Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Comments are requested concerning (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) 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 (e) 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 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 August 8, 2011. 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 the Federal Communications Commission via e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov and Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0095.

Title: Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributors Annual Employment Report, FCC Form 395-A.

Form Number: FCC Form 395-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: 2,500 respondents; 2,500 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement and annual reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 2,500 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority is contained in Sections 154 and 634 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Privacy Impact Assessment(s): No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: FCC Form 395-A, “The Multi-Channel Video Programming Distributor Annual Employment Report,” is a data collection device used to assess industry employment trends and provide reports to Congress. The report identifies employees by gender and race/ethnicity in sixteen job categories. FCC Form 395-A contains a grid which collects data on full and part-time employees and requests a list of employees by job title, indicating the job category and full or part-time status of the position. Every cable entity with 6 or more full-time employees and all Satellite Master Antenna Television Systems (SMATV) serving 50 or more subscribers and having 6 or more full-time employees must complete Form 395-A in its entirety and file it by September 30 each year. However, cable entities with 5 or fewer full-time employees are not required to file but if they do, they need to complete and file only Sections I, II and VIII of the FCC Form 395-A, and thereafter need not file again unless their employment increases.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0176.

Title: Section 73.1510, Experimental Authorizations.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business and other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 230 respondents; 230 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 2.25-5.25 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 983 hours.

Total Annual Costs: $231,250.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 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: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Privacy Impact Assessment(s): No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: 47 CFR Section 73.1510 requires that a licensee of an AM, FM, and TV broadcast station to file an informal application with the FCC to request an experimental authorization to conduct technical experimentation directed toward improvement of the technical phases of operation and service. This request shall describe the nature and purpose of experimentation to be conducted, the nature of the experimental signal transmission, and the proposed hours and duration of the experimentation. The data are used by FCC staff to maintain complete technical information about a broadcast station and to ensure that such experimentation does not cause interference to other broadcast stations.