[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 166 (Wednesday, August 27, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51136-51137]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20518]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Chapter I

[MB Docket No. 14-127; DA 14-1149]


Petition for Rulemaking; Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, and 
the Sunlight Foundation Seeking Expansion of Online Public File 
Obligations

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of petition for rulemaking; solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: The Media Bureau solicits public comment on a Petition for 
Rulemaking requesting that the FCC initiate a rulemaking to expand to 
cable and satellite the requirement that public and political files be 
posted to the FCC's online database. The Media Bureau also seeks 
comment on expanding public file obligations to radio licensees.

DATES: Comments may be filed on or before August 28, 2014, and reply 
comments may be filed on or before September 8, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB Docket No. 14-127, 
by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web site: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. Follow the instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail: Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, 
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
     People With Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: (202) 418-
0530 or TTY: (202) 418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Matthews, Media Bureau, Policy 
Division, 202-418-2154, or email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Media Bureau's 
document in MB Docket No. 14-127, DA 14-1149, released on August 7, 
2014. The full text of this document is available for public inspection 
and copying during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-A257, 
Washington, DC 20554. The complete text may be purchased from the 
Commission's copy contractor, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, 
Washington, DC 20554. This document will also be available via ECFS at  
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Documents will be available 
electronically in ASCII, Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe Acrobat. 
Alternative formats are available for people with disabilities 
(Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format) by sending an 
email to [email protected] or calling the Commission's Consumer and 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 
(TTY).

Summary

    The Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause and the Sunlight Foundation 
filed a Petition for Rulemaking requesting that the Federal 
Communications Commission (Commission) ``initiate a rulemaking to 
expand to cable and satellite systems the requirement that

[[Page 51137]]

public and political files be posted to the FCC's online database.'' 
\1\
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    \1\ The Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause and the Sunlight 
Foundation Petition for Rulemaking, filed July 31, 2014 at 1.
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    When it adopted the online public file rules, the Commission 
decided to limit initial implementation to broadcast television 
stations, specifically declining to require radio, cable systems or 
other multichannel video programming distributors to post public file 
documents to the FCC's online database at that time.\2\ The Commission 
explained that there was an insufficient record to extend the 
requirement beyond broadcast television, and that starting with 
television licensees would ``ease the initial implementation of the 
online public file.'' \3\
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    \2\ Standardized and Enhanced Disclosure Requirements for 
Television Broadcast Licensee Public Interest Obligations, 27 FCC 
Rcd 4535, 4585-86 (2012) (``Online File Order'').
    \3\ Id. at 4586.
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    The online public file launched on August 2, 2012. In the 
intervening two years, over half a million items have been successfully 
uploaded into the online file, and the site has generated nearly five 
million page views. Despite initial concerns, NAB has characterized the 
first wave of implementation as ``uneventful.'' \4\ As of July 1, 2014, 
all television broadcast stations have fully transitioned to the online 
file.
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    \4\ NAB Comments at 3, Standardized and Enhanced Disclosure 
Requirements for Television Broadcast Licensee Public Interest 
Obligations, MM Docket 00-168, filed Aug. 26, 2013.
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    With this transition complete, we seek comment on the above-
mentioned petition. We also seek comment on whether the Commission 
should initiate a rulemaking proceeding to require broadcast radio 
stations to use the online public file, and on an appropriate time 
frame for such a requirement.\5\
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    \5\ In the Online File Order, the Commission delegated to 
Commission staff the authority to allow radio stations to 
voluntarily post their public files in the online database ``at such 
time as staff determines that such an option is feasible and 
desirable. . . .'' Online File Order at 4586. Commission staff is 
analyzing the budget and technical issues that are involved in 
allowing radio licensees to upload documents to the online public 
file voluntarily.
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    This proceeding will be treated as ``permit but disclose'' for 
purposes of the Commission's ex parte rules. See generally 47 CFR 
1.1200-1.1216. As a result of the permit-but-disclose status of this 
proceeding, ex parte presentations will be governed by the procedures 
set forth in Section 1.1206 (47 CFR 1.1206) of the Commission's rules 
applicable to non-restricted proceedings.\6\
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    \6\ 47 CFR 1.1206.
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    Given that all comments will be posted to the Commission's 
Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), we hereby waive the 
requirement that parties be served copies of the comments and reply 
comments in this proceeding,\7\ pursuant to Section 1.3 of the 
Commissions rules.\8\
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    \7\ 47 CFR 1.405.
    \8\ 47 CFR 1.3.
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    Interested parties may file comments on or before August 28, 2014 
and reply comments on or before September 8, 2014. All filings must 
reference MB Docket No. 14-127. In order to be considered part of the 
official record, comments must be filed using: (1) ECFS, (2) the 
Federal Government's eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper 
copies.\9\ Comments sent via email to the Commission that do not use 
the ECFS form described below will be considered informal and will not 
be part of the official record.
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    \9\ See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking 
Proceedings, GC Docket No. 97-113, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd 
11322, 11326, para. 8 (1998).
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     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ 
or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Filers 
should follow the instructions provided on the Web site for submitting 
comments.
     For ECFS filers, in completing the transmittal screen, 
filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal service mailing 
address, and the applicable docket number: MB Docket No. 14-127. 
Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet email. To get 
filing instructions, filers should send an email to [email protected], and 
include the following words in the body of the message: ``get form''. A 
sample form and instructions will be sent in response.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and four copies of each filing. Filings can be sent by 
hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by 
first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue 
to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All 
filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Marlene H. 
Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
     All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings 
for the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 
445 12th St. SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. All hand 
deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any 
envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing 
hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton 
Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
     U.S. Postal Service first-class mail, Express Mail, and 
Priority Mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 
20554.
    Copies of all filings will be available in MB Docket No. 14-127 
through ECFS and are also available for public inspection and copying 
during regular business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, 
Portals II, 445 12th St. SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554, 
telephone (202) 418-0270. They may also be purchased from the 
Commission's duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc., 
Portals II, 445 12th St. SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, 
telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, or via email at 
[email protected].
    Alternate formats of this Public Notice (computer diskette, large 
print, audio recording, or Braille) are available to persons with 
disabilities by contacting the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau 
at (202) 418-0530 or (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2014-20518 Filed 8-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P