Transmission Systems.
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 700 responses; 0.50-3 hours per response; 
1,125 hours total per year.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
154(i), 303(r), 308, 309(j) and 337(e) of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality.
    Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, 
full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only digital 
signals and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 31, 
2007, the Commission released a Report and Order, In the Matter of the 
Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting 
the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228. 
In this Report and Order, among other things, the Commission requires 
stations to request Commission approval to return their currently 
assigned, pre-transition-only DTV channel (i.e., a DTV channel that is 
not their final, post-transition channel) and flash cut at or before 
the transition deadline from their current analog channel to their 
final, post-transition channel. This process will be accomplished by 
permitting broadcasters to file an informal letter to the Video 
Division of the Media Bureau and send an e-mail to [email protected] in 
lieu of a formal construction permit application (FCC Forms 301 and 
340). 47 CFR 73.1690(e) requires AM, FM, and TV station licensees to 
prepare an informal statement or diagram describing any electrical and 
mechanical modification to authorized transmitting equipment that can 
be made without prior Commission approval provided that equipment 
performance measurements are made to ensure compliance with FCC rules. 
This informal statement or diagram must be retained at the transmitter 
site as long as the equipment is in use. 47 CFR 73.3538 requires 
broadcast stations to file an informal application to modify or 
discontinue the obstruction marking or lighting of an antenna 
supporting structure.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0386.
    OMB Approval Date: 05/08/2008.

[[Page 31483]]

    Expiration Date: 11/30/2008.
    Title: Special Temporary Authorization (STA) Requests, 47 CFR 
73.1635; Notifications, 47 CFR 73.1615; and Informal Filings (47 CFR 
part 73).
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 3,710 responses; 30 minutes to 4 hours per 
response; 4,020 hours total per year.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 1, 
4(i) and (j), 7, 301, 302, 303, 307, 308, 309, 312, 316, 318, 319, 324, 
325, 336 and 337 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality.
    Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, 
full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only in digital 
signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 31, 
2007, the Commission released a Report and Order, In the Matter of the 
Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting 
the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228. 
In the Report and Order, the Commission adopted rules to ensure that, 
by the February 17, 2009, transition date, all full-power television 
broadcast stations (1) cease analog broadcasting and (2) complete 
construction of, and begin operations on, their final, full-authorized 
post-transition (DTV) facility. The Commission recognized that 
broadcasters may need regulatory flexibility in order to achieve these 
goals. Accordingly, the Commission authorized the following ``DTV 
Transition-related'' filings, which must be made electronically via the 
FCC's Consolidated Database System (``CDBS''), to permit broadcasters 
to request and obtain regulatory flexibility from the Commission, if 
necessary, to meet their DTV construction deadlines:
    STA for Phased Transition and Continued Interim Operations. 
Stations may file a request for Special Temporary Authorization (STA) 
approval to temporarily remain on their in-core, pre-transition DTV 
channel after the transition date through the CDBS using the Informal 
Application Filing Form.
    STA for Phased Transition/Build-Out. Stations may file a request 
for STA approval to build less than full, authorized post-transition 
facilities by the transition date through the CDBS using the Informal 
Application Filing Form.
    STA for Permanent Service Reduction or Termination. Stations may 
file a request for STA approval to permanently reduce or terminate 
analog or pre-transition DTV service where necessary to facilitate 
construction of final, post-transition facilities through the CDBS 
using the Informal Application Filing Form.
    Notification/Informal Letter of Temporary Service Disruption. 
Stations may file a notification or informal letter pursuant to Section 
73.1615 to temporarily reduce or cease existing analog or pre-
transition DTV service where necessary to facilitate construction of 
final, post-transition facilities through the CDBS using the Informal 
Application Filing Form.
    Notification of Service Reduction or Termination. Stations may file 
a notification to permanently reduce or terminate analog or pre-
transition DTV service within 90 days of the transition date through 
the CDBS using the Informal Application Filing Form.
    Informal Filings. Stations claiming a ``unique technical 
challenge'' warranting a February 17, 2009, construction deadline may 
file a notification to document their status through the CDBS using the 
Informal Application Filing Form.
    47 CFR 73.1635 states that broadcast stations (licensees or 
permittees) may file a request for Special Temporary Authority (STA) 
approval to permit a station to operate a broadcast facility for a 
limited period at a specified variance from the terms of the station's 
authorization or requirements of the FCC rules. Stations may file a 
request for STA approval for a variety of reasons. The request must 
describe the operating modes and facilities to be used.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1117.
    OMB Approval Date: 05/08/2008.
    Expiration Date: 11/30/2008.
    Title: Viewer Notification Requirements in Third DTV Periodic 
Report and Order, FCC 07-228.
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 174,000 responses; 0.01-0.33 hours per 
response; 12,015 hours total per year.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality.
    Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009, 
full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only in digital 
signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 22, 
2007, the Commission adopted a Report and Order, In the Matter of the 
Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting 
the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228 
(``Third DTV Periodic Report and Order'') to establish the rules, 
policies and procedures necessary to complete the nation's transition 
to DTV. In the Report and Order, the Commission adopted rules to ensure 
that, by the February 17, 2009, transition date, all full-power 
television broadcast stations (1) cease analog broadcasting and (2) 
complete construction of, and begin operations on, their final, full-
authorized post-transition (DTV) facility. The Commission recognized 
that broadcasters may need regulatory flexibility in order to achieve 
these goals. Accordingly, the Commission affords broadcasters the 
opportunity for regulatory flexibility, if necessary, to meet their DTV 
construction deadlines. The Commission, however, must also ensure that 
no consumers are left behind in the DTV transition. Therefore, the 
Commission requires broadcasters that choose to reduce or terminate TV 
service to comply with viewer notification requirements.
    Specifically, as a result of the Third DTV Periodic Report and 
Order, stations must comply with a viewer notification requirement 
(i.e., stations must notify viewers about their planned service 
reduction or termination) if:
    (1) The station will permanently reduce or terminate analog or pre-
transition digital service before the transition date; or
    (2) The station will not serve at least the same population that 
receives their current analog TV and DTV service after the transition 
date.
    Viewer notifications must occur every day on-air at least four 
times a day including at least once in primetime for the 30-days prior 
to the station's termination of full, authorized analog service. These 
notifications must include: (1) The station's call sign and community 
of license; (2) the fact that the station must delay the construction 
and operation of its post-transition (DTV) service or the fact that the 
station is planning to or has reduced or terminated its analog or 
digital operations before the transition date; (3) information about 
the nature, scope, and anticipated duration of the station's post-
transition service limitations; (4) what viewers can do to continue to 
receive the station, i.e., how and when the station's digital signal 
can be received; (5) information about the availability of digital-to-
analog converter boxes in their service area; and (6) the street 
address, e-mail address (if available), and phone

[[Page 31484]]

number of the station where viewers may register comments or request 
information.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E8-12123 Filed 5-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P