Supporting statement OMB 3060-0716 (2023)

OMB 3060‑0716 December 2023

Title: Sections 73.88, 73.318 and 73.685, Blanketing Interference

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

1. Justification:

1. The following information collection requirements covered under this collection are as follows:

47 CFR Section 73.88 (AM) states that the licensee of each broadcast station is required to satisfy all reasonable complaints of blanketing interference within the 1 V/m contour. The licensee is financially responsible for resolving complaints of interference.

47 CFR Section 73.318(b)(FM) states that after January 1, 1985, permittees or licensees who either (1) commence program tests, (2) replace the antennas, or (3) request facilities modifications and are issued a new construction permit must satisfy all complaints of blanketing interference which are received by the station during a one year period. Resolution of complaints shall be at no cost to the complainant. These requirements specifically do not include interference complaints resulting from malfunctioning or mistuned receivers, improperly installed antenna systems, or the use of high gain antennas or antenna booster amplifiers. Mobile receivers and non-RF devices such as tape recorders or hi-fi amplifiers (phonographs) are also excluded.

47 CFR Section 73.318(c)(FM) states that a permittee collocating with one or more existing stations and beginning program tests on or after January 1, 1985, must assume full financial responsibility for remedying new complaints of blanketing interference for a period of one year. Two or more permittees that concurrently collocate on or after January 1, 1985, shall assume shared responsibility for remedying blanketing complaints within the blanketing area unless an offending station can be readily determined and then that station shall assume full financial responsibility.

47 CFR Section 73.685(d)(TV) states that present information is not sufficiently complete to establish “blanket areas” of television broadcast stations. A “blanket area” is that area adjacent to a transmitter in which the reception or other stations is subject to interference due to the strong signal from this station. The authorization of station construction in areas where blanketing is found to be excessive will be on the basis that the applicant will assume full responsibility for the adjustment of reasonable complaints arising from excessively strong signals of the applicant’s station or take other corrective action.

The Commission is seeking an extension of this information collection in order to receive the full three year OMB clearance/approval.

This information collection does not affect individuals or households; thus, there are no impacts under the Privacy Act.

Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in Section 154(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

2. The information provided to complainants will be used to facilitate the resolution of complaints of blanketing interference.

3. We do not believe the use of information technology is feasible in this situation.

4. No other agency imposes a similar information collection on the respondents. There is no similar data available.

5. This information collection will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities/businesses.

6. The frequency for this disclosure of information is determined by respondents, as necessary. If this information were not disclosed, complainants would continue to receive interference from licensed broadcast stations.

7. This collection of information is consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR Section 1320.5(d)(2).

8. The Commission published a Notice (88 FR 70980) in the Federal Register on October 13, 2023 seeking comments from the public on the information collection requirements contained in this collection. No comments were received from the public.

9. No payment or gift was provided to respondents.

10. There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

11. This collection of information does not address any private matters of a sensitive nature.

12. Number of Respondents: We estimate that 400 complaints are received by broadcast stations concerning blanketing interference. The resolution of these complaints has an average burden of two hours per complaint. This estimate is based on FCC staff's knowledge and familiarity with the availability of the data required.

Total Number of Annual Respondents: 400 Broadcast Stations

Total Number of Annual Responses: 400 complaints

Total Annual Burden Hours:

400 complaints x 2 hr./complaint/year = 800 hrs.

Total Burden Hours = 800 hours

Annual “In-house cost”: We assume that broadcast stations would use an engineer at the station to resolve complaints of blanketing interference received. We estimate that this engineer would have an average hourly salary of $60.83/hour. This is equivalent to a GS-13, step 5, government employee.

$60.83/hour x 2 hours/complaint x 400 complaints = $48,664

TOTAL IN-HOUSE COST: $48,664

13. Annual Cost Burden:

(a) Total annualized capital/startup costs: None

(b) Total annual costs (O&M): None

(c) Total annualized cost requested: None

14. There is no cost to the Federal Government.

15. There are no program changes to this collections. There are the following adjustments to this collection which are due to the re-evaluation of the figures for this collection because there are fewer respondents to the collection: -20,600 to the number of respondents, -20,600 to the annual number of respondents and -40,200 to the annual burden hours.

16. The data will not be published.

17. OMB approval of the expiration date of the information collection will be displayed on OMB’s website.

18. There is one exception to the Certification Statement. The annual burden hours are 800 hours and not 400 hours as published in the Federal Register 60-day notice. There are no other exceptions.

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

No statistical methods are employed.

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