Comm. Martin Seen as Leading Contender to Succeed FCC Chairman Powell

Resigned FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell

Washington DC, Jan. 24/Satnews Daily/— Commissioner Kevin J. Martin is widely believed to top a short list of candidates to succeed Federal Communications Commission chairman Michael K. Powell, reports say.

Before his appointment to the FCC, Kevin J. Martin worked for the Bush-Cheney transition team. At FCC, Commissioner Martin is known to sometimes clash with Powell, voting against his plan to ease local telephone network sharing rules.

Others in the short list include President Bush allies Pat Wood and Rebecca A. Klein, according to an LA Times report.
 

On Friday, Powell announced his resignation as FCC chairman effective on March, after serving FCC for eight year. In his letter to the President, Powell said it was time for him to pursue other opportunities. During his tenure, Powell said FCC worked to get the law right in order to stimulate innovative technology that puts more power in the hands of the American people, giving them greater choices that enrich their lives. 

“The seeds of our policies are taking firm root in the marketplace and are starting to blossom. The use of cell phones, digital televisions, personal video recorders, and digital music players, is exploding. These devices are increasingly connected anytime, anywhere by a wide variety of broadband networks enabling a host of competitive services and new applications. Our children will inherit this exciting future,” he said.

The 41-year-old Republican son of retiring Secretary of State Colin Powell was appointed to the FCC in 1997 by President Clinton, and was selected by President Bush in 2001 to serve as chairman.

Reacting on Powell’s resignation, the Satellite Industry Association praised him for protecting the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure through his support for the FCC’s Homeland Security Policy Council, Media Security and Reliability Council, and Network Reliability and Interoperability Council. Under Powell’s leadership, the commercial satellite industry was represented on each of these councils, and for the first time ever on the NRIC.

The United States ITU Association said Powell demonstrated a great commitment to telecommunication issues, both domestic and international. “During his term as chairman, the FCC has successfully participated in numerous major ITU Conferences and Assemblies, including the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference, and the 2004 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly, which have greatly benefited the American public," said USITUA Chairman Ben Fisher.
 

Contenders Klein and Wood formerly headed the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Wood, appointed by then-Gov. Bush, is now chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Klein replaced Wood on the Texas agency.

LA Times said Martin appeared to follow a more stringent deregulatory path than Powell, yet in others he can be more bent on using regulation to achieve results. The report said Martin is considered more hard-line on indecency issues than Powell, who has drawn fire from broadcast executives for taking them to task for sexually explicit content.

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