Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the

Federal Communications Commission

February 8, 1996.

SUMMARY: 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.

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DATES: Written comments should be submitted on or before April 15,

1996. 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.

ADDRESS: Direct all comments to Dorothy Conway, Federal Communications,

Room 234, 1919 M St., NW., Washington, DC 20554 or via internet to

[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies

of the information collections contact Dorothy Conway at 202-418-0217

or via internet at [email protected]. Copies may also be obtained via fax

by contacting the Commission's Fax on Demand System. To obtain fax

copies call 202-418-0177 from the handset on your fax machine, and

enter the document retrieval number indicated below for the collection

you wish to request, when prompted.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No.: New Collection.

Title: Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program (ABIP) Compliance

Notification.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: New Collection.

Respondents: State broadcast associations; other broadcast related

associations; small businesses.

Number of Respondents: 50.

Estimated Time Per Response: 5 minutes.

Total Annual Burden: 125 hours.

Needs and Uses: The Commission is establishing a voluntary ABIP

where entities that conduct the ABIP inspection (usually state

broadcast associations) will notify the Commission of the stations that

have passed inspection. This information collection will require

entities to file a statement with their local FCC field office, by

regular or electronic mail, that a given station with the field

office's geographic district has passed an ABIP inspection. The

Commission will use the information to determine which stations are

exempted for a two or three year period from random inspections

conducted by the local FCC field office.

OMB Approval No.: 3060-0550.

Title: Certification of Franchising Authority to Regulate Basic

Cable Service Rates and Initial Finding of Lack of Effective Competion.

Form No.: FCC Form 328.

Type of Review: Extension of currently approved collection.

Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 800.

Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes.

Total Annual Burden: 400 hours.

Needs and Uses: On 4/1/93, the Commission adopted a Report and

Order, FCC 93-177, MM Docket No. 92-266. Among other things, this

Report and Order implements Section 623(a)(3) of the Communications Act

of 1934, as amended, wherein a local franchise authority is required to

file with the Commission a written certification when it requests to

regulate basic service rates. Subsequently, the Commission developed

the FCC Form 328 to provide a standardized, simple form for meeting

this requirement.

To fulfill the obligations set forth under Section 623(a)(3) a

franchise authority must: (1) adopt regulations consistent with the

Commission's regulations for basic cable service; (2) have legal

authority to regulate basic service which comes from state law; (3) the

personnel to administer such regulations; and (4) have procedural

regulations allowing for public participation in rate regulation

proceedings. The FCC Form 328 is reviewed by FCC staff to ensure that a

franchising authority has met the criteria specified in Section

623(a)(3) of the Communications Act of 1934 as amended.

Federal Communications Commission.

William F. Caton,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-3421 Filed 2-14-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712-01-F