[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 74 (Monday, April 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21739-21741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9251]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

April 7, 2011.
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(s), as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. 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 clarity of the information 
collected; (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, and (e) 
ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small 
business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    The FCC 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 currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be 
submitted on or before June 17, 2011. If you anticipate that you will 
be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the 
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC 
contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to the Federal Communications 
Commission via e-mail to [email protected] and [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, contact 
Cathy Williams on (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0214.
    Title: Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection Files; 
Sections 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for-profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondent and Responses: 52,285 respondents; 52,285 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2.5-109 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; third party 
disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain benefits. The statutory 
authority for this collection of information is contained in Sections 
154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 1,831,706.
    Total Annual Cost: None.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The information collection requirements that are 
apart of this collection and are being extended by the Commission are 
as follows:
    47 CFR 73.3526(a) and 73.3527(a) require that licensees and 
permittees of commercial and noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcast 
stations maintain a local public inspection file. The contents of the 
file vary according to type of service and status. A separate file 
shall be maintained for each station for which an application is 
pending or for which an authorization is outstanding. The public 
inspection file must be maintained so long as an authorization to 
operate the station is outstanding.
    47 CFR 73.3526(b) and 73.3527(b) require that the public inspection 
file be maintained at the main studio of the station. An applicant for 
a new station or change of community shall maintain its file at an 
accessible place in the proposed community of license or at its 
proposed main studio.

[[Page 21740]]

    47 CFR 73.3526(c) and 73.3527(c) require the licensee/permittee to 
make the file available for public inspection at any time during 
regular business hours. All or part of this file may be maintained in a 
computer database as long as a computer terminal is made available to 
members of the public. Materials in the public file must be made 
available for review, printing or reproduction upon request.
    Licensees that maintain their main studios and public file outside 
their communities of license are required to mail a copy of ``The 
Public and Broadcasting'' to anyone requesting a copy. Licensees shall 
be prepared to assist members of the public in identifying the 
documents they may want to be sent to them by mail.
    47 CFR 73.3526(d) and 73.3527(d) require an assignor to maintain 
the public inspection file until such time as the assignment is 
consummated. At that time, the assignee is required to maintain the 
file.
    Under rule sections 47 CFR 73.3526(e) and 73.3527(e) the contents 
of the public inspection files are specified. The documents to be 
retained in the public inspection files are as follows:
    (a) A copy of the current FCC authorization to construct or operate 
the station, as well as any other documents necessary to reflect any 
modifications thereto or any conditions that the FCC has placed on the 
authorization;
    (b) A copy of any application tendered for filing with the FCC, 
together with all related material, and copies of Initial Decision and 
Final Decisions in hearing cases. If petitions to deny are filed 
against the application, a statement that such a petition has been 
filed shall be maintained in the file together with the name and 
address of the party filing the petition;
    (c) For commercial broadcast stations, a copy of every written 
citizen agreement;
    (d) A copy of any service contour maps, submitted with any 
application, together with any other information in the application 
showing service contours and/or main studio and transmitter location;
    (e) A copy of the most recent, complete Ownership Report (FCC Form 
323) filed with the FCC for the station, together with any statements 
filed with the FCC certifying that the current Report is accurate;
    (f) A political file of records required by 47 CFR 73.1943 
concerning broadcasts by candidates for public office;
    (g) An Equal Employment Opportunity File required by 47 CFR 
73.2080;
    (h) A copy of the most recent edition of the manual entitled ``The 
Public and Broadcasting'';
    (i) For commercial broadcast stations, all written comments and 
suggestions (letters and electronic mail) received from the public 
regarding operation of the station;
    (j) Material having a substantial bearing on a matter which is the 
subject of an FCC investigation or complaint to the FCC of which the 
applicant/permittee/licensee has been advised;
    (k) For commercial radio and TV broadcast stations and non-exempt 
NCE broadcast stations, a list of programs that have provided the 
station's most significant treatment of community issues. This list is 
kept on a quarterly basis and contains a brief description of how each 
issue was treated;
    For commercial TV broadcast stations, records sufficient to permit 
substantiation of the station's certification, in its license renewal 
application, of compliance with the commercial limits on children's 
television programming. The records must be placed in the public file 
quarterly. The FCC Form 398, Children's Television Programming Reports, 
reflecting efforts made by the licensee during the preceding quarter, 
and efforts planned for the next quarter, to serve the educational and 
informational needs of children must be placed in the public file 
quarterly;
    (l) For Commercial radio stations, a list of community issues 
addressed by the station's programming. This list is kept on a 
quarterly basis and contains a brief description of how each issue was 
treated;
    (m) For NCE stations, a list of donors supporting specific 
programs. The list is to be retained for two years from the date of the 
broadcast of the specific program supported, and will be reserved for 
sponsors/underwriters of specific programming;
    (n) Each applicant for renewal of license shall place in the public 
file a statement certifying compliance with the pre-filing and post-
filing local public notice announcements. These statements shall be 
placed in the public file within 7 days of the last day of broadcast;
    (o) Commercial radio and TV licensees who provide programming to 
another licensee's station, pursuant to time brokerage agreements, are 
required to keep copies of those agreements in their public inspection 
files, with confidential information blocked out where appropriate; and
    (p) Commercial TV stations must make an election between 
retransmission consent and must-carry status once every three years. 
Television stations that fail to make an election will be deemed to 
have elected must-carry status. This statement must be placed in the 
station's public inspection file. This rule codifies Section 
325(b)(3)(B) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    (q) NCE television stations requesting mandatory carriage on any 
cable system pursuant to 47 CFR 76.56 shall place in its public file 
the request and relevant correspondence.
    (r) Commercial radio and TV licensees who have entered into joint 
sales agreements must place the agreements in the public inspection 
file, with confidential and propriety information blocked out where 
appropriate.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(iv) and 73.3527(e)(13) contain recordkeeping 
requirements for both full-power commercial (see Sec.  
73.3526(e)(11)(iv)) and noncommercial educational (``NCE'') (see Sec.  
73.3527(e)(13)) TV broadcast stations (both analog and digital) for the 
contents of their public inspection files. Stations must retain in 
their public inspection file a copy of their FCC Form 388--DTV Consumer 
Education Quarterly Activity Report on a quarterly basis. The Report 
for each quarter is to be placed in the public inspection file by the 
tenth day of the succeeding calendar quarter. These Reports shall be 
retained in the public inspection file for one year. Broadcasters must 
publicize in an appropriate manner the existence and location of these 
Reports.
    47 CFR 76.1701 and 73.1943 require every cable television system 
and licensees of broadcast stations to keep and permit public 
inspection of a complete record (political file) of all requests for 
cablecast time made by or on behalf of candidates for public office, 
together with an appropriate notation showing the disposition made by 
the system of such requests, and the charges made, if any, if the 
request is granted. The disposition includes the schedule of time 
purchased, when the spots actually aired, the rates charged, and the 
classes of time purchased. Also, when free time is provided for use by 
or on behalf of candidates, a record of the free time provided is to be 
placed in the political file as soon as possible and maintained for a 
period of two years. 47 CFR 76.1701 also requires that, when an entity 
sponsors origination cablecasting material that concerns a political 
matter or a discussion of a controversial issue of public importance, a 
list must be maintained in the public file of the system that includes 
the sponsoring entity's chief executive officers, or members of its 
executive committee or of its board of directors.


[[Page 21741]]


Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-9251 Filed 4-15-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P