[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 108 (Thursday, June 4, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34440-34447]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-12091]



[[Page 34440]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0027, OMB 3060-0029, OMB 3060-0031, OMB 3060-0110, OMB 3060-
0213, OMB 3060-0214, OMB 3060-0405, OMB 3060-0920; FRS 16799]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collections. Comments are requested 
concerning: 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; the 
accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the 
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before August 3, 
2020. 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 Cathy Williams, FCC, via email 
[email protected] and to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB 
control number.
    As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and 
as required by the PRA of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the FCC invites 
the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity 
to comment on the following information collections. Comments are 
requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 
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 ways to further reduce the 
information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer 
than 25 employees.
    OMB Control No.: 3060-0027.
    Title: Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast 
Station, FCC Form 301; Form 2100, Schedule A--Application for Media 
Bureau Video Service Authorization; 47 Sections 73.3700(b)(1) and 
(b)(2) and Section 73.3800, Post Auction Licensing; Form 2100, Schedule 
301-FM--Commercial FM Station Construction Permit Application.
    Form No.: FCC Form 2100, Schedule A, FCC Form 301, FCC Form 2100, 
Schedule 301-FM.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions; State, local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 3,092 respondents and 4,199 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.075 hours-6.25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement; On occasion 
reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 
154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 12,435 hours.
    Annual Cost Burden: $62,308,388.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment 
of Section 73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of 
the Filing of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation 
Initiative; Revision of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 
73.3580, Second Report and Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-
6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 2020). The Commission adopted new, 
streamlined procedures for stations to provide public notice of the 
filing of certain applications. Stations, including stations filing for 
new construction permits or major modifications to facilities, that 
were previously required to post public notice in a local newspaper, 
must now post notice online, either on the station website or a website 
affiliated with the station, its licensee, or its parent entity, or 
else must post notice on a publicly accessible, locally targeted 
website, for 30 continuous days following acceptance of the application 
for filing. Stations that are required to make on-air announcements of 
the filing of certain applications, must continue to do so, but the 
announcements are shorter and direct viewers and listeners to the 
application as filed and displayed in either the station's Online 
Public Inspection File or another Commission database. A total of six 
on-air announcements are required, at least one per week and no more 
than one per day or two per week, to be broadcast between 7:00 a.m. and 
11:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, beginning after the 
application is accepted for filing.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The changes 
pertaining to this Information Collection and to 47 CFR 73.3580 and 47 
CFR 73.3594 adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order, 
do not necessitate changes to the Schedule 301, nor do they affect the 
substance, burden hours, or costs of completing the forms. The rule 
changes do, however, reduce burdens and costs associated with filing 
the application. 47 CFR 73.3571(j)(3) and 73.3573(g)(3) require that 
applicants must comply with the local public notice provisions of Sec.  
73.3580(c)(5).
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0029.
    Title: FCC Form 2100, Schedule 340, Noncommercial Educational 
Station for Reserved Channel Construction Permit Application.
    Form Number: FCC Form 2100, Schedule 340.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

[[Page 34441]]

    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, not for profit 
institutions and State, local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 2,820 respondents; 2,820 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours-6 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement and Third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 
154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 6,603 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $30,039,119.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Needs and Uses: This submission is being made to the Office of 
Management (OMB) for the approval of information collection 
requirements contained in the Commission's Reexamination of the 
Comparative Standards and Procedures for Licensing Noncommercial 
Educational Broadcast Stations and Low Power FM Stations, Report and 
Order, FCC 19-127, 34 FCC Rcd 12519 (2019) (NCE LPFM Report and Order), 
adopted December 10, 2019, and released on December 11, 2019, where the 
Commission revised its rules and procedures for considering competing 
applications for new and major modifications to noncommercial 
educational full-service FM and full-power television (NCE), and low 
power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations. The changes are designed to improve 
the comparative selection and licensing procedures, expedite the 
initiation of new service to the public, eliminate unnecessary 
applicant burdens, and reduce the number of appeals of NCE comparative 
licensing decisions.
    First, to improve the NCE comparative process, the NCE LPFM Report 
and Order: (1) Eliminates the governing document requirements for 
established local applicants and applicants claiming diversity points; 
(2) establishes a uniform divestiture pledge policy; (3) expands the 
tie-breaker criteria and revises the procedures for allocating time in 
mandatory time-sharing situations; and (4) clarifies and modifies the 
``holding period'' rule.
    Second, the NCE LPFM Report and Order adopts the following changes 
to the LPFM comparative process: (1) Prohibits amendments that attempt 
to cure past unauthorized station violations; (2) authorizes time-
sharing discussions prior to tentative selectee designations; and (3) 
establishes procedures for remaining tentative selectees following 
dismissal of point aggregation time-share agreements.
    Third, the NCE LPFM Report and Order adopts the following general 
changes: (1) Defines which applicant board changes are major changes; 
(2) clarifies the reasonable site assurance requirements; (3) 
streamlines construction deadline tolling procedures and notification 
requirements; (4) lengthens the LPFM construction period; and (5) 
eliminates restrictions on the assignment and transfer of LPFM 
authorizations.
    Specifically, pertaining to this Information Collection and NCE 
stations, the Commission is revising the relevant rules, 47 CFR 
73.7002, 73.7003, and 73.7005, the form, and corresponding 
instructions, as follows:
    (1) Changing all former references to ``holding period'' to 
``maintenance of comparative qualifications.'' During the four-year 
``maintenance of comparative qualifications'' period, an NCE station 
receiving a decisive preference for fair distribution of service, in 
accordance with the provisions of 47 CFR 73.7002, must certify that any 
technical modification to its authorized facilities satisfies the 
technical requirements of 47 CFR 73.7005(b).
    (2) Adding an ``Established Local Applicant Pledge,'' requiring an 
applicant to pledge to maintain localism characteristics during the 
four-year maintenance of comparative qualifications period, if the 
applicant certifies that it qualifies for points as an ``established 
local applicant'' in the Point System Factors of 47 CFR 73.7003.
    (3) Adding a ``Diversity Pledge,'' requiring an applicant to pledge 
to comply with all of the restrictions on station modifications and 
acquisitions (as defined in 47 CFR 73.7005) during the four-year 
maintenance of comparative qualifications period, if the applicant 
certifies that it qualifies for ``local diversity of ownership'' points 
in the Point System Factors of 47 CFR 73.7003.
    (4) Modifying the divestiture sub-question certification, to 
reflect the new divestiture policies, in the Diversity of Ownership 
question in the Point System Factors Section.
    (5) Adding a new question in the Tie Breakers section of the form, 
reflecting the new third tie-breaker criterion of 47 CFR 73.7003(c)(3).
    (6) Adding a new question in the Tie Breakers Section of the form, 
requiring the applicant to provide its initial date of establishment.
    (7) Adding a Reasonable Site Assurance Certification in the 
Technical Certifications Section of the form, requiring the applicant 
to certify that it has obtained reasonable assurance from the tower 
owner or authorized representative, that its specified site will be 
available.
    The revisions to the relevant rules, and the changes to the 
questions in Schedule 340 listed above affect the substance, burden 
hours, and costs of completing the Schedule 340. Therefore, this 
submission is being made to OMB for approval of revised Information 
Collection requirements.
    On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment of Section 
73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of the Filing 
of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative; Revision 
of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 73.3580, Second Report and 
Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 
2020). The Commission adopted new, streamlined procedures for stations 
to provide public notice of the filing of certain applications. 
Stations, including stations filing for new construction permits or 
major modifications to facilities, that were previously required to 
post public notice in a local newspaper, must now post notice online, 
either on the station website or a website affiliated with the station, 
its licensee, or its parent entity, or else must post notice on a 
publicly accessible, locally targeted website, for 30 continuous days 
following acceptance of the application for filing. Stations that are 
required to make on-air announcements of the filing of certain 
applications, must continue to do so, but the announcements are shorter 
and direct viewers and listeners to the application as filed and 
displayed in either the station's Online Public Inspection File or 
another Commission database. A total of six on-air announcements are 
required, at least one per week and no more than one per day or two per 
week, to be broadcast between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. local time, 
Monday through Friday, beginning after the application is accepted for 
filing.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The changes 
pertaining to this Information Collection and to 47 CFR 73.3580 adopted 
in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order, do not necessitate 
changes to the Schedule 340, nor do they affect the substance, burden

[[Page 34442]]

hours, or costs of completing the forms. The rule changes do, however, 
reduce burdens and costs associated with filing the application.
    Control Number: 3060-0031.
    Title: Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station 
Construction Permit or License, FCC Form 314; Application for Consent 
to Transfer Control of Entity Holding Broadcast Station Construction 
Permit or License, FCC Form 315; Section 73.3580, Local Public Notice 
of Filing of Broadcast Applications.
    Form Number: FCC Forms 314 and 315.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not-for-profit 
institutions; State, local or Tribal government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 4,920 respondents and 13,160 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.075 to 7 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
Sections 154(i), 303(b) and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 17,159 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $51,493,759.
    Privacy Impact Assessment(s): No impacts.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality and respondents are not being asked to submit 
confidential information to the Commission.
    Needs and Uses: This submission is being made to the Office of 
Management (OMB) for the approval of information collection 
requirements contained in the Commission's Reexamination of the 
Comparative Standards and Procedures for Licensing Noncommercial 
Educational Broadcast Stations and Low Power FM Stations, Report and 
Order, FCC 19-127, 34 FCC Rcd 12519 (2019) (NCE LPFM Report and Order), 
adopted December 10, 2019, and released on December 11, 2019, where the 
Commission revised its rules and procedures for considering competing 
applications for new and major modifications to noncommercial 
educational full-service FM and full-power television (NCE), and low 
power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations. The changes are designed to improve 
the comparative selection and licensing procedures, expedite the 
initiation of new service to the public, eliminate unnecessary 
applicant burdens, and reduce the number of appeals of NCE comparative 
licensing decisions.
    First, to improve the NCE comparative process, the NCE LPFM Report 
and Order: (1) Eliminates the governing document requirements for 
established local applicants and applicants claiming diversity points; 
(2) establishes a uniform divestiture pledge policy; (3) expands the 
tie-breaker criteria and revises the procedures for allocating time in 
mandatory time-sharing situations; and (4) clarifies and modifies the 
``holding period'' rule.
    Second, the NCE LPFM Report and Order adopts the following changes 
to the LPFM comparative process: (1) Prohibits amendments that attempt 
to cure past unauthorized station violations; (2) authorizes time-
sharing discussions prior to tentative selectee designations; and (3) 
establishes procedures for remaining tentative selectees following 
dismissal of point aggregation time-share agreements.
    Third, the NCE LPFM Report and Order adopts the following general 
changes: (1) Defines which applicant board changes are major changes; 
(2) clarifies the reasonable site assurance requirements; (3) 
streamlines construction deadline tolling procedures and notification 
requirements; (4) lengthens the LPFM construction period; and (5) 
eliminates restrictions on the assignment and transfer of LPFM 
authorizations.
    Specifically, pertaining to this Information Collection and NCE and 
LPFM stations, the Commission is removing the restrictive LPFM station 
three-year ``holding period'' certification from CDBS Forms 314 and 
315, and revising the relevant rules, 47 CFR 73.865 and 73.7005, the 
forms, and corresponding instructions, as follows:
    (1) Changing all references to ``holding period'' to ``maintenance 
of comparative qualifications,'' and requiring NCE stations awarded by 
the point system to certify satisfying the four-year ``maintenance of 
comparative qualifications'' period;
    (2) requiring LPFM applicants to certify that it has been at least 
18 months since the station's initial construction permit was granted 
in accordance with 47 CFR 73.865(c);
    (3) requiring LPFM applicants to certify that the assignment/
transfer of the LPFM authorization satisfies the consideration 
restrictions of 47 CFR 73.865(a)(1);
    (4) requiring LPFM authorizations awarded by the LPFM comparative 
point system, to indicate whether the LPFM station has operated on-air 
for at least four years since grant;
    (5) requiring NCE applicants to certify that the proposed 
acquisition comports with 47 CFR 73.7005(c) diversity requirements, 
based on any ``diversity of ownership'' points awarded in an NCE points 
system analysis.
    Moreover, the NCE LPFM Report and Order will increase the number of 
applicants eligible to file FCC Forms 314 and 315 by eliminating both 
the absolute prohibition on the assignment/transfer of LPFM 
construction permits and the three-year holding period restriction on 
assigning LPFM licenses. The elimination of these restrictions will 
benefit the LPFM service by increasing the likelihood that LPFM permits 
will be constructed, provide new service to communities, and help make 
the LPFM stations more viable.
    On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment of Section 
73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of the Filing 
of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative; Revision 
of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 73.3580, Second Report and 
Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 
2020). The Commission adopted new, streamlined procedures for stations 
to provide public notice of the filing of certain applications. 
Stations, including commercial stations filing assignment and transfer 
applications, that were previously required to post public notice in a 
local newspaper, must now post notice online either on the station 
website or a website affiliated with the station, its licensee, or its 
parent entity, or else must post notice on a publicly accessible, 
locally targeted website, for 30 continuous days following acceptance 
of the application for filing. Stations, including those filing 
assignment and transfer applications, that are required to make on-air 
announcements of the filing of certain applications, must continue to 
do so, but the announcements are shorter and direct viewers and 
listeners to the application as filed and displayed in either the 
station's Online Public Inspection File or another Commission database. 
A total of six on-air announcements are required, at least one per week 
and no more than one per day or two per week, to be broadcast between 
7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, beginning 
after the application is accepted for filing.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in

[[Page 34443]]

the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The changes pertaining 
to this Information Collection and to 47 CFR 73.3580 adopted in the 
2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order, do not necessitate changes 
to the Forms 314 or 315, nor do they affect the substance, burden 
hours, or costs of completing the forms. The rule changes do, however, 
reduce burdens and costs associated with filing the application.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0110.
    Title: FCC Form 2100, Application for Renewal of Broadcast Station 
License, LMS Schedule 303-S.
    Form Number: FCC 2100, LMS Schedule 303-S.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal Governments.
    Number of Respondent and Responses: 5,126 respondents, 5,126 
responses.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
Sections 154(i), 303, 307 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, and Section 204 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours-12 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Every eight-year reporting requirement; 
Third party disclosure requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 14,868 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: $3,994,164.
    Obligation of Response: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for the collection is contained Sections 154(i), 
303, 307 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and 
Section 204 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this information collection.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment 
of Section 73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of 
the Filing of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation 
Initiative; Revision of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 
73.3580, Second Report and Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-
6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 2020). The Commission adopted new, 
streamlined procedures for stations to provide public notice of the 
filing of certain applications. Some stations that were previously 
required to post public notice in a local newspaper, must now post 
notice online, either on the station website or a website affiliated 
with the station, its licensee, or its parent entity, or else must post 
notice on a publicly accessible, locally targeted website, for 30 
continuous days following acceptance of the application for filing. 
Stations that are required to make on-air announcements of the filing 
of certain applications, including applications for the renewal of 
broadcast licenses, must continue to do so, but the announcements are 
shorter and direct viewers and listeners to the application as filed 
and displayed in either the station's Online Public Inspection File or 
another Commission database. A total of six on-air announcements are 
required, at least one per week and no more than one per day or two per 
week, to be broadcast between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. local time, 
Monday through Friday, beginning after the application is accepted for 
filing. The Commission also clarified low-power FM (LPFM) stations' 
obligations to provide local public notice, and amended section 73.801 
of the rules (47 CFR 73.801, listing FCC rules that apply to the LPFM 
service) to include the local public notice rule, 47 CFR 73.3580.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The changes 
pertaining to this Information Collection and to 47 CFR 73.3580 adopted 
in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order, do not necessitate 
changes to Schedule 303-S, nor do they affect the substance, burden 
hours, or costs of completing the forms. The rule changes do, however, 
reduce burdens and costs associated with filing the application.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0213.
    Title: Section 73.3525, Agreements for Removing Application 
Conflicts.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 38 respondents; 38 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 38 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $91,200.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this collection of information.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
Sections 154(i) and 311 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The Commission is submitting this revision to the 
Office of Management and Budget for approval to remove the information 
collection requirements, annual burden hours and annual cost contained 
in this collection for 47 CFR 73.3535(b). The Commission removed this 
rule section when it adopted the Amendment of Section 73.3580 of the 
Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of the Filing of 
Applications, MB Docket No. 17-264, FCC 20-65 on May 12, 2020.
    The following information collection requirements remain in this 
collection:
    47 CFR Section 73.3525 states (a) except as provided in Sec.  
73.3523 regarding dismissal of applications in comparative renewal 
proceedings, whenever applicants for a construction permit for a 
broadcast station enter into an agreement to procure the removal of a 
conflict between applications pending before the FCC by withdrawal or 
amendment of an application or by its dismissal pursuant to Sec.  
73.3568, all parties thereto shall, within 5 days after entering into 
the agreement, file with the FCC a joint request for approval of such 
agreement. The joint request shall be accompanied by a copy of the 
agreement, including any ancillary agreements, and an affidavit of each 
party to the agreement setting forth:
    (1) The reasons why it is considered that such agreement is in the 
public interest;
    (2) A statement that its application was not filed for the purpose 
of reaching or carrying out such agreement;
    (3) A certification that neither the applicant nor its principals 
has received any money or other consideration in excess of the 
legitimate and prudent expenses of the applicant; Provided That this 
provision shall not apply to bona fide merger agreements;
    (4) The exact nature and amount of any consideration paid or 
promised;
    (5) An itemized accounting of the expenses for which it seeks 
reimbursement; and
    (6) The terms of any oral agreement relating to the dismissal or 
withdrawal of its application.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0214.
    Title: Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection Files; 
Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions;

[[Page 34444]]

State, Local or Tribal government; Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 23,984 respondents; 62,839 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1-52 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, 
Recordkeeping requirement, Third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for these collections is contained in Sections 151, 
152, 154(i), 303, 307 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,043,805 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: None.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: The Commission prepared a system of 
records notice (SORN), FCC/MB-2, ``Broadcast Station Public Inspection 
Files,'' that covers the PII contained in the broadcast station public 
inspection files located on the Commission's website. The Commission 
will revise appropriate privacy requirements as necessary to include 
any entities and information added to the online public file in this 
proceeding.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Most of the documents 
comprising the public file consist of materials that are not of a 
confidential nature. Respondents complying with the information 
collection requirements may request that the information they submit be 
withheld from disclosure. If confidentiality is requested, such 
requests will be processed in accordance with the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 0.459.
    In addition, the Commission has adopted provisions that permit 
respondents subject to the information collection requirement for 
Shared Service Agreements to redact confidential or proprietary 
information from their disclosures.
    Needs and Uses: On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment 
of Section 73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of 
the Filing of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation 
Initiative; Revision of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 
73.3580, Second Report and Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-
6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 2020). The Commission adopted new, 
streamlined procedures for stations to provide public notice of the 
filing of certain applications. Stations, including stations filing for 
new construction permits or major modifications to facilities, that 
were previously required to post public notice in a local newspaper, 
must now post notice online, either on the station website or a website 
affiliated with the station, its licensee, or its parent entity, or 
else must post notice on a publicly accessible, locally targeted 
website, for 30 continuous days following acceptance of the application 
for filing. Stations that are required to make on-air announcements of 
the filing of certain applications, must continue to do so, but the 
announcements are shorter and direct viewers and listeners to the 
application as filed and displayed in either the station's Online 
Public Inspection File or another Commission database. A total of six 
on-air announcements are required, at least one per week and no more 
than one per day or two per week, to be broadcast between 7:00 a.m. and 
11:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday, beginning after the 
application is accepted for filing.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The modified 
information collection requirements, revising rules 47 CFR 
73.3526(e)(13) and 47 CFR 73.3527(e)(10) covering local public notice 
announcements, are as follows:
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(13)--Local public notice announcements. Each 
applicant for renewal of license shall, within 7 days of the last day 
of broadcast of the local public notice of filing announcements 
required pursuant to Sec.  73.3580(c)(3), place in the station's online 
public inspection file a statement certifying compliance with this 
requirement. The dates and times that the on-air announcements were 
broadcast shall be made part of the certifying statement. The 
certifying statement shall be retained in the public file for the 
period specified in Sec.  73.3580(e)(2) (for as long as the application 
to which it refers).
    47 CFR 73.3527(e)(10)--Local public notice announcements. Each 
applicant for renewal of license shall, within 7 days of the last day 
of broadcast of the local public notice of filing announcements 
required pursuant to Sec.  73.3580(c)(3), place in the station's online 
public inspection file a statement certifying compliance with this 
requirement. The dates and times that the on-air announcements were 
broadcast shall be made part of the certifying statement. The 
certifying statement shall be retained in the public file for the 
period specified in Sec.  73.3580(e)(2) (for as long as the application 
to which it refers).
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0405.
    Title: Form 2100, Schedule 349--FM Translator or FM Booster Station 
Construction Permit Application.
    Form Number: FCC Form 2100, Schedule 349.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; State, Local or 
Tribal Government; Not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,250 respondents; 3,750 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours-1.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third 
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
Sections 154(i), 303 and 308 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 4,050 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $4,447,539.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this information collection.
    Needs and Uses: On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment 
of Section 73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of 
the Filing of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation 
Initiative; Revision of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 
73.3580, Second Report and Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-
6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 2020). The Commission adopted new, 
streamlined procedures for stations to provide public notice of the 
filing of certain applications. Stations, including stations filing for 
new construction permits or major modifications to facilities, that 
were previously required to post public notice in a local newspaper, 
must now post notice online, either on the station website or a website 
affiliated with the station, its licensee, or its parent entity, or 
else must post notice on a publicly accessible, locally targeted 
website, for 30 continuous days following acceptance of the application 
for filing.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The changes 
pertaining to this Information Collection and to 47 CFR 73.3580 adopted 
in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order, do not necessitate 
changes to the Schedule 349, nor do they affect the substance, burden

[[Page 34445]]

hours, or costs of completing the forms. The rule changes do, however, 
reduce burdens and costs associated with filing the application.
    In April 2020, the Commission adopted a Report and Order making 
certain changes to the LPFM technical rules, to improve reception and 
increase flexibility while maintaining interference protection and the 
core LPFM goals of diversity and localism. Amendments of Parts 73 and 
74 to Improve the Low Power FM Radio Service Technical Rules; 
Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, Report and Order, MB 
Docket Nos. 19-193, 17-105, FCC 20-53 (rel. Apr. 23, 2020) (2020 
Technical Report and Order).
    LPFM stations provide a secondary, noncommercial radio service with 
a community focus. The Commission originally designed LPFM engineering 
requirements to be simple so that non-profit organizations with limited 
engineering expertise and small budgets could readily apply for, 
construct, and operate community-oriented stations serving highly 
localized areas. LPFM organizations suggested that the service has 
matured and requires additional engineering options to improve 
reception. Thus, the 2020 Technical Report and Order adopted the 
following rules:
    Allow expanded LPFM use of directional antennas. All LPFM stations 
may use directional facilities, with either off-the-shelf or composite 
antennas, upon a satisfactory engineering showing. Such antennas could 
improve service near international borders by allowing LPFM stations to 
serve more listeners in the United States while continuing to protect 
Mexican and Canadian stations.
    Redefine ``Minor Changes'' for LPFM stations. An LPFM station may 
apply for approval to relocate its transmitter site without awaiting a 
filing window if the change is ``minor,'' redefined in the 2020 
Technical Report and Order as a move of 11.2 kilometers or less. The 
2020 Technical Report and Order also allowed proposals of greater 
distances to qualify as minor if the existing and proposed service 
contours overlap.
    Permit LPFM Use of FM Booster Stations. FM booster stations amplify 
and retransmit a station's signal. The 2020 Technical Report and Order 
amended rules that had prohibited LPFM stations from operating booster 
stations, allowing LPFM stations to operate an FM booster in lieu of an 
FM translator when a booster would better address unique terrain 
challenges.
    Allow Shared Emergency Alert System (EAS) Equipment. Co-owned, co-
located radio stations can share EAS equipment, but this option was not 
available to LPFM stations because they cannot be co-owned. The 2020 
Technical Report and Order permitted co-located LPFM stations 
(particularly those in time-share arrangements) to share an EAS decoder 
pursuant to an agreement for common access as well as common 
responsibility for any EAS rule violations, thus potentially reducing 
costs.
    Facilitate Waivers of Requirement to Protect Television Stations 
Operating on Channel 6. Stations on the part of the FM band reserved 
for NCE use must currently protect adjacent television stations on 
Channel 6 (TV6). The 2020 Technical Report and Order deferred to a 
future proceeding consideration of a proposal to eliminate the 
protection of digital television stations operating on TV6. The 2020 
Technical Report and Order stated that until such a proceeding is 
resolved, the Commission will accept FM proposals that are short-spaced 
to TV6 if the FM applicant demonstrates no interference. Alternatively, 
the 2020 Technical Report and Order added language to the rules 
allowing reserved band radio stations to provide an agreement 
indicating the concurrence of all potentially affected digital TV6 
stations.
    Miscellaneous Changes. The 2020 Technical Report and Order added 
language to 47 CFR 73.850 requiring LPFM stations to notify the 
Commission if they are silent for ten days and to seek authority for 
silent periods over 30 days, as required for all other broadcasters, 
thus codifying a longstanding policy that the Bureau already applies to 
the LPFM service that allows it to identify and assist LPFM stations at 
risk of losing their licenses automatically under section 312(g) of the 
Communications Act.
    Specifically, pertaining to this Information Collection and FM 
Booster (and LPFM) stations, the Commission is revising the form, the 
corresponding instructions, and the information collection as follows:
    (1) Permitting LPFM licensees to own and operate FM Booster 
stations.
    The 2020 Technical Report and Order will increase the number of 
applicants eligible to file LMS Schedule 349 by eliminating the 
absolute prohibition on the cross-ownership of FM Booster stations by 
LPFM licenses. The overall number of respondents may increase because 
these rule changes expand the universe of applicants eligible to apply 
for an FM Booster station construction permit. Therefore, this 
submission is being made to OMB for approval of revised Information 
Collection requirements.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0920.
    Title: Form 2100, Schedule 318--Low Power FM Station Construction 
Permit Application; Report and Order in MM Docket No. 99-25 Creation of 
Low Power Radio Service; Sections 73.801, 73.807, 73.809, 73.810, 
73.816, 73.827, 73.850, 73.865, 73.870, 73.871, 73.872, 73.877, 73.878, 
73.318, 73.1030, 73.1207, 73.1212, 73.1300, 73.1350, 73.1610, 73.1620, 
73.1750, 73.1943, 73.3525, 73.3550, 73.3598, 11.61(ii).
    Form No.: Form 2100, Schedule 318.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; State, local or Tribal 
governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 24,606 respondents with 
multiple responses; 31,324 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: .0025-12 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; On occasion 
reporting requirement; Monthly reporting requirement; Third party 
disclosure requirement.
    Obligation To Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
sections 154(i), 303, 308 and 325(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, 
as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 52,889 hours.
    Total Annual Costs: $1,229,370.
    Privacy Act Impact Assessment: This information collection does not 
affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the 
Privacy Act.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for 
confidentiality with this information collection.
    Needs and Uses: This submission is being made to the Office of 
Management (OMB) for the approval of information collection 
requirements contained in the Commission's Reexamination of the 
Comparative Standards and Procedures for Licensing Noncommercial 
Educational Broadcast Stations and Low Power FM Stations, Report and 
Order, FCC 19-127, 34 FCC Rcd 12519 (2019) (NCE LPFM Report and Order), 
adopted December 10, 2019, and released on December 11, 2019, where the 
Commission revised its rules and procedures for considering competing 
applications for new and major modifications to noncommercial 
educational full-service FM and full-power television (NCE), and low 
power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations. The changes are designed to improve 
the comparative selection and licensing procedures, expedite the 
initiation of new service to the public, eliminate unnecessary 
applicant burdens, and

[[Page 34446]]

reduce the number of appeals of NCE comparative licensing decisions.
    First, to improve the NCE comparative process, the NCE LPFM Report 
and Order: (1) Eliminates the governing document requirements for 
established local applicants and applicants claiming diversity points; 
(2) establishes a uniform divestiture pledge policy; (3) expands the 
tie-breaker criteria and revises the procedures for allocating time in 
mandatory time-sharing situations; and (4) clarifies and modifies the 
``holding period'' rule.
    Second, the NCE LPFM Report and Order adopts the following changes 
to the LPFM comparative process: (1) Prohibits amendments that attempt 
to cure past unauthorized station violations; (2) authorizes time-
sharing discussions prior to tentative selectee designations; and (3) 
establishes procedures for remaining tentative selectees following 
dismissal of point aggregation time-share agreements.
    Third, the NCE LPFM Report and Order adopts the following general 
changes: (1) Defines which applicant board changes are major changes; 
(2) clarifies the reasonable site assurance requirements; (3) 
streamlines construction deadline tolling procedures and notification 
requirements; (4) lengthens the LPFM construction period; and (5) 
eliminates restrictions on the assignment and transfer of LPFM 
authorizations.
    Specifically, pertaining to this Information Collection and LPFM 
stations, the Commission is revising the relevant rules, 47 CFR Section 
73.872, the form, and corresponding instructions, as follows:
    (1) Adding a Reasonable Site Assurance Certification in the 
Technical Certifications Section of the form, requiring the applicant 
to certify that it has obtained reasonable assurance from the tower 
owner or authorized representative, that its specified site will be 
available.
    The revisions to the relevant rules, and the changes to the 
questions in Schedule 318 listed above affect the substance, burden 
hours, and costs of completing the Schedule 318. Therefore, this 
submission is being made to OMB for approval of revised Information 
Collection requirements.
    On May 12, 2020, the Commission adopted Amendment of Section 
73.3580 of the Commission's Rules Regarding Public Notice of the Filing 
of Applications; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative; Revision 
of the Public Notice Requirements of Section 73.3580, Second Report and 
Order, MB Docket Nos. 17-254, 17-105, & 05-6, FCC 20-65 (rel. May 13, 
2020). The Commission adopted new, streamlined procedures for stations 
to provide public notice of the filing of certain applications. 
Stations, including stations filing for new construction permits or 
major modifications to facilities, that were previously required to 
post public notice in a local newspaper, must now post notice online, 
either on the station website or a website affiliated with the station, 
its licensee, or its parent entity, or else must post notice on a 
publicly accessible, locally targeted website, for 30 continuous days 
following acceptance of the application for filing. Stations that are 
required to make on-air announcements of the filing of certain 
applications, must continue to do so, but the announcements are shorter 
and direct viewers and listeners to the application as filed and 
displayed in either the station's Online Public Inspection File or 
another Commission database. A total of six on-air announcements are 
required, at least one per week and no more than one per day or two per 
week, to be broadcast between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. local time, 
Monday through Friday, beginning after the application is accepted for 
filing. The Commission also clarified LPFM stations' obligations to 
provide local public notice, and amended section 73.801 of the rules 
(47 CFR 73.801, listing FCC rules that apply to the LPFM service) to 
include the local public notice rule, 47 CFR 73.3580.
    This submission is being made to OMB for approval of the modified 
third-party disclosure requirements for this Information Collection, as 
adopted in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order. The changes 
pertaining to this Information Collection and to 47 CFR 73.3580 adopted 
in the 2020 Public Notice Second Report and Order, do not necessitate 
changes to the Schedule 318, nor do they affect the substance, burden 
hours, or costs of completing the forms. The rule changes do, however, 
reduce burdens and costs associated with filing the application.
    In April 2020, the Commission adopted a Report and Order making 
certain changes to the LPFM technical rules, to improve reception and 
increase flexibility while maintaining interference protection and the 
core LPFM goals of diversity and localism. Amendments of Parts 73 and 
74 to Improve the Low Power FM Radio Service Technical Rules; 
Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, Report and Order, MB 
Docket Nos. 19-193, 17-105, FCC 20-53 (rel. Apr. 23, 2020) (2020 
Technical Report and Order).
    LPFM stations provide a secondary, noncommercial radio service with 
a community focus. The Commission originally designed LPFM engineering 
requirements to be simple so that non-profit organizations with limited 
engineering expertise and small budgets could readily apply for, 
construct, and operate community-oriented stations serving highly 
localized areas. LPFM organizations suggested that the service has 
matured and requires additional engineering options to improve 
reception. Thus, the 2020 Technical Report and Order adopted the 
following rules:
    Allow expanded LPFM use of directional antennas. All LPFM stations 
may use directional facilities, with either off-the-shelf or composite 
antennas, upon a satisfactory engineering showing. Such antennas could 
improve service near international borders by allowing LPFM stations to 
serve more listeners in the United States while continuing to protect 
Mexican and Canadian stations.
    Redefine ``Minor Changes'' for LPFM stations. An LPFM station may 
apply for approval to relocate its transmitter site without awaiting a 
filing window if the change is ``minor,'' redefined in the 2020 
Technical Report and Order as a move of 11.2 kilometers or less. The 
2020 Technical Report and Order also allowed proposals of greater 
distances to qualify as minor if the existing and proposed service 
contours overlap.
    Permit LPFM Use of FM Booster Stations. FM booster stations amplify 
and retransmit a station's signal. The 2020 Technical Report and Order 
amended rules that had prohibited LPFM stations from operating booster 
stations, allowing LPFM stations to operate an FM booster in lieu of an 
FM translator when a booster would better address unique terrain 
challenges.
    Allow Shared Emergency Alert System (EAS) Equipment. Co-owned, co-
located radio stations can share EAS equipment, but this option was not 
available to LPFM stations because they cannot be co-owned. The 2020 
Technical Report and Order permitted co-located LPFM stations 
(particularly those in time-share arrangements) to share an EAS decoder 
pursuant to an agreement for common access as well as common 
responsibility for any EAS rule violations, thus potentially reducing 
costs.
    Facilitate Waivers of Requirement to Protect Television Stations 
Operating on Channel 6. Stations on the part of the FM band reserved 
for NCE use must currently protect adjacent television stations on 
Channel 6 (TV6). The 2020 Technical Report and Order deferred to a 
future proceeding consideration of a proposal to eliminate the 
protection of

[[Page 34447]]

digital television stations operating on TV6. The 2020 Technical Report 
and Order stated that until such a proceeding is resolved, the 
Commission will accept FM proposals that are short-spaced to TV6 if the 
FM applicant demonstrates no interference. Alternatively, the 2020 
Technical Report and Order added language to the rules allowing 
reserved band radio stations to provide an agreement indicating the 
concurrence of all potentially affected digital TV6 stations.
    Miscellaneous Changes. The 2020 Technical Report and Order added 
language to 47 CFR 73.850 requiring LPFM stations to notify the 
Commission if they are silent for ten days and to seek authority for 
silent periods over 30 days, as required for all other broadcasters, 
thus codifying a longstanding policy that the Bureau already applies to 
the LPFM service that allows it to identify and assist LPFM stations at 
risk of losing their licenses automatically under section 312(g) of the 
Communications Act. The 2020 Technical Report and Order also made 
several non-substantive changes to remove duplicative and out-of-date 
information.
    Specifically, pertaining to this Information Collection and LPFM 
stations, the Commission is revising the relevant rules, 47 CFR 73.816, 
73.850, and 73.870, the form, and corresponding instructions, as 
follows:
    (1) Adding an Antenna Type question in the Technical Certifications 
Section of the form, requiring the applicant to describe the proposed 
antenna type (directional or non-directional). Applicants proposing a 
directional antenna (as now permitted by section 73.816) must complete 
a data table, providing relative field values for every 10 degrees on 
the unit circle.
    (2) Modifying section 73.850 to clarify that LPFM stations must, 
like other broadcast stations, notify the Commission if they 
temporarily stop broadcasting. The rules require radio stations to 
notify the Commission within 10 days of temporarily discontinuing 
operations and to obtain Commission authorization if the discontinued 
operations last beyond 30 days.
    (3) Redefining the types of LPFM facility changes that qualify as 
``minor'' (in section 73.870), to provide additional flexibility for 
LPFM stations to relocate their facilities.
    The revisions to the relevant rules, and the changes to the 
questions in Schedule 318 listed above affect the substance, burden 
hours, and costs of completing the Schedule 318. Therefore, this 
submission is being made to OMB for approval of revised Information 
Collection requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2020-12091 Filed 6-3-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P