PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 18-291 Released: March 23, 2018 MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES EFFECTIVE DATE FOR FILING SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS MB Docket Nos. 14–50, 09–182, 07–294, and 04–256 On August 25, 2016, the Commission released the 2010/2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review Second Report and Order (Second Report and Order). The Second Report and Order adopted a comprehensive definition of shared service agreements (SSAs) and a requirement that commercial television stations disclose SSAs by placing them in their online public inspection file. 1 The Commission’s decision regarding the definition and disclosure of SSAs was upheld in the subsequent Order on Reconsideration released by the Commission on November 20, 2017. 2 By this Public Notice, we announce that today the filing requirement for SSAs has taken effect after publication in the Federal Register. 3 The Commission stated in the Second Report and Order that the rules adopted therein would become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, except for rules that contain new or modified information collection requirements that require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), which shall become effective after the Commission publishes a notice in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of these rules. 4 OMB approved the SSA disclosure requirement on March 12, 2018, and the Commission published notification of the approval and effective date in the Federal Register on March 23, 2018. Accordingly, the requirement that commercial television stations disclose SSAs by placing them in their online public inspection files takes effect as of March 23, 2018. Each commercial television station that is party to an SSA executed prior to the above effective date of the disclosure requirement shall place a copy of the SSA in its public inspection file within 180 1 2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review – Review of the Commission’s Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 et al., Second Report and Order, 31 FCC Rcd 9864, 10009-22, paras. 341-75 (2016) (Second Report and Order). 2 2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review – Review of the Commission’s Broadcast Ownership Rules and Other Rules Adopted Pursuant to Section 202 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Order on Reconsideration and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 32 FCC Rcd 9802, 9855-56, paras. 117-19 (2017). 3 2014 Quadrennial Regulatory Review, Final Rules and Announcement of Effective Date, 83 Fed. Reg. 12680 (March 23, 2018). See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/03/23/2018-05728/2014-quadrennial- regulatory-review. 4 Second Report and Order, 31 FCC Rcd at 10024, para. 381. 2days after the effective date, unless the agreement is already in the station’s public inspection file. 5 SSAs executed after the effective date must be placed in the stations’ online public files in a timely fashion, and stations are reminded to maintain orderly public files. 6 Stations will upload SSAs to a folder designated “Shared Service Agreements” on their station profile webpages. The folder is accessible after signing in as licensee, clicking on the “Manage Public Inspection Files” tab, and then clicking on the “Shared Service Agreements” folder. For additional information, contact Chad Guo, Chad.Guo@fcc.gov, of the Media Bureau, Industry Analysis Division, at (202) 418-0652. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise, Janice.Wise@fcc.gov, at (202) 418-8165. -FCC- 5 Id. at 10022, para. 375. As stated in the Second Report and Order, for purposes of this rule, the term “station” includes the licensee, including any subsidiaries and affiliates, and any other individual or entity with an attributable interest in the station. Id. at 10012, para. 349. 6 Id. at 10022, para. 375.