Communications lawyers on Washington Legal Foundation panel on FCC and Communications Policy split 2-2 on whether major revamp of FCC is needed immediately. “It’s hard to disagree about the need to overhaul the FCC,” according to attorney Nick Allard of Latham & Watkins. Moderator and former FCC Chmn. Richard Wiley did disagree, sharply, with Allard -- who called for abolishing 4 of 5 commission seats and actively involving Commerce Dept. and NTIA in regulation of various communications industries. What FCC needs, countered Wiley, is more delegation of authority to staff and more rapid decisions -- something that can be accomplished with present structure -- and “Chmn. Powell can get it done.” Because of Congressional respect for Powell, any agency reform “is going to come first from the FCC itself,” rather than from Hill, Wiley predicted. Panelist Charles Kennedy of Morrison & Foerster generally agreed with Allard, while David Poe of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae partly sided with Wiley. Commission doesn’t need revamping for short term, Poe said, but major overhaul may be necessary in long term. Kennedy said FCC operations were “outmoded… We are going to have to make some fundamental changes… if things don’t turn around.” Allard listed 10 questions that must be answered on FCC’s future, including whether competition was prerequisite for deregulation or was it other way around and did Commission’s current organizational structure make sense. Poe said Powell had shown “he’s not afraid to grapple” with tough issues and that there are many “ambiguities and contradictions” in 1996 Telecom Act. “Statutory reform” of FCC is needed, he said, but it will be very hard to get Congress to pass legislation on issue. On digital TV, Poe said FCC had tried to push broadcasters into new technology but “you can’t make a market if the market isn’t there.”
Former Secy. of Treasury Robert Rubin, now chmn. of Citigroup Exec. Committee, will keynote and FCC Chmn. Powell will be luncheon speaker for “The Big Picture 2001” conference April 3 in N.Y. Conference, co-sponsored by Salomon Smith Barney and Bcstg. & Cable magazine, also will feature interview with AOL Time Warner Chmn. Stephen Case and CEO Gerald Levin, conducted by David Frost. Panel (moderated by NBC anchor Tom Brokaw) titled “The Internet One Year After the Crash” will include Richard Balluzzo of Microsoft, Martin Nisenholtz of N.Y. Times Digital, Thomas Rogers of Primemedia, Barry Schuler of America OnLine and Jeff Taylor from Monster.com. Other conference speakers include News Corp. Pres. Peter Chernin, Hughes Exec. Vp Eddy Hartenstein, Cox Communications Pres. James Robbins, Sony of America Chmn. Howard Stringer, NBC Pres. Robert Wright, Washington attorney and ex-FCC Chmn. Richard Wiley, Viacom Pres. Mel Karmazin, CBS TV Pres. Leslie Moonves.
Lisa Hook advanced to pres., AOL Mobile, replacing Dennis Patrick, who becomes senior adviser to AOL CEO Barry Schuler… Gordon Maxson, dir.-regulatory affairs for 41 years at GTE and then Verizon, retires March 30… Jon Hymes, ex-Comsat dir.- congressional relations, named vp, Susan Davis International, PR firm… Andrew McBride, ex-Cooper, Carvin & Rosenthal, named partner, Wiley, Rein & Fielding… Jay Levine, ex-AOL Time Warner, appointed vp-deputy controller, Warner Music Group… Ileen Reich, ex-New Line Cinema, named senior vp-publicity, Columbia Tristar Worldwide Mktg… Jean Stock, pres., Canal France International, appointed secy. gen., European Bcstg. Union, replacing Jean- Bernard Muench.
Peter Shields, Wiley, Rein & Fielding, named pres.-elect, Federal Communications Bar Assn… Peter Davidson, ex-Qwest, named gen. counsel, U.S. Trade Representative… Ex-FCC Gen. Counsel Christopher Wright will move to Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis April 2 to head its appellate practice… Andrew Fessel, ex-Jupiter Media Metrix, appointed vp-wireless Internet intelligence, Telephia… Changes at BigBand Networks: James Rodgers, ex- PowerTV, named COO; Ed Thompson, ex-Harmonic, appointed vp- business development for cable networks; Michael Taylor, ex- nCube, named vp-business development for IP networks… James Jochum, Accenture, nominated by President Bush to be Asst. Secy. of Commerce for Export Administration… Promotions WFYI Indianapolis TelePlex: Jeanelle Adamak and Alan Cloe advanced to exec. vps; Steve Jensen promoted to vp-engineering; James Duvall steps up vp-audio services and radio station mgr.; Gail Thomas- Strong moves up to dir.-learning services; Donald Newman promoted to dir.-Ind. Reading & Information Services; Thomas Ewing advanced to dir.-corporate development… Julie Roth, ex-Motorola, appointed vp-mktg., U.S. Wireless… Marianne Goode, ex-Rondor, joins Lifetime TV as vp-music… David Lazzo, ex-KCFX-FM Kansas City, named midwest account executive, Fox Sports Net… Robert Acquaotta, ex-Sesame Workshop, named dir.-online sales, American Baby Group, Primedia Consumer Magazines… Michael Yudin, ex- Telescene Entertainment, named pres., Magnum Productions unit of Magnum Sports & Entertainment.
U.S. Copyright Office (CO) expects to open inquiry into copyright compulsory licensing for streaming media within next week, said CO attorney Bill Roberts. Inquiry is first step in potentially setting rules that will “determine a lot of how music is delivered in the future over the Internet,” Roberts told Precursor Group conference in Washington Fri. CO expects to allow about 45 days for comments, 30 days for replies, then decide whether to proceed to rulemaking or issue final rule, he said.
In his first meeting with reporters as FCC chmn., Michael Powell was very upfront on several issues -- such as consumer protection, cable rates and 35% TV station ownership cap -- which has lead to both praise and criticism for positions he took (CD Feb 7 p2). On plus side, NBC Washington Vp Robert Okun predicted Powell would be “an assertive chairman with a market-oriented agenda, which is very refreshing.” Washington attorney Richard Wiley, who chaired FCC 1974-1977, called Powell’s statements “very learned, very erudite… He laid out his philosophy in very candid terms.”
Look for new FCC Chmn. Powell to act fairly early in his tenure to institute measures to improve Commission’s operations, his senior adviser Peter Tenhula said Thurs. at ComNet’s annual “Town Meeting” panel moderated by attorney Richard Wiley. Asked by Wiley what regulatory initiatives Powell would undertake first, Tenhula said question was hard to answer because Powell’s first priority may be to improve agency’s operations. He said some 80% of FCC’s agenda is “reactive instead of proactive,” such as responding to petitions for rulemaking or acts of Congress, and Powell thinks agency “should be prepared to act on those quickly and efficiently.” Nearly everyone who came in to see Powell and his staff in his first week complained about “process,” such as delays in getting action or items becoming “stuck” in pipeline, Tenhula said.
Ronald Frieson promoted to chief diversity officer, BellSouth… Dale Hatfield, ex-FCC, named technical adviser, Fantasma Networks… Jeff Bartlett, ex-KHBS Ft. Smith, Ark., and KHOG-TV Fayetteville, Ark., named pres.-gen.mgr., WMUR-TV Manchester, N.H… Gerry Anderson, gen. mgr., Mid-Rivers Telephone Co-op, reelected chmn. of Independent NECA Services (INS), subsidiary of National Exchange Carriers Assn.; Donald Bond, pres.-gen. mgr., Public Service Telephone, named vice chmn., INS board… Promotions at Comcast: Richard Palmer to senior vp- finance and administration, Eastern Div.; Debbie Brodsky to senior dir. of online content, online communications… Len Marino advanced to senior vp-creative services and on-air promotion, Odyssey Network… Barbara Zaneri, ex-USA Bcstg., named senior vp- program planning & acquisitions, TNN… Lorinzo Joyner, ex-deputy Attorney Gen. in N.C. Justice Dept., appointed to serve 6 months remaining in term of N.C. Utilities Comr. William Pittman, who resigned to join Raleigh law firm… Frank Urbany, vp- international affairs, BellSouth, elected chmn., Universal Wireless Communications Consortium… Vicki Lins promoted to senior vp-marketing and communications, Adlink… Douglas Wiley promoted to dir.-govt. relations, Alcatel USA… Linda Marshall advanced to regional vp-midwest region, Nextel… Phil Bond, ex- Information Technology Industry Council, becomes dir.-federal public policy, Hewlett-Packard… Frank Brilliant, ex-BizRate.com, appointed vp-Business Solutions Group, Arch Wireless… Elected to AirFiber board: Brett Helm, pres.-COO, AirFiber; Marcel Gani, CFO, Juniper Networks… William Wiberg, ex-Lucent, becomes general partner, Private Equity Group, Bowman Capital…Neil Cox, pres. of SecurityLink from Ameritech, joins Wireless Online board… Appointed at Pacific Broadband Communications: Sydney Carey, ex-Entera, as CFO; Clint Tripodi, ex-Entera, as vp-human resources.
Telecom officials didn’t get answer from Bush Administration representatives Wed. to question who would be named FCC chmn., and when, we're told. Industry officials, primarily contributors to campaign, met with Bush transition office Wed. afternoon in what was described as “very generic and nonspecific” meeting. Most of attention focused on FCC reform, expediting agency decision-making and similar broad issues, we're told.
Michael Kennedy moves up to dir.-global relations, Motorola… Betsy Kulick, ex-Motient, named dir.-external relations, Final Analysis… John Fiorini, ex-Gardner, Carton & Douglas, appointed partner, Wiley, Rein & Fielding… Nicole Buie, advanced to dir.-research and education, CableRep Adv…Stephen Parker, ex-Russell Reynolds, named managing dir.-information systems and e-commerce, Hailes & Assoc… Jack Zwaska to receive career achievement award to be named after him by Bcst. Cable Financial Management Assn. Jan. 10… Adam Singer, Telewest, appointed non-exec. member of board, QXL ricardo… Jeffrey Liberman advanced to pres.-Radio Div., Entravision Communications, replacing Amador Bustos, who resigned as executive but remains with company… Kay Jackson promoted to dir.-regulatory affairs, Cox Communications… Travis Rutherford, ex-ememories.com, named senior vp, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive, replacing Doug Gleason, resigned… Richard O'Brien, ex-Special Olympics, appointed exec. vp-dir.-govt. relations, American Assn. of Advertising Agencies… Changes at Prodigy Communications: Added to board: Robert McClane, Joseph McKinney and Randall Stephenson; resigned from board: Marc Goldberg and Arturo Elias… Vicki Livingston, ex-Telecorp PCS, named dir.-mktg., Universal Wireless Communications Consortium… William Carey, advanced to pres.- Southwest Tex. Div., Time Warner Cable, replacing Jeffrey King… Peter Uhlmann promoted to chief of staff for Rep. Cox (R-Cal.) from legislative dir., but will continue as principal adviser on Internet and telecom issues.