[Federal Register: October 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 195)]
[Notices]
[Page 58590-58591]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc08-72]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Notice of Public Information Collections Approved by the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB)
September 30, 2008.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). An agency may not conduct or sponsor a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number, and no person is required to respond to a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Comments concerning the accuracy of the burden estimates and any
suggestions for reducing the burden should be directed to the person
listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information contact
Cathy Williams, via the Internet at PRA@fcc.gov or on (202) 418-2918.
Commission at (202) 418-2918.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control No.: 3060-1115.
OMB Approval Date: 9/24/2008.
Expiration Date: 9/30/2011.
Title: Sections 15.124, 27.20, 54.418, 73.674, 76.1630, DTV
Consumer Education Initiative; FCC Form 388.
Form No.: FCC Form 388.
Number of Respondents/Responses: 11,022 respondents; 70,026
responses.
Estimated Time Per Response: 0.5 to 85 hours
Total Annual Burden: 155,646 hours.
Total Annual Cost: None.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain benefits--Statutory
authority for this collection of information is contained in Sections
4(i), 303(r), 335, and 336 of the Communications Act of 1934, as
amended, 47 U.S.C. Sections 154(i), 303(r), 335, and 336.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No need for confidentiality
required with this information collection.
Needs and Uses: The Commission adopted on April 23, 2008, an Order
of Reconsideration, In the Matter of DTV Consumer Education Initiative,
MB Docket 07-148, FCC 08-119. In this Order, we modify our requirements
regarding the timing, scope, and content of manufacturer notices and
the method of delivery of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETC)
notices, and clarify other manufacturer requirements. The revised
requirements that were approved by OMB on an
[[Page 58591]]
emergency basis on May 22, 2008 for a six month time period are as
follows:
(1). Consumer Electronics Manufacturer Notices (47 CFR 15.124).
The ``responsible party,'' as defined the Commission's rules, has
to include a notice about the digital television (DTV) transition on
television receivers and related devices manufactured between May 30,
2008 and March 31, 2009. The notices themselves must include the
Commission's contact information (rather than the manufacturer's),
convey information about the DTV transition, and must be included with
covered devices.
(2). Eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) Federal Universal
Service Low-Income Program Participant Notices (47 CFR 54.418). ETCs
that receive federal universal service funds shall provide their
Lifeline or Link-up customers (low-income customers) with notices about
the transition for over-the-air full power broadcasting from analog to
digital service (the ``DTV Transition'') in monthly bills, bill
notices, or as a monthly stand-alone mailer (e.g., postcard, brochure),
beginning May 30, 2008 through March 31, 2009.
The following requirements also have been approved by OMB:
(1) Broadcaster Education and Reporting (47 CFR 73.674).
(a) On-air Education. Broadcasters must provide on-air DTV
Transition consumer education information (e.g., via Public Service
Announcements (PSAs), information crawls, snipes or tickers) to their
viewers. Broadcasters must comply with one of three alternative sets of
rules as provided in the Report and Order.
(b) DTV Consumer Education Quarterly Activity Report, FCC Form 388.
Broadcasters must electronically file a report about its DTV Transition
consumer education efforts to the Commission on a quarterly basis.
Broadcasters must begin filing these quarterly reports no later than
April 10, 2008. In addition, if the broadcaster has a public website,
they must post these reports on that website.
(2) Multichannel Video Programming Distributor (MVPD) Customer Bill
Notices (47 CFR 76.1630). MVPDs must provide monthly notices about the
DTV transition in their customer billing statements. They include (but
are not limited to), for example: cable operators, direct broadcast
satellite (DBS) carriers, open video system operators, and private
cable operators.
(3) DTV.gov Partner Consumer Education Reporting. DTV.gov
Transition Partners must report their consumer education efforts, as a
condition of continuing Partner status. They must begin filing these
quarterly reports no later than April 10, 2008.
(4) 700 MHz Wireless Service Licensee/Permitees Consumer Education
Reporting (47 CFR 27.20). Winners of the 700 MHz spectrum auction must
report their consumer education efforts to the Commission on a
quarterly basis. These parties must file the first by the tenth day of
the first calendar quarter following the initial grant of the license
authorization that the entity holds.
The Commission received the full three year OMB approval for all of
the requirements contained in information collection 3060-1115 on
September 24, 2008.
OMB Control No.: 3060-1117.
OMB Approval Date: 9/24/2008.
Expiration Date: 9/30/2011.
Title: Viewer Notification Requirements in the Third DTV Periodic
Report and Order, FCC 07-228.
Form No.: Not applicable.
Number of Respondents/Responses: 1,050 respondents; 174,000
responses.
Estimated Time Per Response: 0.01-0.33 hours
Total Annual Burden: 12,015 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $210,000.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in
Section 154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: No need for confidentiality
required with this information collection.
Needs and Uses: Congress has mandated that after February 17, 2009,
full-power television broadcast stations must transmit only in digital
signals, and may no longer transmit analog signals. On December 22,
2007, the Commission adopted a Report and Order, In the Matter of the
Third Periodic Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting
the Conversion to Digital Television, MB Docket No. 07-91, FCC 07-228
to establish the rules, policies and procedures necessary to complete
the nation's transition to DTV. In the Report and Order, the Commission
adopted rules to ensure that, by the February 17, 2009 transition date,
all full-power television broadcast stations (1) cease analog
broadcasting and (2) complete construction of, and begin operations on,
their final, full-authorized post-transition (DTV) facility. The
Commission recognized that broadcasters may need regulatory flexibility
in order to achieve these goals. Accordingly, the Commission affords
broadcasters the opportunity for regulatory flexibility, if necessary,
to meet their DTV construction deadlines. The Commission, however, must
also ensure that no consumers are left behind in the DTV transition.
Therefore, the Commission requires broadcasters that choose to reduce
or terminate TV service to comply with viewer notification
requirements.
Specifically, as a result of the Third DTV Periodic Report and
Order, stations must comply with a viewer notification requirement
(i.e., stations must notify viewers about their planned service
reduction or termination) if:
(1) The station will permanently reduce or terminate analog or pre-
transition digital service before the transition date; or
(2) The station will not serve at least the same population that
receives their current analog TV and DTV service after the transition
date.
Viewer notifications must occur every day on-air at least four
times a day including at least once in primetime for the 30/60-days
prior to the station's termination of full, authorized analog service.
These notifications must include: (1) The station's call sign and
community of license; (2) the fact that the station must delay the
construction and operation of its post-transition (DTV) service or the
fact that the station is planning to or has reduced or terminated its
analog or digital operations before the transition date; (3)
information about the nature, scope, and anticipated duration of the
station's post-transition service limitations; (4) what viewers can do
to continue to receive the station, i.e., how and when the station's
digital signal can be received; (5) information about the availability
of digital-to-analog converter boxes in their service area; and (6) the
street address, email address (if available), and phone number of the
station where viewers may register comments or request information.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E8-23752 Filed 10-6-08; 8:45 am]
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