FCC Paperwork Burden Check: Comments Welcome from Public
Published Date: 8/11/2026
Notice
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.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Broadcasters and cable face disclosure and recordkeeping burden
Broadcast licensees and cable systems must disclose advertiser practices that enhance the value of ad spots, list classes of time (immediately preemptible, preemptible with notice, fixed, fire sale, and make good), calculate the lowest unit charge, and review records to determine candidate rebates or credits; cable systems must also disclose rates, terms, conditions, and value-enhancing discount privileges to candidates. The FCC estimates 17,561 respondents, 403,610 responses, an estimated 0.5 to 20 hours per response, and a total annual burden of 927,269 hours; comments are due by September 10, 2026.
Candidates get lowest ad rate near elections
If you are a political candidate, broadcast stations and cable operators must charge you their “lowest unit charge” for the same class and amount of time during the 45 days before a primary or runoff election and during the 60 days before a general or special election. This rule also requires stations and systems to review their advertising records during the election period to determine whether candidates should receive rebates or credits.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16294, Privacy Act System of Records
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Commission, or Agency) proposes to modify an existing system of records, FCC/CGB-1, Informal Complaints, Inquiries, and Requests for Dispute Assistance, subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of records maintained by the agency. The Commission uses records in this system to handle and process informal complaints, inquiries, and requests for dispute assistance received from individuals, groups, and other entities. This modification makes various necessary changes and updates to accommodate new uses of the system to share certain anonymized or de-identified complaint data with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Consumer Sentinel Network.
2026-16298, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information collection burden on 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 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.
2026-16317, Television Broadcasting Services St. George, Utah
This document proposes to amend the Table of TV Allotments (Table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by KUTV Licensee, LLC (Licensee), the Licensee of full service television station KMYU(TV) (KMYU or Station), St. George, Utah (St. George). The Licensee applied for a construction permit (CP) to construct a facility on UHF channel 21 at St. George, which remains pending, and now requests that the Bureau substitute VHF channel 9 for UHF channel 21 in the Table with technical parameters set forth in KMYU's current license. The Media Bureau previously granted a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Licensee to substitute UHF channel 21 for VHF channel 9 at St. George. The Licensee later filed an application for a CP for its new channel, however, under further consideration and restraints, wishes to abandon its plans to modify its license for KMYU to operate on channel 21, and proposes to continue to operate on VHF channel 9 and specify the technical parameters of its currently licensed VHF channel 9 facility. The substitution of VHF channel 9 for UHF channel 21 in the Table will allow the Station to remain on the air and continue to provide service to viewers within its service area. Given that the Licensee proposes to utilize its currently licensed parameters, we believe VHF channel 9 can be substituted for UHF channel 21 at St. George as proposed, in compliance with the principal community coverage requirements of Sec. 73.618(a) of the Commission's rules.
2026-16268, Television Broadcasting Services Elko, Nevada
This document proposes to amend the Table of TV Allotments (Table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Reno (KENV-TV) Licensee, Inc. (Licensee), the Licensee of full service television station KENV-DT (KENV-DT or Station), Elko, Nevada (Elko). The Licensee holds a construction permit (CP) to construct a facility on UHF channel 20 at Elko, and now requests that the Bureau substitute VHF channel 10 for UHF channel 20 in the Table with technical parameters set forth in KENV-DT's current license. In support of its channel substitution request, the Petitioner asserts that substitution of VHF channel 10 for UHF channel 20 in the Table will allow the Station to remain on the air and continue to provide service to viewers within its service area. Given that the Licensee proposes to utilize its currently licensed parameters, we believe VHF channel 10 can be substituted for UHF channel 20 at Elko as proposed, in compliance with the principal community coverage requirements of Sec. 73.618(a) of the Commission's rules.
2026-16266, Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program
In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended ("Privacy Act"), this document announces a new computer matching program the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission or Agency) and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will conduct with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of this matching program is to verify the eligibility of applicants to and subscribers of Lifeline, which is administered by USAC under the direction of the FCC. More information about this program is provided in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.
2026-16197, Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through the Equipment Authorization Program
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) issues a Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on a broad set of additional measures to strengthen the security and integrity of its equipment authorization program. The measures include bifurcating the Covered List into producer/provider-based and production location-based categories; addressing "white labeling" of covered equipment; hardware and software bill of materials (HBOM/SBOM) disclosure requirements; further prohibitions or presumptions against authorizing equipment containing Covered List components or software; certification requirements for devices in Covered List sectors; reforms to equipment importation, marketing, and pre-authorization operation rules; restrictions on use of the FCC logo; streamlined revocation procedures; codification of permissive-change waivers for software, firmware, and hardware updates to covered equipment; codified definitions for UAS, UAS critical components, and routers; term limits on equipment authorizations; registration of Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) devices; modernization of the Commission's equipment authorization database; updates to submarine cable Covered List rules; and a proposal to require a U.S.-based liable party for FCC-certified equipment.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-16298, Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information collection burden on 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 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.
Next: 2026-16300, Proposed Collection; 60-Day Comment Request Generic Clearance for the Collection of Customer Participation and Performance Management With NIH Programs, Products, and Services (Office of the Director)
In compliance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 to provide an opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.