[Federal Register: January 15, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 10)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 2405-2406]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ja09-24]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 73
[MB Docket No. 05-312; FCC 08-256]
Digital Television Distributed Transmission System Technologies
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of six months,
the information collection(s) associated with section 73.626(f) of the
rules, and that this rule will take effect as of the date of this
notice. On December 5, 2008, the Commission published the summary
document of the Report and Order, In the Matter of the Digital
Television Distributed Transmission System Technologies, MB Docket No.
05-312, FCC 08-256, at 73 FR 74047. The Ordering Clause of the Report
and Order stated that the Commission would publish a notice in the
Federal Register announcing when OMB approval for this rule section
which contains information collection requirements has been received
and when the revised rule will take effect. This notice is consistent
with the statement in the Report and Order.
DATES: Effective January 15, 2009.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please
contact Evan Baranoff, Evan.Baranoff@fcc.gov, of the Media Bureau,
Policy Division, (202) 418-2120.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on December
29, 2008, OMB approved, for a period of six months, the information
collection requirement(s) contained in Section 73.626(f) of the rules.
The Commission publishes this notice to announce the effective date of
this rule. 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 1-C823, 445 12th Street, SW.,
Washington, DC 20554. Please include OMB Control Numbers 3060-0027 and
3060-0029, in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your
comments via the Internet if you send them to PRA@fcc.gov.
To request materials in accessible formats for people with
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format),
send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & 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 Commission is notifying the public that it received OMB
approval on December 29, 2008, for the information collection
requirement(s) contained in the Commission's rules at 47 CFR 73.626(f).
Under 5 CFR 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection
of
[[Page 2406]]
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 valid OMB Control Number.
The OMB Control Numbers are 3060-0027 and 3060-0029 and the total
annual reporting burdens for respondents for these information
collections are as follows:
OMB Control Numbers: 3060-0027.
OMB Approval Date: December 29, 2008.
Expiration Date: June 30, 2009.
Title: Application for Construction Permit for Commercial Broadcast
Station, FCC Form 301.
Form Number: FCC Form 301.
Type of Review: Revision to a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for profit entities; Not for profit
institutions.
Number of Respondents/Responses: 4,378 respondents; 7,814
responses.
Estimated Hours per Response: 1-5 hours per response.
Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement; Third
party disclosure requirement.
Total Annual Burden: 14,808 hours.
Total Annual Cost: $52,580,197.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in
Sections 154(i), 303 and 308 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 Act Assessment: No impact(s).
Needs and Uses: On November 3, 2008, the Commission adopted a
Report and Order, In the Matter of Digital Television Distributed
Transmission System Technologies; MB Docket No. 05-312, FCC 08-256
(released Nov. 7, 2008). In this Report and Order, the Commission
adopts rules for the use of distributed transmission system (``DTS'')
technologies in the digital television (``DTV'') service. See 47 CFR
73.626. DTS technology allows stations to employ multiple synchronized
transmitters spread around a station's service area, rather than the
current single-transmitter approach. Each transmitter would broadcast
the station's DTV signal on the same channel, similar to analog TV
booster stations but more efficiently. Due to the synchronization of
the transmitted signals, DTV receivers should be able to treat the
multiple signals as reflections or ``ghosts'' and use ``adaptive
equalizer'' circuitry to cancel or combine them to produce a single
signal.
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. Emergency OMB approval is
necessary for this collection to allow full-power DTV stations to use
DTS technologies to meet their statutory responsibilities and begin
operations on their final, post-transition (digital) channels by their
construction deadlines. DTS will provide DTV broadcasters with an
important tool for providing optimum signal coverage for their viewers.
For some broadcasters that are changing channels or transmitting
locations for their digital service, DTS may offer the best option for
continuing to provide over-the-air service to current analog viewers,
as well as for reaching viewers that have historically been unable to
receive a good signal due to terrain or other interference.
FCC Form 301 is being revised to accommodate the filing of DTS
applications.
OMB Control Numbers: 3060-0029.
OMB Approval Date: December 29, 2008.
Expiration Date: June 30, 2009.
Title: Application for TV Broadcast Station License, Form FCC 302-
TV; Application for DTV Broadcast Station License, FCC Form 302-DTV;
Application for Construction Permit for Reserved Channel Noncommercial
Educational Broadcast Station, FCC Form 340; Application for Authority
to Construct or Make Changes in an FM Translator or FM Booster Station,
FCC Form 349.
Form Number: FCC Forms 302-TV, 302-DTV, 340 and 349.
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for profit entities; Not for profit
institutions.
Number of Respondents/Responses: 4,425 respondents; 6,425
responses.
Estimated Hours per Response: 1-4 hours per response.
Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; On occasion
reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.
Total Annual Burden: 14,450 hours.
Annual Burden Cost: $21,869,625.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The
statutory authority for this information collection is contained in
Sections 154(i), 303 and 308 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 Act Assessment: No impact(s).
Needs and Uses: On November 3, 2008, the Commission adopted a
Report and Order in the Matter of Digital Television Distributed
Transmission System Technologies; MB Docket No. 05-312, FCC 08-256
(released Nov. 7, 2008). In this Report and Order, the Commission
adopts rules for the use of distributed transmission system (``DTS'')
technologies in the digital television (``DTV'') service. See 47 CFR
73.626. DTS technology allows stations to employ multiple synchronized
transmitters spread around a station's service area, rather than the
current single-transmitter approach. Each transmitter would broadcast
the station's DTV signal on the same channel, similar to analog TV
booster stations but more efficiently. Due to the synchronization of
the transmitted signals, DTV receivers should be able to treat the
multiple signals as reflections or ``ghosts'' and use ``adaptive
equalizer'' circuitry to cancel or combine them to produce a single
signal.
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. Emergency OMB approval is
necessary for this collection to allow full-power DTV stations to use
DTS technologies to meet their statutory responsibilities and begin
operations on their final, post-transition (digital) channels by their
construction deadlines. DTS will provide DTV broadcasters with an
important tool for providing optimum signal coverage for their viewers.
For some broadcasters that are changing channels or transmitting
locations for their digital service, DTS may offer the best option for
continuing to provide over-the-air service to current analog viewers,
as well as for reaching viewers that have historically been unable to
receive a good signal due to terrain or other interference.
FCC Form 340 is being revised to accommodate the filing of DTS
applications.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-796 Filed 1-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P