Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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. 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.

DATES:

Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before June 22, 2021. 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 contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all PRA comments to Nicole Ongele, FCC, via email PRA@fcc.gov and to Nicole.Ongele@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele, (202) 418-2991.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0922.

Title: Mid-Term Self-Identification.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities, Not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 13,183 respondents, 13,183 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1.2 minutes (0.02 hours).

Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority which covers this information collection is contained in Section 154(i) and 303 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 264 hours.

Total Annual Cost: No Cost.

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 February 15, 2019, the Commission released a Report and Order (“Order”), MB Docket No. 18-23, FCC 19-10; In the Matter of Elimination of Obligation to File Broadcast Mid-Term Report (Form 397) Under Section 73.2080(f)(2). The Order eliminated the provision of Section 73.2080(f)(2) which requires stations to file Form 397 and replaced it with a technological approach designed to be more efficient and less burdensome to licensees. When uploading future EEO public file reports to the Commission's Online Public Inspection File (OPIF), broadcast radio and Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services (SDARS) licensees will be prompted to answer “Yes” or “No” to indicate whether they have eleven or more full-time employees, which is the threshold number of employees triggering a mid-term review for radio and SDARS employment units. All television stations uploading an EEO public file report to the OPIF are necessarily subject to a mid-term review because the requisite staff size for both obligations is five full-time employees for television employment units. Thus, the very act of posting the report to the OPIF will be sufficient to identify television stations subject to a mid-term review.