FCC’s Powell Resigns
| FROM FMQB: |
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| One day after George Bush took the oath of office for his second term as President of the United States, various sources are reporting that FCC Chairman Michael Powell is planning to resign today after four years at the helm. Previous speculation on a reason for a possible Powell resignation centered on his exploring a run for governor of Virginia. He was appointed an FCC commissioner in 1997 by President Bill Clinton. So who could possibly replace Powell at the head of the FCC? The Wall Street Journal speculates that Commissioner Kevin Martin, former Texas Public Utility Commission leader Becky Klein, the NTIA’s Michael Gallagher, telecom consultant Janice Obuchowski, ex-ICC Chairman Darius Gaskins and former Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jim Miller could all be in the mix. Powell’s legacy will likely be the crackdown on allegedly indecent programming that was instigated by Janet Jackson’s nipple being exposed at last year’s Super Bowl. While in his position Powell accomplished the elimination of interference with public safety wireless communications and was an advocate for digital television and broadband Internet expansion." |
