[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 243 (Wednesday, December 18, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69342-69343]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27239]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 76

[MB Docket Nos. 07-42 and 17-105, FCC 19-52; FRS 16303]


Leased Commercial Access; Modernization of Media Regulation 
Initiative

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, 
the information collection associated with the Commission's Report and 
Order (Order) updating its leased access rules as part of its 
Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative. This document is 
consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would 
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective 
date of the rules that contain new or modified information collection 
requirements.

DATES: Title 47 CFR 76.970(h) and 76.975(e), published at 84 FR 28761, 
June 20, 2019, are effective on December 18, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diana Sokolow, Policy Division, Media 
Bureau, at (202) 418-2120, or email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that on December 3, 
2019, OMB approved, for a period of three years, the information 
collection requirements relating to the rules and procedures contained 
in the Commission's Order, FCC 19-52, published at 84 FR 28761, June 
20, 2019. The OMB Control Number is 3060-0568. The Commission publishes 
this document as an announcement of the effective date of the rules. If 
you have any comments on the burden estimates listed below, or how the 
Commission can improve the collections and reduce any burdens caused 
thereby, please contact Cathy Williams, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. 
Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-0568, in your 
correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments via email 
at [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the FCC is notifying the public that it received final OMB 
approval on December 3, 2019, for the information collection 
requirements contained in revised rules 47 CFR 76.970(h) and 76.975(e).
    Under 5 CFR part 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 
that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 
Control Number is 3060-0568.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0568.
    OMB Approval Date: December 3, 2019.
    OMB Expiration Date: December 31, 2022.
    Title: Sections 76.970, 76.971, and 76.975, Commercial Leased 
Access Rates, Terms and Conditions, and Dispute Resolution.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit entities; Not-for-
profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,677 respondents; 6,879 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours to 40 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; On occasion 
reporting requirement; Third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory; Required to obtain or retain 
benefits. The statutory authority for this information collection is 
contained in sections 4(i), 303, and 612 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 303, and 532.
    Total Annual Burden: 17,131 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $118,000.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On June 7, 2019, in document FCC 19-52, the 
Commission released a Report and Order updating its leased access rules 
as part of its Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative. Two of the 
revised rules (47 CFR 76.970(h) and 76.975(e)) contained new or 
modified information collection requirements.
    Title 47 CFR 76.970(h) requires cable operators to provide 
prospective leased access programmers with the following information 
within 30 calendar days of the date on which a bona fide request for 
leased access information is made, provided that the programmer has 
remitted any application fee that the cable system operator requires up 
to a maximum of $100 per system-specific bona fide request (for systems 
subject to small system relief, cable operators are required to provide 
the following information within 45 calendar days of a bona fide 
request):
    (a) How much of the cable operator's leased access set-aside 
capacity is available;
    (b) a complete schedule of the operator's full-time leased access 
rates;
    (c) rates associated with technical and studio costs; and
    (d) if specifically requested, a sample leased access contract.
    Bona fide requests, as used in this section, are defined as 
requests from potential leased access programmers that have provided 
the following information:
    (a) The desired length of a contract term;
    (b) the anticipated commencement date for carriage; and
    (c) the nature of the programming.
    All requests for leased access must be made in writing and must 
specify the date on which the request was sent to the operator. 
Operators must maintain supporting documentation to justify scheduled 
rates, including supporting contracts, calculations of the implicit 
fees, and justifications for all adjustments.
    Cable system operators must disclose on their own websites, or 
through alternate means if they do not have their own websites, a 
contact name or title, telephone number, and email address for the 
person responsible for responding to requests for information about 
leased access channels.
    Title 47 CFR 76.975(e) provides that the cable operator or other 
respondent will have 30 days from service of the petition to file an 
answer. If a leased access rate is disputed, the answer must show that 
the rate charged is not higher than the maximum permitted rate for such 
leased access, and must be supported by the affidavit of a

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responsible company official. If, after an answer is submitted, the 
staff finds a prima facie violation of our rules, the staff may require 
a respondent to produce additional information, or specify other 
procedures necessary for resolution of the proceeding. Replies to 
answers must be filed within fifteen (15) days after submission of the 
answer.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-27239 Filed 12-17-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P