[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 236 (Thursday, December 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76727-76728]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31527]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 
the Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 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 (PRA) of 1995. 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 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 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 PRA that does not display a valid Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before January 9, 
2012. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find 
it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, 
you should advise the contacts below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via fax 
(202) 395-5167, or via email [email protected]; and to 
Cathy Williams, FCC, via email [email protected] and to 
[email protected]. Include in the comments the OMB control number 
as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-
2918. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) 
submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the Web page called ``Currently 
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the 
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4) 
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the OMB control number of 
this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC 
submission to OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control No.: 3060-1035.
    Title: Part 73, Subpart F-International Broadcast Stations.
    Form No.: FCC Forms 309, 310 and 311.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents/Responses: 225 respondents; 225 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 2-720 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; on occasion, 
semi-annual, weekly and annual reporting requirements.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 
U.S.C. Sections 154, 303, 307, 334, 336 and 554.
    Total Annual Burden: 20,096 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $92,605.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: N/A.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: In general, there is no need 
for confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: This information collection is used by the 
Commission to assign frequencies for use by international broadcast 
stations, to grant authority to operate such stations and to determine 
if interference or adverse propagation conditions exist that may impact 
the operation of such stations. The Commission collects this 
information pursuant to 47 CFR part 73, subpart F. If the Commission 
did not collect this information, it would not be in a position to 
effectively coordinate spectrum for international broadcasters or to 
act for entities in times of frequency interference or adverse 
propagation conditions. Therefore, the information collection 
requirements are as follows:
    FCC Form 309--Application for Authority To Construct or Make 
Changes in an International, Experimental Television, Experimental 
Facsimile, or a Developmental Broadcast Station--The FCC Form 309 is 
filed on occasion when the applicant is requesting authority to 
construct or make modifications to the international broadcast station.
    FCC Form 310--Application for an International, Experimental 
Television, Experimental Facsimile, or a Developmental Broadcast 
Station License--The FCC Form 310 is filed on occasion when the 
applicant is submitting an application for a new international 
broadcast station.
    FCC Form 311--Application for Renewal of an International or 
Experimental Broadcast Station License--The FCC Form 311 is filed by 
applicants who are requesting renewal of their international broadcast 
station licenses.
    The Commission has not developed the FCC Forms 309, 310 and 311 due 
to a lack of budget funds and technical staff. The Commission stated 
previously that the above referenced applications will be available to 
applicants in the International Bureau Filing System (``MyIBFS'') after 
implementation in the system. However, the Commission plans to develop 
a new Consolidated Licensing System (CLS) within the next five years 
that will replace MyIBFS. Therefore, the applications will be made 
available to the public in CLS instead of MyIBFS.
    47 CFR 73.702(a) states that six months prior to the start of each 
season, licensees and permittees shall by informal written request, 
submitted to the Commission in triplicate, indicate for the season the 
frequency or frequencies desired for transmission to each zone or area 
of reception specified in the license or permit, the specific hours 
during which it desires to transmit to such zones or areas on each 
frequency, and the power, antenna gain,

[[Page 76728]]

and antenna bearing it desires to use. Requests will be honored to the 
extent that interference and propagation conditions permit and that 
they are otherwise in accordance with the provisions of section 47 CFR 
73.702(a).
    47 CFR 73.702(b) states that two months before the start of each 
season, the licensee or permittee must inform the Commission in writing 
as to whether it plans to operate in accordance with the Commission's 
authorization or operate in another manner.
    47 CFR 73.702(c) permits entities to file requests for changes to 
their original request for assignment and use of frequencies if they 
are able to show good cause. Because international broadcasters are 
assigned frequencies on a seasonal basis, as opposed to the full term 
of their eight-year license authorization, requests for changes need to 
be filed by entities on occasion.
    47 CFR 73.702 (note) states that permittees who during the process 
of construction wish to engage in equipment tests shall by informal 
written request, submitted to the Commission in triplicate not less 
than 30 days before they desire to begin such testing, indicate the 
frequencies they desire to use for testing and the hours they desire to 
use those frequencies.
    47 CFR 73.702(e) states within 14 days after the end of each 
season, each licensee or permittee must file a report with the 
Commission stating whether the licensee or permittee has operated the 
number of frequency hours authorized by the seasonal schedule to each 
of the zones or areas of reception specified in the schedule.
    47 CFR 73.782 requires that licensees retain logs of international 
broadcast stations for two years. If it involves communications 
incident to a disaster, logs should be retained as long as required by 
the Commission.
    47 CFR 73.759(d) states that the licensee or permittee must keep 
records of the time and results of each auxiliary transmitter test 
performed at least weekly.
    47 CFR 73.762(b) requires that licensees notify the Commission in 
writing of any limitation or discontinuance of operation of not more 
than 10 days.
    47 CFR 73.762(c) states that the licensee or permittee must request 
and receive specific authority from the Commission to discontinue 
operations for more than 10 days under extenuating circumstances.
    47 CFR 1.1301 cover certifications of compliance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act and how the public will be protected from 
radio frequency radiation hazards.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.
[FR Doc. 2011-31527 Filed 12-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P