Notice of Public Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested, 8065-8068 [2010-3490]

Agencies

• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8065-8068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-3490]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Notice of Public Information Collection Being Reviewed by the 
Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

February 17, 2010.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, 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 information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. An agency may not conduct 
or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for 
failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control 
number. 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 estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information collected; (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 and (e) ways to further reduce the information burden for 
small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be 
subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of 
information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not 
display a valid control number.

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should 
submit comments by April 26, 2010. 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.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), via fax at (202) 395-5167, or via e-mail 
at Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov and to Cathy Williams, Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC), via e-mail at Cathy.Williams@fcc.gov 
and to PRA@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection send an e-mail to PRA@fcc.gov or contact Cathy 
Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0647.
    Title: Annual Survey of Cable Industry Prices.
    Form Number: Form 333.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; State, local or 
Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 758 respondents and 758 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 6 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual Reporting Requirement.
    Total Annual Burden: 4,548 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: None.
    Obligation to Respond: Mandatory. The statutory authority for this 
information collection is in Sections 4(i) and 623(k) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: If individual respondents to 
this survey wish to request confidential treatment of any data provided 
in connection with this survey, they can do so upon written request, in 
accordance with Sections 0.457 and 0.459 of the Commission's rules. To 
receive confidential treatment of their data, respondents need only 
describe the specific information they wish to protect and provide an 
explanation of why such confidential treatment is appropriate.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: The Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
Competition Act of 1992 (``Cable Act'') requires the Commission to 
publish annually a report on average rates for basic cable service, 
cable programming service, and equipment. The report must compare the 
prices charged by cable operators subject to effective competition and 
those that are not subject to effective competition. The Annual Cable 
Industry Price Survey is intended to collect the data needed to prepare 
that report. The

[[Page 8066]]

data from these questions are needed to complete this report.

Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.

Draft, Not Yet Approved by OMB

OMB Control Number: 3060-0647

Proposed 2010 Cable Service Price Survey Questionnaire, FCC Form 333

A. Community

    The information in entries A1 through A3 below has been imported 
from the Cable Operations & Antenna (COALS) database. Please review 
this data and make any necessary corrections. If you would like the 
COALS database updated to reflect this information, click here:
    A1. 6-digit community unit identification. (CUID) (1/1/10)
    A2. Name of the community associated with this CUID. (1/1/10)
    A3. Name of county in which the community is situated. (1/1/10)
    A4. 5-digit Zip Code in community with the highest number (or 
significant portion) of subscribers. (1/1/10)
    Local governments have authority to regulate the price of the 
basic service tier unless the FCC grants an ``Effective 
Competition'' petition for the franchise area. If the FCC has 
granted Effective Competition status, the answer to question A5 is 
``no''. If the FCC has not granted Effective Competition status, the 
answer depends on whether the local government exercises its 
authority to regulate the price of the basic service tier.
    A5. Does the local government regulate the basic tier rate in 
this community? (yes/no) (1/1/10)
    A6. Did you operate a video service in this community on 1/1/
2009? (yes/no)

System

    The information in entries A7 through A9 has been imported from 
the Cable Operations & Antenna (COALS) database. Please review the 
data and make any necessary corrections. If you would like the COALS 
database updated to reflect this information, click here.
    A7. Name of cable system. (1/1/10)
    A8. Street address and/or POB. (1/1/10)
    A9. City, State and Zip Code. (1/1/10)

Parent Company

    A10. Name of ultimate parent entity. (1/1/10)
    A11. Name of survey contact person. (1/1/10)
    A12. E-mail address of contact person. (1/1/10)
    A13. Area Code & telephone number. (1/1/10)
    A14. Number of video subscribers nationwide of parent entity. 
(1/1/10)

Certification

    I certify that I have examined this report and all statements of 
fact herein are true, complete, and correct to the best of my 
knowledge, information, and belief, and are made in good faith. 
Willful false statements made on this form are punishable by fine 
and/or imprisonment (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001) and/or 
forfeiture (U.S. Code, Title 47, Section 503).
    A15. Name.
    A16. Title.
    A17. Date.
    A18. Choose the system physical infrastructure that best 
describes your system from the drop down menu (hybrid fiber-coaxial 
cable, fiber to the home, twisted copper pair, other--please 
explain).
    A19. Answer ``yes'' to one of Questions a-f, or explain in g, 
the scenario which best describes the way local broadcast television 
station signals you receive from local broadcasters are sent from 
the cable headend to subscribers.
    a. System is analog only. Analog broadcast signals are received 
at the headend and sent to subscribers in analog format. No headend 
equipment is in place to convert a digital broadcast signal to 
analog format. (1/1/10)
    b. System is analog only. Signals are sent in analog format from 
headend to subscribers. Headend equipment is in place to convert a 
broadcaster's digital signal to analog format, in case a station is 
digital only. (1/1/10)
    c. Separate analog/digital signals are sent on separate paths 
from the headend to be viewed by analog and digital customers, 
respectively. Digital signal can be either SD or HD, with an HD 
version being converted by a SD digital subscriber's set-top box to 
SD format. (1/1/10)
    d. Separate analog/SD digital/HD digital signals are sent from 
the headend to be viewed by analog, SD digital, and HD digital 
customers, respectively. (1/1/10)
    e. SD digital signals only are sent from the headend, and the 
set-top box can covert the signals to analog format for viewing on 
analog television. (1/1/10)
    f. HD digital signals only are sent from the headend, and the 
set-top box can convert the signals to SD digital format, and then 
to analog format if necessary. (1/1/10)
    g. If none of the above, please describe.
    A20. Number of local broadcast television stations transmitted 
over your system in this community. Count each local broadcast 
station only once. For example, if a local broadcast station is 
carried on one channel and simulcast in HD on another channel, these 
two channels count as one station for purpose of this question. (1/
1/10)
    A21. Of the local broadcast stations above, how many are carried 
under the FCC must-carry rules, i.e., not under retransmission 
consent? (Enter ``0'' if none.) (1/1/10)
    A22. Of all the stations (must carry and retransmission 
consent), how many can be viewed in HD format? (Enter ``0'' if 
none.) (1/1/10)
    A23. Of only the stations carried under the must-carry rules, 
how many can be viewed in HD format? (Enter ``0'' if none or if you 
have no must-carry stations.) (1/1/10)

B. Video Subscribers, Prices and Channels

    Responses to questions B1 and B2 may be at the level of the 
video (or cable) system. In defining your system, use the smallest 
physical system area surrounding the community for which you 
maintain subscriber counts for video services.
    B1. Number of households passed (households your system 
currently reaches and could provide service, regardless of whether 
or not these households subscribe to your service). (1/1/10)
    B2. Number of video subscribers. (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    Responses to ``yes/no'' questions below, as well as responses 
for prices and channels should be provided at the community level. 
Number of subscribers may be in the system area.
    B3. Total number of channels available in the community.* (1/1/
10, 1/1/09)
    B4. Do you offer high-speed Internet access? (yes/no) (1/1/10, 
1/1/09)
    * Count local broadcast stations, PEG channels, commercial 
leased access channels, and any networks viewable for customers. The 
count should include the maximum number of channels available, 
including channels that would require additional equipment, such as 
an SD or an HD converter box. Do not count audio-only channels such 
as DMX music suite. Do count premium, pay-per-view or other pay 
channels. A Video-on-Demand channel can be counted as one channel.

Basic Service Tier (BST)

    BST is the entry level video (cable) TV programming package that 
subscribers can purchase. Typically, BST is a ``limited basic'' 
service which consists of local broadcast channels; public, 
educational, and governmental access (PEG) channels; and a few 
national and/or other channels. In contrast to the ``limited basic'' 
tier just described, some operators only offer a BST bundled with a 
large number of national networks. For these operators, the bundled 
service should be reported as the BST. Whether limited basic or 
bundled, the BST should be the entry-level service that is required 
for all customers.
    B5. Is the BST a ``limited basic'' as described above? (yes/no) 
(1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B6. Name of tier. (If there is none, enter ``na'' for not 
applicable.) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B7. How many subscribers take only the basic service tier (BST)? 
(1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B8. Monthly price: Basic cable service tier (BST) (1/1/10, 1/1/
09)
    B9. Number of channels on the BST.* (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B10. Is equipment needed to view the channels on the BST? (yes/
no) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B11. What is the monthly fee to lease the most commonly-used 
equipment needed to view the channels on the BST? (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B12. Identify the features that are included with this 
equipment: VOD, DVR, HD, other. (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    * Count local broadcast stations, PEG channels, commercial 
leased access channels, and any networks viewable for customers of 
the BST. The count should include the maximum number of channels 
available when purchasing the BST only, including channels that 
would require additional equipment, such as an SD or an HD converter 
box. Do not count audio-only channels such as DMX music suite. Do 
not count premium, pay-per-view or other pay

[[Page 8067]]

channels unless they are viewed in the package at no additional 
charge. A Video-on-Demand channel that offers content at no 
additional charge can be counted as one channel.

Expanded Basic Service Package

    In most cases, expanded basic service includes the limited basic 
BST channels plus a large number of national networks. However, if 
you answered ``no'' to Question B5 (you do not offer a limited basic 
tier) then BST and expanded basic service are the same, and 
Questions B13-B19 below are automatically filled.
    Check box if this package was not offered last year.
    B13. Name of package. (If there is none, enter ``na'' for not 
applicable.) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B14. Number of subscribers taking this package. (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B15. Monthly price of package (including the price of the BST). 
(1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B16. Number of channels in this package (including BST 
channels).* (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B17. Is equipment needed to view the channels in this package? 
(yes/no) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B18. What is the monthly fee to lease the most commonly-used 
equipment needed to view the channels in this package? (1/1/10, 1/1/
09)
    B19. Identify the features that are included with this 
equipment: VOD, DVR, HD, other. (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    * Count the maximum number of channels available when purchasing 
the package, including channels that would require additional 
equipment, such as an SD or an HD converter box. Do not count audio-
only channels such as DMX music suite. Do not count premium, pay-
per-view or other pay channels unless they are viewed in the package 
at no additional charge. A Video-on-Demand channel that offers 
content at no additional charge can be counted as one channel.

The Next Most-Subscribed Package

    For this package include the expanded basic channels plus a 
group of additional video programming channels. Provide the most 
popular package that includes at least seven (7) additional non-
premium, national cable networks.
    Check box if this package was not offered last year.
    B20. Name of package. (If there is none, enter ``na'' for not 
applicable.) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B21. Number of subscribers taking this package. (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B22. Monthly price of this package (including expanded basic 
price). (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B23. Number of channels in this package (including expanded 
basic channels).* (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B24. Is equipment needed to view the channels in this package? 
(yes/no) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B25. What is the monthly fee to lease the most commonly-used 
equipment needed to view the channels in this package? (1/1/10, 1/1/
09)
    B26. Identify the features that are included with this 
equipment: VOD, DVR, HD, other. (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    * Count the maximum number of channels available when purchasing 
the package, including channels that would require additional 
equipment, such as an SD or an HD converter box. Do not count audio-
only channels such as DMX music suite. Do not count premium, pay-
per-view or other pay channels unless they are viewed in the package 
at no additional charge. A Video-on-Demand channel that offers 
content at no additional charge can be counted as one channel.

Family-Friendly Program Package

    B27. As of Jan. 1, 2010, did you offer a family package in this 
community? (yes/no) (1/1/10). If no, skip to Section C, below.
    B28. If you answered yes to question B27, did you report this 
package in response to the questions already asked about your 
program packages? (yes/no). If yes, skip to Section C, below.
    B29. Name of package. (If there is none, enter ``na'' for not 
applicable.) (1/1/10, 1/1/09)
    B30. Number of subscribers taking this package. (1/1/10)
    B31. Monthly price of this package (including BST price). (1/1/
10)
    B32. Number of channels in this package (including BST 
channels).* (1/1/10)
    B33. Is equipment needed to view the channels in this package? 
(yes/no) (1/1/10)
    B34. What is the monthly fee to lease the most commonly-used 
equipment needed to view the channels in this package? (1/1/10)
    * Count the maximum number of channels available when purchasing 
the package, including channels that would require additional 
equipment, such as an SD or an HD converter box. Do not count audio-
only channels such as DMX music suite. Do not count premium, pay-
per-view or other pay channels unless they are viewed in the package 
at no additional charge. A Video-on-Demand channel that offers 
content at no additional charge can be counted as one channel.

C. Channel Lineup

    Rows:
    C1. Number of local broadcast stations.
    C2. Number of stations above for which a separate simulcast 
channel is carried.
    C3. Number of public, educational & governmental (PEG) access 
channels.
    C4. Number of commercial leased access channels.
    Instruction: Do not list local broadcast stations, PEG channels 
or leased access channels separately. These channels have already 
been accounted for above. Do not include any networks that are 
available only through a VOD system.
    * Note: When entering BST networks, the form automatically 
includes those networks in the other packages. If a package does not 
include all of the BST networks, then delete the entries for the 
appropriate networks for that package. Similarly, when entering 
expanded basic networks, the form automatically includes those 
networks in the next most-subscribed package.
    Column:
    Report number of channels.
    Indicate if the channel(s) is on the BST.
    Indicate if the channel(s) is on the expanded basic package.
    Indicate if the channel(s) is on the next most-subscribed 
package.
    Indicate if the channel(s) is on the family-friendly program 
package.
    Rows listing individual regional and national networks.

Network

A&E
ABC Family
Africa Channel
AMC
AmericanLife TV
Animal Planet
BBC America
BBC World News
BET
BET Gospel
BET Hip-Hop
BET J
Big Ten
Bio
Blackbelt TV
Bloomberg
Bluehighways TV
Boomerang
Bravo
Bridges TV
Canal Sur
Cartoon
CBS: College Sports Ntwk.
Chiller
Cinemax
CMT
CMT Pure Country
CNBC
CNBC World
CNN
CNN en Espanol
CNN Intl. North America
Comedy Central
Crime & Investigation
C-SPAN
Current
De Pelicula
Discovery
Discovery en Espanol
Discovery Familia*
Discovery Health
Discovery Kids
Disney Channel
Disney XD
DIY
E!
Encore
ESPN Classic
ESPN/ESPN HD
ESPN2
ESPNews
ESPNU
FamilyNet
Fine Living
FitTV
Flix
Food Network
Fox Business Network
Fox College Sports
Fox Movie Channel
Fox News
Fox Reality
Fox Soccer Channel

[[Page 8068]]

Fox Sports en Espanol
Fuel
Fuse
FX Network
G4 videogame tv
Galavision
Golf Channel
Gospel Music Channel
Great American Country
GSN
Hallmark
Hallmark Movie Channel
HBO
HD Theater
HDNet
HDNet Movies
HGTV
History
History Channel en Esp.
History International
iaTV
Independent Film Channel
Inspiration Network
Investigation Discovery
Lifetime
Lifetime Movie Network
Lifetime Real Women
LOGO
MavTV
MGM HD
Military Channel
Military History
MLB Network
MSNBC
MTV
MTV Hits
MTV Jams
MTV Tr3s
MTV2
mun2
National Geographic
NBA TV
NFL Network
NHL Network
Nick Toons
Nickelodeon
Noggin
Outdoor Channel
Ovation TV
Oxygen
Palladia
PBS Kids Sprout
Planet Green
ReelzChannel
Regional Sports Network
Retirement Living TV
RFD-TV
Science Channel
Showtime
Si TV
Sleuth
Smithsonian Channel HD
SOAPnet
Speed Channel
Spike TV
Starz
style.
Sundance
Syfy
TBS
TCM
Tempo
Tennis Channel
The Movie Channel
The N
The Sportsman Channel
TLC
TNT
Travel Channel
truTV
TV Chile
TV Guide
TV Land
TV One
TVE Internacional
Universal HD
USA
VERSUS
VH-1
VH-1 Classic
VH-1 Soul
Water Channel
WE tv
Wealth TV
Weather
WGN America

FCC Notice Required by the Paperwork Reduction Act

    We have estimated that each response to this collection of 
information will take, on average, 6 hours. Our estimate includes 
the time to read the instructions, look through existing records, 
gather and maintain required data, and actually complete and review 
the response. If you have any comments on this estimate, or on how 
we can improve the collection and reduce the burden it causes you, 
please write to the Federal Communications Commission, AMD-PERM, 
Paperwork Reduction Project (3060-0647), Washington, DC 20554. We 
will also accept your comments via the Internet if you send them to 
PRA@fcc.gov. Remember--you are not required to respond to a 
collection of information sponsored by the Federal government, and 
the government may not conduct or sponsor this collection, unless it 
displays a currently valid OMB control number or if we fail to 
provide you with this notice. This collection has been assigned an 
OMB control number of 3060-0647.

[FR Doc. 2010-3490 Filed 2-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-10-P