PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 News media information 202/418-0500. PRA 97-008 PUBLIC INFORMATION COLLECTION REQUIREMENTS SUBMITTED TO OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL The Federal Communications, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. 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 Commissions burden estimates; (c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected and (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. For additional information or copies of the information collections contact Dorothy Conway at 202-418-0217 or via internet at dconway@fcc.gov. Persons wishing to comment should direct comments to Dorothy Conway, Federal Communications, Room 234, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington, DC 20554 or via internet to dconway@fcc.gov and Timothy Fain, OMB Desk Officer, 10236 NEOB 725 17th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20503 or fain_t@a1.eop.gov. All comments should be received within 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. OMB Approval Number: 3060-0147 Title: Section 64.804 - Extension of Unsecured Credit for Interstate and Foreign Communications Services to Candidates for Federal Office Form No.: N/A Type of Review: Extension of an existing collection Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit Number of Respondents: 13 Estimated Time Per Response: 8 hour Total Annual Burden: 208 hours Needs and Uses: Communications common carriers with operating revenues exceeding $100 million who extend unsecured credit to a candidate or person on behalf of such candidates for Federal office must file with the FCC a report including due and outstanding balances. The information is used for monitoring purposes. OMB Approval Number: 3060-0165 Title: Records to be Maintainedand Reports to be Filed -- Part 41 Franks and Section 41.31 Form No.: N/A Type of Review: Extension of an existing collection Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit Number of Respondents: 68 Estimated Time Per Response: 6 hours Total Annual Burden: 408 hours Needs and Uses: Subject carriers are required to maintain records in such manner so that if ordered by the Federal Communications Commission, the carriers could furnish a report showing every person holding a telephone or telegraph frank. This data reports evry person who has received free service. The regulated carriers are the affected public. OMB Approval No.: 3060-0208 Title: 73.1870 Chief Operators Form No.: N/A Type of Review: Extension of an existing collection Respondents: Businesses or other for profit; not-for-profit institutions Number of Respondents: 13,600 Estimated Hour Per Response: 26.166 hours Total Annual Burden: 355,858 hours Needs and Uses: Section 73.1870 requires that the licensee of an AM, FM, or TV broadcast station designate a chief operator of the station. Section 73.1870(b)(3) requires that this designation must be in writing and posted at the transmitter site. Agreements with chief operators serving on a contract basis must be in writing with a copy kept in the station files. Section 73.1870(c)(3) requires that the chief operator, or personnel delegated and supervised by the chief operator, review the station records at least once each week to determine if required entries are being made correctly, and verify that the station has been operated in accordance with FCC rules and the station authorization. Upon completion of the review, the chief operator must date and sign the log, initiate any corrective action which may be necessary and advise the station licensee of any condition which is repetitive. The posting of the designation of the chief operator is used by interested persons to readily identify the chief operator. The review of the station records is used by the chief operator, and FCC staff in investigations, to assure that the station is operating in accordance with its station authorization and the FCC rules and regulations. OMB Approval No.: 3060-0113 Title: EEO Program Report Form No.: FCC 396 Type of Review: Extension of an existing collection Respondents: Businesses or other for profit; not-for-profit institutions Number of Respondents: 2,000 Estimate Hour Per Response: 3 hours per response Total Annual Burden: 6,000 Needs and Uses: The Broadcast EEO Program Report (FCC Form 396) is a device that is used to evaluate a broadcaster's EEO program to ensure that they are making satisfactory efforts to comply with FCC's EEO requirements. FCC Form 396 is required to be filed at the time of renewal of license by all AM, FM, TV, Low Power TV and International stations with five or more full-time employees. OMB Approval Number: 3060-0395. Title: Automated Reporting and Management Information Systems (ARMIS)--Sections 43.21 and 43.22. Form No.: FCC Report 43-02, 43-05, 43-07 Type of Review: Revised collection. Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit. Number of Respondents: 43-02 has 50 respondents at 960 hours per respondent; 43-05 has 12 respondents at 833 hours per respondent; 43-07 has 12 respondents at 5.7 hours per respondent Total Annual Burden: 62,464 hours. Needs and Uses: ARMIS is needed to administer our accounting, jurisdictional separations, access charges and joint cost rules and rules to analyze revenue requirements and rates of return, service quality and infrastructure development. It collects financial and operating data from all Tier 1, Class A local exchange carriers with annual revenues over $100 million and carriers who elect incentive regulation. The information contained in the reports provides the necessary detail to enable this Commission to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities. Section 402(b)(2)(B) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 provides that ARMIS reports may be filed annually. Accordingly, the Commission reduced the frequency of the quality of service report from quarterly to annually. OMB Approval Number: 3060-0513 Title: ARMIS Joint Cost Report Form No.: FCC Report 43-03 Type of Review: Revised collection Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit Number of Respondents: 150 Estimated Time Per Response: 200 hours Total Annual Burden: 30,000 hours Needs and Uses: The Joint Cost Report is needed to administer our joint cost rules (Part 64) and to analyze data in order to prevent cross-subsidization of nonregulated operations by the regulated operations of Tier 1 carriers. This collection is being revised to incorporate the requirement of Section 402(c) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requiring the Commission to adjust the revenue threshold for inflation. OMB Approval Number: 3060-0511 Title: ARMIS Access Report Form No.: FCC Report 43-04 Type of Review: Revised collection Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit Number of Respondents: 150 Estimated Time Per Response: 1,150 hours Total Annual Burden: 172,500 hours Needs and Uses: The Access Report is needed to administer our accounting, jurisdictional separations and access charge rules, and to analyze revenue requirements and rates of return and to collect financial and operating data from all Tier 1 local exchange carriers. -FCC -