Despite concerns on lack of U.S. preparedness for the recent prep meeting for the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (see 1903010042), FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said Monday the U.S. will be ready and should win on the most important points. “Stay tuned” and concerns will be addressed soon, he said during a lunch speech at Wiley Rein: “Government being as it can be, it does take a little bit longer than you would like.” O’Rielly said emphatically the Trump administration will never launch a government 5G network.
The FCC is on track to issue a reimbursement plan for low-power TV, translators and FM stations in March, said industry lawyers. A public notice and progress report Monday announced allocation of additional repacking funds and reported the repacking is “ahead of schedule.” Broadcast officials told the Incentive Auction Task Force last week that repacking delays are worsening and could degrade further due to a lack of tower crews (see 1902080059).
Wiley Rein names Jacquelynn Ruff, ex-Verizon, consulting counsel-telecom, media and technology ... Chief Copyright Royalty Judge Suzanne Barnett announces retirement ... Barclays appoints Riaz Ladhabhoy, ex-Deutsche Bank, managing director/co-head of internet banking, Americas, Technology Banking Group ... MediaLink hires Christopher Vollmer, ex-Strategy&, as managing director.
Wiley Rein hires Scott Wilkens, ex-Jenner & Block, as partner-telecom, media and technology ... Apple adds retail to Senior Vice President-People Deirdre O’Brien’s responsibilities as Senior Vice President-Retail Angela Ahrendts departs in April for personal and professional pursuits ... E.W. Scripps announces Kara McNeely, from KABC Los Angeles, as vice president-general manager, Arizona’s KGUN Tucson and KWBA Sierra Vista, effective March 4.
Experts doubt the partial federal shutdown and looming threat of another will mean more worker turnover in coming months at the FCC and other agencies. That's especially among professionals ranks such as engineers and lawyers. Others are less sure.
Some on the FCC eighth floor remained active during the partial federal shutdown, according to commissioners and judging by ex parte filings and social media. Some worry about what any resumption of the partial federal shutdown next month could mean for progress on issues before the agency. The commissioners had a handful of ex parte conversations during the shutdown, and most were active on Twitter throughout.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's decision to move up a Feb. 21 monthly meeting to Feb. 14 was welcomed, given potential for another shutdown after Feb. 15 (see 1901290014). Pai announced Tuesday the tentative agenda would be the same five drafts originally planned for Wednesday's meeting, now item-less due to the recent shutdown (see 1901230058). Separately, the FCC delayed to Feb. 8 deadlines on many filings due Jan. 8-Feb. 7 (see 1901290043).
The full federal government got back to work Monday, after a prolonged partial shutdown that shuttered the FCC, FTC, NTIA and other agencies overseeing communications policy. Incoming FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks will be sworn in Wednesday by Chairman Ajit Pai in an eighth-floor conference room and will participate in the commissioners’ meeting that follows, said industry officials. President Donald Trump signed off Friday on a continuing resolution to reopen the FCC and other shuttered agencies through Feb. 15, after the House passed the measure as expected (see 1901240016).
The partial federal shutdown isn’t affecting the repacking directly. But inability to get transaction applications and other non-auction filings processed is making things tough for some broadcasters, lawyers and industry officials told us.
Venable hires for legislative and government affairs practice: Anne Kierig, ex-DLA Piper, as counsel-cybersecurity and privacy; Steve Vest, ex-Time Warner, as senior policy adviser; and Nick Choate, ex-Office of former Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., as policy adviser-telecom, cybersecurity and technology ... Duane Morris taps Kevin Anderson, ex-Wiley Rein, as partner-intellectual property.