As interim chair of the FCC, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn would likely take on a number of issues, starting with her big issue of late, prison calling, FCC and industry officials said last week. Another big issue for Clyburn has been 700 MHz interoperability, but how much she would be able to do on that with a 2-1 commission is unclear. A former top FCC official said Clyburn’s staff should already be looking around for a few issues on which she can make her mark as the first woman to head the agency.
Tom Wheeler, considered the frontrunner to be the next FCC chairman, saw his candidacy hit two potential roadblocks this week. Thirty-seven Senators, led by Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, asked President Barack Obama to name Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel as chairman. Fifteen public interest groups, led by the New America Foundation, released a letter Wednesday calling Obama to nominate a public interest advocate instead of Wheeler, former president of NCTA and CTIA. The public interest group letter was expected (CD March 27 p6), but industry officials said the senators’ letter was a surprise.
It’s unclear how a deal to consolidate control of Verizon Wireless would change the overall dynamics of the market, industry experts told us Monday following renewed speculation that Verizon Communications was more seriously considering options for acquiring Vodafone’s 45 percent ownership of the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier.
Public interest groups are expressing some concerns about the potential appointment of Tom Wheeler as the next chairman of the FCC, replacing Julius Genachowski (CD March 25 p1). At least one official has signaled to the White House public interest groups could live with the choice, sector officials said Monday. Wheeler, 66, managing partner at Core Capital Partners, was president of CTIA from 1992 to 2003 and CEO of NCTA from 1979-1984.
Public interest groups are expressing some concerns about the potential appointment of Tom Wheeler as the next chairman of the FCC, replacing Julius Genachowski (CD March 25 p1). At least one official has signaled to the White House public interest groups could live with the choice, sector officials said Monday. Wheeler, 66, managing partner at Core Capital Partners, was president of CTIA from 1992 to 2003 and CEO of NCTA from 1979-1984.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said Friday he will leave the FCC in a matter of weeks. Industry officials told us they expect an announcement from the White House as early as this week on a replacement, with former CTIA and NCTA President Tom Wheeler still considered the likely front runner. In the interim, industry and government officials expect the White House to designate Commissioner Mignon Clyburn as the first woman to chair the commission, until a new permanent chairman is confirmed and in place.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said Friday he will leave the FCC in a matter of weeks. Industry officials told us they expect an announcement from the White House as early as this week on a replacement, with former CTIA and NCTA President Tom Wheeler still considered the likely front runner. In the interim, industry and government officials expect the White House to designate Commissioner Mignon Clyburn as the first woman to chair the commission, until a new permanent chairman is confirmed and in place.
Similar to the first comment round, reply comments on rules for an incentive auction of broadcast TV spectrum found deep divisions among almost 100 parties that weighed in. There has been general agreement that the FCC’s proposed band plan needs major revision (CD Jan 29 p1). But there has been little consensus on answers to many of the questions raised by the FCC in a Sept. 28 NPRM.
Among other recent (CD March 12 p16) promotions at Intelsat: Michelle Bryan to executive vice president, general counsel and chief administrative officer, effective March 18, succeeding General Counsel Phillip Spector, who joins the board effective April 1; and Thierry Guillemin to EVP and chief technical officer … Viacom’s Nickelodeon promotes Joel Fisher to vice president-music and talent operations …Public Knowledge hires as campaign manager Sean Meloy, ex-campaign of Democrat Kristin Cabral, unsuccessful challenger to Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va. … Cablevision promotes Gregg Seibert to vice chairman, and he remains chief financial officer … Goodman Networks wireless telecom firm hires Scott Willis, ex-Ericsson, as executive vice president-sales and business development … LIN Media hires Craig Ellish, ex-Specific Media/MySpace, as vice president-sales and publisher development, LIN Mobile.
Pressure appears to now be off President Barack Obama to appoint the first woman as chair of the FCC after Chairman Julius Genachowski leaves the agency. Obama on Monday nominated two more women to prominent positions -- Gina McCarthy as administrator of the EPA and Sylvia Mathews Burwell to head the Office of Management and Budget, both cabinet-level appointments. Last week Obama designated Edith Ramirez as chair of the FTC. Numerous industry officials told us in recent days former CTIA President Tom Wheeler has emerged as the consensus front runner for chairman, with Karen Kornbluh, ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the likely choice if Wheeler’s nomination falters. NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling still remains in the mix, officials said. A top communications lawyer said Wheeler does seem to be the likely choice. “I think there’s some legitimate feel [to the rumor] but sort of with the grain of salt it could just be head fakes,” the lawyer said. “I think there’s a lot less pressure now because [Obama] has appointed more women, there’s no question about that,” said another industry lawyer. Wheeler is the former president of NCTA and CTIA and current chairman of the FCC Technological Advisory Council. He became managing director of Core Capital Partners, a venture capital firm, after leaving the FCC advisory group and is widely considered to be close to Genachowski. “Where, as here, the process is very secretive, there is a tendency to overdo the psychoanalysis,” said communications lawyer Andrew Schwartzman. “Sure, having made a number of female appointments, there may be less pressure to appoint a woman to the FCC. But there are much more important considerations at play, so that may not mean too much.”