[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20857-20858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07608]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0010, FR ID 81193]


Information Collection Requirement 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) of 1995, the 
Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection. Comments are requested 
concerning: Whether the 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

[[Page 20858]]

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. The Commission 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 PRA comments should be submitted on or before June 7, 
2022.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email to 
[email protected] and to [email protected]. Include in the comments the 
Title as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0010.
    Title: Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations, FCC Form 
323; Section 73.3615, Ownership Reports; Section 74.797, Biennial 
Ownership Reports.
    Form Number: FCC Form 323.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; not-for-profit 
institutions; State, Local, or Tribal Governments.
    Number of Respondents: 4,340 respondents; 4,340 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; biennial 
reporting requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for these collections are contained in 47 U.S.C. 
151, 152(a), 154(i), 257, 303(r), 307, 309, and 310.
    Total Annual Burden: 9,620 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $10,220,980.
    Needs and Uses: On January 20, 2016, the Commission released a 
Report and Order, Second Report and Order, and Order on Reconsideration 
in MB Docket Nos. 07-294, 10-103, and MD Docket No. 10-234 (Second 
Report and Order). The Second Report and Order refines the collection 
of data reported on FCC Form 323, Ownership Report for Commercial 
Broadcast Stations, and FCC Form 323-E, Ownership Report for 
Noncommercial Broadcast Stations. Specifically, the Second Report and 
Order implements a Restricted Use FRN (RUFRN) within the Commission's 
Registration System (CORES) that individuals may use solely for the 
purpose of broadcast ownership report filings; eliminates the 
availability of the Special Use FRN (SUFRN) for broadcast station 
ownership reports, except in very limited circumstances; prescribes 
revisions to Form 323-E that conform the reporting requirements for 
noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcast stations more closely to 
those for commercial stations; and makes a number of significant 
changes to the Commission's reporting requirements that reduce the 
filing burdens on broadcasters, streamline the process, and improve 
data quality. These enhancements enable the Commission to obtain data 
reflecting a useful, accurate, and thorough assessment of minority and 
female broadcast station ownership in the United States while reducing 
certain filing burdens.
    Currently, Form 323, Section II-A/II-B, Question 2.c asks ``Does 
the Respondent or any interest holder reported in response to Question 
2(a) hold an attributable interest in any newspaper entities in the 
same market as any station for which this report is filed, as defined 
in 47 CFR 73.3555?'' This question was relevant to the Commission's 
Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-Ownership Rule, which prohibited common 
ownership of a full-power broadcast station and a daily newspaper if 
the station's contour (defined separately by type of station) 
completely encompassed the newspaper's city of publication and the 
station and newspaper were in the same relevant Nielsen market. On 
November 20, 2017, the Commission released an Order on Reconsideration 
and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MB Docket Nos, 04-256, 07-294, 09-
182, 14-50, and 17-289 (Order on Reconsideration). Among other things, 
the Order on Reconsideration repealed the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross-
Ownership Rule. Accordingly, Section II-A/II-B, Question 2.c will be 
eliminated from Form 323.
    Licensees of commercial AM, FM, and full power television broadcast 
stations, as well as licensees of Class A and Low Power Television 
stations, must file FCC Form 323 every two years. Biennial Ownership 
Reports shall provide information accurate as of October 1 of the year 
in which the Report is filed. Form 323 shall be filed by December 1 in 
all odd-numbered years.
    In addition, Licensees and Permittees of commercial AM, FM, and 
full power television stations must file Form 323 following the 
consummation of a transfer of control or an assignment of a commercial 
AM, FM, or full power television station license or construction 
permit; a Permittee of a new commercial AM, FM, or full power 
television station must file Form 323 within 30 days after the grant of 
the construction permit; and a Permittee of a new commercial AM, FM, or 
full power television broadcast station must file Form 323 to update 
the initial report or to certify the continuing accuracy and 
completeness of the previously filed report on the date that the 
Permittee applies for a license to cover the construction permit.
    In the case of organizational structures that include holding 
companies or other forms of indirect ownership, a separate Form 323 
must be filed for each entity in the organizational structure that has 
an attributable interest in the Licensee or Permittee.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-07608 Filed 4-7-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P