PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: https://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 17-1239 Released: December 22, 2017 NOTICE OF EFFECTIVE DATE FOR CLOSED CAPTIONING RULES SUBJECT TO THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT CG Docket No. 05-231 On February 19, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amended the Commission’s rules to allocate the responsibilities of video programming distributors and video programmers with respect to the provision and quality of closed captioning. 1 Among other things, the Commission revised the procedures for receiving, serving, and addressing closed captioning complaints and established a compliance ladder for the closed captioning quality requirements, by amending sections 79.1(g), (i), and (j) of the rules. 2 These rule amendments resulted in modified information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 3 The effective date for these rules is based on publication in the Federal Register of a notice announcing approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the modified information collection requirements. Such notice was published in the Federal Register on December 22, 2017, specifying that the rules were effective immediately. 4 To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), (844) 432-2275 (videophone), or 202-418-0432 (TTY). For further information regarding this proceeding, please contact Eliot Greenwald, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Disability Rights Office at (202) 418-2235, or email Eliot.Greenwald@fcc.gov. -FCC- 1 Closed Captioning of Video Programming; Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc, Petition for Rulemaking, Second Report and Order, 31 FCC Rcd 1469 (2016) (Closed Captioning Second Report and Order). 2 See 47 CFR § 79.1(g)(1)-(9), (i)(1)-(2), (j)(4); Closed Captioning Second Report and Order, 31 FCC Rcd at 1493- 1509, paras. 44-76. 3 Pub. L. No. 104-13, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified at 44 U.S.C. §§ 3501-3520). On December 4, 2017, the Commission received OMB approval for the information collection requirements contained in 47 CFR § 79.1(g)(1)- (9), (i)(1)-(3), (j)(1), (k)(1)(iv), and (m), and the removal of 47 CFR § 79.1(j)(4). The amendments to section 79.1(i)(3), (j)(1), (k)(1)(iv), and (m), which require video programmer registration and certification of compliance, will become effective at a later time, and the Commission will publish another document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those sections. Until the new video programmer registration and certification of compliance requirements take effect, section 79.1(j)(1) and (k)(1)(iv), which requires video programming distributors to exercise best efforts to obtain certifications of compliance from video programmers and requires video programmers adopting Best Practices to certify to video programming distributors regarding adherence to Best Practices and to make those certifications widely available, remain in effect. 4 Federal Communications Commission, Closed Captioning of Video Programming; Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., Petition for Rulemaking, 82 Fed. Reg. 60679 (Dec. 22, 2017).