1998 Biennial Regulatory ReviewStreamlining of Mass Media Applications, Rules, and Processes; Policies and Rules Regarding Minority and Female Ownership of Mass Media Facilities

In this Report and Order, the Commission adopts an electronic filing mandate for 15 Mass Media Bureau broadcast application and reporting forms, including sales forms and applications for new commercial stations and modifications to licensed facilities, after a phase in period. In conjunction with electronic filing, the Commission revises the requirements for extending the construction periods of broadcast stations, for selling unbuilt construction permits and for submitting ownership reports for commercial and noncommercial stations. The Commission also modifies the reporting requirements on the Annual Ownership Report form to include a section on the race and gender of individuals with attributable interests in broadcast licensees. Finally, the Commission institutes a formal program of both pre-and post-application grant random audits. The Commission is implementing the changes to eliminate rules and revise procedures that consume significant staff resources, create excessive filing burdens, and/or do not sufficiently advance key regulatory objectives. The intended effect of the changes is to reduce filing burdens and increase the efficiency of application processing while preserving the public's ability to fully participate in Commission broadcast licensing processes. This Report and Order contains modified information collections subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA''), Public Law 104-13, and has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review under section 3507(d) of the PRA.