[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 33441-33442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11694]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 25, 73, and 76

[MB Docket No. 21-293, FCC 22-5; FR ID 89072]


Political Programming and Recordkeeping Rules

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 collections associated with the rules adopted in the 
Report and Order in MB Docket No. 21-293, FCC 22-5, Revisions to 
Political Programming and Record-Keeping Rule. This document is 
consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission 
would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB 
approval and the effective date of the revised rules.

DATES: The amendments to Sec. Sec.  25.701(d), 25.702(b), 73.1943, and 
76.1701, published at 87 FR 7748, February 10, 2022, are effective July 
5, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Berthot, [email protected], 
Media Bureau, Policy Division, at (202) 418-7454, or email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that OMB approved 
the information collection requirements in Sec. Sec.  25.701(d), 
25.702(b), 73.1943(a) and (b), and 76.1701(a) and (b) on May 20, 2022. 
These rules were modified in the Report and Order in MB Docket No. 21-
293, FCC 22-5, Revisions to Political Programming and Record-Keeping 
Rule, published 87 FR 7748, February 10, 2022. The Commission publishes 
this document as an announcement of the effective date of the rules. 
The other rule amendments adopted in the Report and Order, which did 
not require OMB approval, became effective on March 14, 2022. 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 3.317, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554, regarding 
OMB Control Numbers 3060-0214 and 3060-1207. Please include the 
applicable OMB Control Number in your correspondence. The Commission 
will also accept your comments via email at [email protected].

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 May 20, 2022, for the information collection requirements 
contained in Sec. Sec.  25.701(d), 25.702(b), 73.1943(a) and (b), and 
76.1701(a) and (b). 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 Numbers for the information collection requirements in these 
rules are 3060-0214 and 3060-1207.
    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: 3060-0214.
    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.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal government; Individuals or 
households.
    Number of Respondents: 23,805 respondents; 66,364 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

[[Page 33442]]

Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,064,483 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Needs and Uses: On January 25, 2022, the Commission adopted a 
Report and Order in MB Docket No. 21-293, FCC 22-5, 87 FR 7748 
(February 10, 2022), Revisions to Political Programming and Record-
Keeping Rule, which updates the political file rules for broadcast 
licensees and cable television system operators to bring them into 
conformity with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. The Report 
and Order revises the following information collection requirements:
    Pursuant to 47 CFR 73.1943 and 76.1701, each broadcast station 
licensee and each cable television system is required to maintain in 
its online political file a complete record of any request to purchase 
broadcast and cablecast time that is made by or on behalf of a 
candidate for public office, or that communicates a message relating to 
any political matter of national importance, including a legally 
qualified candidate, any election to Federal office, or a national 
legislative issue of public importance. Such records must include 
information regarding: (1) Whether the request to purchase broadcast or 
cablecast time is accepted or rejected by the broadcast licensee or 
cable television system operator; (2) the rate charged for the 
broadcast or cablecast time; (3) the date and time on which the 
communication is aired; (4) the class of time that is purchased; (5) 
the name of the candidate to which the communication refers and the 
office to which the candidate is seeking election, the election to 
which the communication refers, or the issue to which the communication 
refers (as applicable); (6) in the case of a request made by, or on 
behalf of, a candidate, the name of the candidate, the authorized 
committee of the candidate, and the treasurer of such committee; and 
(7) in the case of any other request, the name of the person purchasing 
the time, the name, address, and phone number of a contact person for 
such person, and a list of the chief executive officers or members of 
the executive committee or of the board of directors of such person. In 
addition, when free time is provided for use by or on behalf of 
candidates, a record of the free time provided must be placed in the 
political file. These records must be placed in the political file as 
soon as possible and retained for a period of two years.
    All other information collection requirements contained under 47 
CFR 73.1212, 73.3526, 73.3527, 73.1943, and 76.1701 are still a part of 
the information collection and remain.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1207.
    Title: Section 25.701, Other DBS Public Interest Obligations, and 
Section 25.702, Other SDARS Public Interest Obligations.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
    Number of Respondents: 3 respondents; 11 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1-11 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, 
Recordkeeping 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, 301, 302, 303, 307, 309, 310, 332, and 335 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 75 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Needs and Uses: On January 25, 2022, the Commission adopted a 
Report and Order in MB Docket No. 21-293, FCC 22-5, Revisions to 
Political Programming and Record-Keeping Rule, which updates the 
political file rules for Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) providers and 
Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) licensees to bring them 
into conformity with the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. The 
Report and Order revises the following information collection 
requirements:
    Pursuant to 47 CFR 25.701(d) and 25.702(b), each DBS provider and 
each SDARS licensee is required to maintain in its online political 
file a complete record of any request to purchase airtime that is made 
by or on behalf of a candidate for public office, or that communicates 
a message relating to any political matter of national importance, 
including a legally qualified candidate, any election to Federal 
office, or a national legislative issue of public importance. Such 
records must include information regarding: (1) Whether the request to 
purchase airtime is accepted or rejected by the DBS provider or SDARS 
licensee; (2) the rate charged for the airtime; (3) the date and time 
on which the communication is aired; (4) the class of time that is 
purchased; (5) the name of the candidate to which the communication 
refers and the office to which the candidate is seeking election, the 
election to which the communication refers, or the issue to which the 
communication refers (as applicable); (6) in the case of a request made 
by, or on behalf of, a candidate, the name of the candidate, the 
authorized committee of the candidate, and the treasurer of such 
committee; and (7) in the case of any other request, the name of the 
person purchasing the time, the name, address, and phone number of a 
contact person for such person, and a list of the chief executive 
officers or members of the executive committee or of the board of 
directors of such person. In addition, when free time is provided for 
use by or on behalf of candidates, a record of the free time provided 
must be placed in the political file. These records must be placed in 
the political file as soon as possible and retained for a period of two 
years.
    All other information collection requirements contained under 47 
CFR 25.701 and 25.702 are still a part of the information collection 
and remain unchanged since last approved by OMB. This information 
collection (OMB 3060-1207) also consolidates the information 
collections in OMB 3060-1065, OMB 3060-1212, and the portion of OMB 
3060-0214 which related to SDARS licensees to eliminate duplication and 
inconsistencies between these information collections. OMB 3060-1065 
and OMB 3060-1212 will be discontinued.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-11694 Filed 6-1-22; 8:45 am]
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