[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 220 (Thursday, November 16, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 78655-78656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25305]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 73 and 74

[GN Docket No. 16-142; FCC 23-53; FR ID 184482]


Authorizing Permissive Use of the ``Next Generation'' Broadcast 
Television Standard

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection 
requirements associated with the Commission's rules in a Report and 
Order on authorizing permissive use of the ``Next Generation'' 
Broadcast Television Standard. This document is consistent with the 
Commission's Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would 
publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective 
date of those rules.

DATES: The amendments to 47 CFR 73.3801(f) and (i), 73.6029(f) and (i), 
and 74.782(g) and (j) are published at 88 FR 45347, July 17, 2023 are 
effective as of November 16, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Evan Baranoff, Policy Division, Media 
Bureau, at 202-418-7142, or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on November 7, 
2023, OMB approved the information collection requirements contained in 
Sec. Sec.  73.3801, 73.6029, and 74.782 of the Commission's rules. The 
OMB Control Number is 3060-1254. The Commission publishes this document 
as an announcement of the effective date of these 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 3-317, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. Please 
include the OMB Control Number, 3060-1254, 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 November 7, 2023, for the information collection 
requirements contained in Sec. Sec.  73.3801, 73.6029, and 74.782 of 
the Commission's rules.
    Under 5 CFR 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 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: 3060-1254.
    OMB Approval Date: November 7, 2023.
    OMB Expiration Date: November 30, 2026.
    Title: Next Gen TV/ATSC 3.0 Local Simulcasting Rules; 47 CFR 
73.3801 (full-power TV), 73.6029 (Class A TV), and 74.782 (low-power 
TV) and FCC Form 2100 (Next Gen TV License Application).
    Form Number: FCC Form 2100 (Next Gen TV License Application).
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, state, local, 
or tribal government and not for profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 1,222 respondents; 11,260 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.017-8 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; 
Recordkeeping requirement; Third party disclosure.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in 
sections 1, 4, 7, 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, 316, 319, 325(b), 336, 338, 
399b, 403, 614, and 615 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 151, 154, 157, 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, 316, 319, 325(b), 
336, 338, 399b, 403, 534, and 535.
    Total Annual Burden: 3,802 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $147,000.
    Needs and Uses: On June 23, 2023, the Commission released a Third 
Report and Order (Third R&O), FCC 23-53, in GN Docket No. 16-142. In 
this Third R&O, the Commission makes changes to its Next Gen TV rules 
designed to preserve over-the-air (OTA) television viewers' access to 
multicast streams during television broadcasters' transition to ATSC 
3.0.
    Multicast Licensing. The Commission generally adopts its proposal 
in the Next Gen TV Multicast Licensing FNPRM to allow a Next Gen TV 
station to seek modification of its license to include certain of its 
non-primary video programming streams (multicast streams) that are 
aired on ``host'' stations during a transitional period. In adopting 
this proposal, the Commission follows the same licensing framework, and 
to a large extent the same regulatory regime, established for the 
simulcast of primary video programming streams on ``host'' station 
facilities.
    Form 2100. The Commission adopts the Next Gen TV Multicast 
Licensing FNPRM's proposal to modify its Next Gen TV license 
application form (FCC Form 2100) to accommodate multicast licensing by 
collecting information similar to that already collected in the interim 
STA process. The Commission requires certain additional information as 
an addendum to Form 2100 if stations seek to include hosted multicast 
streams within their license. It also clarifies and slightly modifies 
the requirements of its rules governing Form 2100 to reflect the 
possibility of reliance on multiple hosts.
    Specifically, applicants must prepare an Exhibit identifying each 
proposed hosted stream and provide the following information about each 
stream, as broadcast:
     the host station;
     channel number (RF and virtual);
     network affiliation (or type of programming if 
unaffiliated);
     resolution (e.g., 1080i, 720p, 480p, or 480i);
     the predicted percentage of population within the noise 
limited service contour served by the station's original ATSC 1.0 
signal that will be served by the host, with a contour overlay map 
identifying areas of service loss and, in the case of 1.0 streams, 
coverage of the originating station's community of license; and
     whether the stream will be simulcast, and if so, the 
``paired'' stream in the other service.
    Finally, the Exhibit must either state that the applicant will be 
airing the same programming that it is airing in 1.0

[[Page 78656]]

at the time of the application or identify the station that has aired 
or is airing the same or a similar programming lineup at the same 
resolutions on the same type of facility (individual or shared), as 
well as that station's lineup (with resolutions). This Exhibit must be 
placed on the applicant's public website or in the applicant's online 
public inspection file if the station does not have a dedicated 
website, with a link provided in the application. This information is 
consistent both with that currently collected in STA applications and 
the approach identified in the Next Gen TV Multicast Licensing FNPRM. 
As with broadcast licenses generally, modifications to this license 
application or its accompanying exhibit (with respect to the primary or 
multicast streams) must be preceded by the filing and approval of a new 
application. Changes to the affiliation or content of a stream, or the 
elimination of a stream, however, do not implicate the concerns raised 
in this proceeding if they would not result in the use of additional 
capacity and if information about the change is easily available to the 
public. Therefore, in order to streamline this process for both 
broadcasters and the Commission, such changes may be implemented 
without prior Commission approval. They need only be reflected in a 
timely update to the Exhibit that the applicant makes available on its 
public website or in the applicant's online public inspection file and 
in an email notice to the Chief of the Media Bureau's Video Division. 
The new information collection requirements are contained in Sec. Sec.  
73.3801(f) and (i), 73.6029(f) and (i), and 74.782(g) and (j) of the 
Commission's rules.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-25305 Filed 11-15-23; 8:45 am]
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