Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget

Issuing agencies

Abstract

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it can further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 182 (Tuesday, September 22, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 22, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60125-60128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19314]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-0214; FR ID 367659]


Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to 
Office of Management and Budget

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general 
public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business 
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it 
can further reduce the information collection burden for small business 
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be submitted on or before October 22, 
2026.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular information collection by selecting 
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using 
the search function. Your comment must be submitted into 
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a> per the above instructions for it to be considered. In 
addition to submitting in <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a> also send a copy of your 
comment on the proposed information collection to Cathy Williams, FCC, 
via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#39696b78795f5a5a175e564f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f2a2a0b3b2949191dc959d84">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d192b0a5b9a8ff86b8bdbdb8b0bca291b7b2b2ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="723113061a0b5c251b1e1e1b131f01321411115c151d04">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Include in the 
comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies 
of the information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-
2918. To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) 
submitted to OMB: (1) go to the web page <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>, (2) look for the section of the web page called ``Currently 
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the 
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4) 
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies 
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button 
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC 
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the Title of this ICR and 
then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to 
OMB will be displayed.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be 
subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of 
information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB 
control number.
    As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to 
take this opportunity to comment on the following information 
collection. 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 Commission's 
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. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 
2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C.

[[Page 60126]]

3506(c)(4), the FCC seeks specific comment on how it might ``further 
reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns 
with fewer than 25 employees.''
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0214.
    Title: Sections 73.3526 and 73.3527, Local Public Inspection Files; 
Sections 73.1212, 76.1701 and 73.1943, Political Files.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for profit entities; Not for profit 
institutions; State, Local or Tribal government; Individuals or 
households.
    Number of Respondents: 24,178 respondents; 67,440 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1-52 hours.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion reporting requirement, 
Recordkeeping requirement, Third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for these collections is contained in Sections 151, 
152, 154(i), 303, 307, 308, and 315 of the Communications Act of 1934, 
as amended.
    Total Annual Burden: 2,093,127 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No cost.
    Needs and Uses: Commission rules require broadcast licensees and 
cable television operators to maintain political files and public 
inspection files and to include specified records. These rules, which 
are contained in 47 CFR 73.1212, 73.3526, 73.3527, 73.1943, and 
76.1701, remain unchanged since last approved by OMB.
    47 CFR 73.1943(a) and 76.1701(a) require each broadcast station 
licensee and each cable television system to maintain in its online 
political file a complete record of any request to purchase broadcast 
and cablecast time that is made by or on behalf of a candidate for 
public office, or that communicates a message relating to any political 
matter of national importance, including a legally qualified candidate, 
any election to Federal office, or a national legislative issue of 
public importance.
    47 CFR 73.1943(b) and 76.1701(b) specify the records that each 
broadcast station licensee and each cable television system must 
maintain in its online political file:
    (1) whether the request to purchase broadcast or cablecast time is 
accepted or rejected by the broadcast licensee or cable television 
system operator;
    (2) the rate charged for the broadcast or cablecast time;
    (3) the date and time on which the communication is aired;
    (4) the class of time that is purchased;
    (5) the name of the candidate to which the communication refers and 
the office to which the candidate is seeking election, the election to 
which the communication refers, or the issue to which the communication 
refers (as applicable);
    (6) in the case of a request made by, or on behalf of, a candidate, 
the name of the candidate, the authorized committee of the candidate, 
and the treasurer of such committee; and
    (7) in the case of any other request, the name of the person 
purchasing the time, the name, address, and phone number of a contact 
person for such person, and a list of the chief executive officers or 
members of the executive committee or of the board of directors of such 
person.
    47 CFR 73.3526(a) and 73.3527(a) require that licensees and 
permittees of commercial and noncommercial educational broadcast 
stations maintain a public inspection file. The contents of the file 
vary according to type of service and status. A separate file shall be 
maintained for each station for which an application is pending or for 
which an authorization is outstanding. The public inspection file must 
be maintained so long as an authorization to operate the station is 
outstanding.
    47 CFR 73.3526(b) and 73.3527(b) specify the location at which the 
public inspection file must be maintained. An applicant for a new 
station or change of community shall maintain its file at an accessible 
place in the proposed community of license or at its proposed main 
studio. Commercial and noncommercial television and radio stations are 
required to place their records in an online public file hosted by the 
Commission, with the exception of letters and emails from the public, 
which may be maintained at the station. Stations must also provide a 
link to the online file from the home page of their own websites, if 
they have one, and provide contact information for a station 
representative on their websites who can assist persons with 
disabilities with issues related to the content of the public files. 
Stations are also required to include in the online public file the 
station's main studio address and telephone number and the email 
address of the station's designated contact for questions about the 
public file. With respect to the station's political file, new material 
must be placed in the online file hosted by the Commission, but 
political material that existed prior to the effective date of the 
online political file requirements may continue to be retained at the 
station until the end of the applicable retention period.
    47 CFR 73.3526(c) and 73.3527(c) require the licensee/permittee to 
make the local public file available for public inspection at any time 
during regular business hours. All or part of this file may be 
maintained in a computer database as long as a computer terminal is 
made available to members of the public. Materials in the public file 
must be made available for review, printing, or reproduction upon 
request. Licensees that maintain their main studios and public file 
outside their communities of license are required to mail a copy of 
``The Public and Broadcasting'' to anyone requesting a copy. Licensees 
shall be prepared to assist members of the public in identifying the 
documents they may want to be sent to them by mail. An applicant, 
permittee, or licensee must provide information regarding the location 
of the public file, or the applicable portion of the file, within one 
business day of a request for such information.
    47 CFR 73.3526(d) and 73.3527(d) require an assignor to maintain 
the public inspection file until such time as the assignment is 
consummated. At that time, the assignee is required to maintain the 
file.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e) and 73.3527(e) specify the contents of the public 
inspection files. Separate rule sections not subject to this 
information collection require the creation and submission to the 
Commission of many of the items that must be retained in the public 
inspection file. As such, the burden estimates for creation and 
submission of these documents are calculated in other information 
collections. The burden estimates included in this information 
collection pertain only to making these items publicly available.
    The documents to be retained in the public inspection files are as 
follows:
    A copy of the current FCC authorization to construct or operate the 
station, as well as any other documents necessary to reflect any 
modifications thereto or any conditions that the FCC has placed on the 
authorization;
    A copy of any application tendered for filing with the FCC, 
together with all related material, and copies of Initial Decision and 
Final Decisions in hearing cases. If petitions to deny are filed 
against the application, a statement that such a petition has been 
filed shall be maintained in the file together with the name and 
address of the party filing the petition;
    For commercial broadcast stations, a copy of every written citizen 
agreement;

[[Page 60127]]

    A copy of any service contour maps, submitted with any application, 
together with any other information in the application showing service 
contours and/or main studio and transmitter location;
    A copy of the most recent, complete Ownership Report (FCC Form 323) 
filed with the FCC for the station, together with any statements filed 
with the FCC certifying that the current Report is accurate;
    A political file of records required by 47 CFR 73.1943 concerning 
broadcasts by candidates for public office;
    An Equal Employment Opportunity File required by 47 CFR 73.2080;
    A copy of the most recent edition of the manual entitled ``The 
Public and Broadcasting;''
    Material having a substantial bearing on a matter which is the 
subject of an FCC investigation or complaint to the FCC of which the 
applicant/permittee/licensee has been advised;
    For commercial radio and TV broadcast stations and non-exempt NCE 
broadcast stations, a list of programs that have provided the station's 
most significant treatment of community issues. This list must be 
updated on a quarterly basis and contain a brief description of how 
each issue was treated;
    For commercial TV broadcast stations, records sufficient to permit 
substantiation of the station's certification, in its license renewal 
application, of compliance with the commercial limits on children's 
television programming. The records must be placed in the public file 
annually. In addition, the FCC Form 398, Children's Television 
Programming Reports, reflecting efforts made by the licensee during the 
preceding year, and efforts planned for the next year, to serve the 
educational and informational needs of children must be placed in the 
public file annually;
    For NCE stations, a list of donors supporting specific programs. 
The list is to be retained for two years from the date of the broadcast 
of the specific program supported, and will be reserved for sponsors/
underwriters of specific programming;
    Each applicant for renewal of license shall place in the public 
file a statement certifying compliance with the post-filing local 
public notice announcements within 7 days of the last day of broadcast;
    Commercial radio and TV licensees that provide programming to 
another licensee's station pursuant to time brokerage agreements are 
required to keep copies of those agreements in their public inspection 
files, with confidential information blocked out where appropriate;
    Commercial TV stations must make an election between retransmission 
consent and must-carry status once every three years and must place 
this election statement in the station's public inspection file;
    NCE television stations requesting mandatory carriage on any cable 
system pursuant to 47 CFR 76.56 shall place in their public inspection 
files the request and relevant correspondence;
    Commercial radio and TV licensees who have entered into joint sales 
agreements must place the agreements in the public inspection file, 
with confidential and propriety information blocked out where 
appropriate; and
    Commercial TV licensees who have entered into shared service 
agreements must place the agreements in the public inspection file, 
with confidential and proprietary information blocked out where 
appropriate.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(14)--Radio and television time brokerage 
agreements. For commercial radio and television stations, a copy of 
every agreement or contract involving time brokerage of the licensee's 
station or of another station by the licensee, whether the agreement 
involves stations in the same markets or in differing markets, with 
confidential or proprietary information redacted where appropriate. 
These agreements shall be placed in the public file within 30 days of 
execution and retained in the file as long as the contract or agreement 
is in force.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(15)--Must-carry or retransmission consent 
election. Statements of a commercial television or Class A television 
station's election with respect to either must-carry or re-transmission 
consent, as defined in Sec. Sec.  76.64 and 76.1608 of this chapter. 
These records shall be retained for the duration of the three-year 
election period to which the statement applies. Commercial television 
stations shall, no later than July 31, 2020, provide an up-to-date 
email address and phone number for carriage-related questions and 
respond as soon as is reasonably possible to messages or calls from 
MVPDs. Each commercial television station is responsible for the 
continuing accuracy and completeness of the information furnished.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(16)--Radio and television joint sales agreements. 
For commercial radio and commercial television stations, a copy of 
agreement for the joint sale of advertising time involving the station, 
whether the agreement involves stations in the same markets or in 
differing markets, with confidential or proprietary information 
redacted where appropriate. These agreements shall be placed in the 
public file within 30 days of execution and retained in the file as 
long as the contract or agreement is in force.
    47 CFR 73.3527(e)(4)--Ownership reports and related materials. A 
copy of the most recent, complete ownership report filed with the FCC 
for the station, together with any subsequent statement filed with the 
FCC certifying that the current report is accurate, and together with 
all related material. These materials shall be retained until a new, 
complete ownership report is filed with the FCC, at which time a copy 
of the new report and any related materials shall be placed in the 
file. The permittee or licensee must retain in the public file either a 
copy of the station documents listed in Sec.  73.3613(a)-(c) or an up-
to-date list of such documents. If the permittee or licensee elects to 
maintain an up-to-date list of such documents, the list must include 
all the information that the permittee or licensee is required to 
provide on ownership reports for each document, including, but not 
limited to, a description of the document, the parties to the document, 
the month and year of execution, the month and year of expiration, and 
the document type (e.g., network affiliation agreement, articles of 
incorporation, bylaws, management consultant agreement with independent 
contractor). Regardless of which of these two options the permittee or 
licensee chooses, it must update the inventory of Sec.  73.3613 
documents in the public file to reflect newly executed Sec.  73.3613 
documents, amendments, supplements, and cancellations within 30 days of 
execution thereof. Licensees and permittees that choose to maintain a 
list of Sec.  73.3613 documents must provide a copy of any Sec.  
73.3613 document(s) to requesting parties within 7 days. In maintaining 
copies of such documents in the public file or providing copies upon 
request, confidential or proprietary information may be redacted where 
appropriate.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(ii)--commercial TV and Class A TV broadcast 
must maintain records sufficient to permit substantiation of the 
station's certification, in its license renewal application, of 
compliance with the commercial limits on children's programming 
established in 47 U.S.C. 303a and 47 CFR 73.670. These stations must 
place these records in their public files annually within 30 days after 
the end of the calendar year.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(iii)--requires that commercial television 
stations place in their public files their Children's Television 
Programming

[[Page 60128]]

Reports (FCC Form 2100 Schedule H) on an annual basis, within 30 days 
after the end of the calendar year.
    47 CFR 73.3527(e)(12)--Must-carry requests. States noncommercial 
television stations shall, no later than July 31, 2020, provide an up-
to-date email address and phone number for carriage-related questions 
and respond as soon as is reasonably possible to messages or calls from 
MVPDs. Each noncommercial television station is responsible for the 
continuing accuracy and completeness of the information furnished. Any 
such station requesting mandatory carriage pursuant to Part 76 of this 
chapter shall place a copy of such request in its public file and shall 
retain both the request and relevant correspondence for the duration of 
any period to which the request applies.
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(13)--Local public notice announcements. Each 
applicant for renewal of license shall, within 7 days of the last day 
of broadcast of the local public notice of filing announcements 
required pursuant to Sec.  73.3580(c)(3), place in the station's online 
public inspection file a statement certifying compliance with this 
requirement. The dates and times that the on-air announcements were 
broadcast shall be made part of the certifying statement. The 
certifying statement shall be retained in the public file for the 
period specified in Sec.  73.3580(e)(2) (for as long as the application 
to which it refers).
    47 CFR 73.3527(e)(10)--Local public notice announcements. Each 
applicant for renewal of license shall, within 7 days of the last day 
of broadcast of the local public notice of filing announcements 
required pursuant to Sec.  73.3580(c)(3), place in the station's online 
public inspection file a statement certifying compliance with this 
requirement. The dates and times that the on-air announcements were 
broadcast shall be made part of the certifying statement. The 
certifying statement shall be retained in the public file for the 
period specified in Sec.  73.3580(e)(2) (for as long as the application 
to which it refers).
    47 CFR 73.3526(e)(19)--Foreign sponsorship disclosures. 
Documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the station is continuing 
to meet the requirements set forth at Sec.  73.1212(j)(6).
    47 CFR 73.3527(e)(15)--Foreign sponsorship disclosures. 
Documentation sufficient to demonstrate that the station is continuing 
to meet the requirements set forth at Sec.  73.1212(j)(6).
    47 CFR 73.1212(k)--The requirements in Sec.  73.1212(j) shall apply 
to programs permitted to be delivered to foreign broadcast stations 
under an authorization pursuant to the Section 325(c) of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 325(c)) if any part of the 
material has been sponsored, paid for, or furnished for free as an 
inducement to air on the foreign station by a foreign governmental 
entity. A Section 325(c) permit holder shall place copies of the 
disclosures required along with the name of the program to which the 
disclosures were appended in the International Bureau's public filing 
System (IBFS) under the relevant IBFS Section 325(c) permit file. The 
filing must state the date and time the program aired. In the case of 
repeat airings of the program, those additional dates and times should 
also be included. Where an aural announcement was made, its contents 
must be reduced to writing and placed in the IBFS in the same manner.
    47 CFR 73.1943(c) and 76.1701(c) provide that when a broadcast 
station licensee or a cable television system provides free time for 
use by or on behalf of candidates, a record of the free time provided 
must be placed in the political file.
    47 CFR 73.1943(d) and 76.1701(d) state that the records required to 
be maintained in a broadcast station licensee's or cable television 
system's political file must be placed in the political file as soon as 
possible and retained for a period of two years. As soon as possible 
means immediately absent unusual circumstances.
    47 CFR 73.1212(e) and 76.1701(e) require that, when an entity 
sponsors broadcast or cablecast material that concerns a political 
matter or a discussion of a controversial issue of public importance, a 
list must be maintained in the public file of the system that includes 
the sponsoring entity's chief executive officers, or members of its 
executive committee or of its board of directors.

Federal Communications Commission.
Aleta Bowers,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-19314 Filed 9-21-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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