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What Genachowski as FCC Chair Might Mean for Media, Updated

Former FCC chairman Dick Wiley thinks the new expected leader of the FCC, Julius Genachowski, will build a commission that is tough on media mergers and acquisitions.

Wiley, now a partner at law firm Wiley Rein, believes Genachowski’s focus will be on broadband, technology innovation and net neutrality, according to Adweek. Wiley says Genachowski is exactly what is needed at the FCC right now, and hopes he won’t undertake new regulatory endeavors.

paidContent also speculates that Genachowski will be in favor of network neutrality - and in favor of postponing the Feb. 17 transition to DTV.

Stifel and Nicolaus analysts David Kaut and Rebecca Arbogast said (via Multichannel News), “We would expect Genachowski to pursue the Obama communications agenda [which he helped develop] of promoting greater broadband deployment and access, an open internet and network neutrality, competition and innovation, and media diversity, among other broad goals.”

Industry watchers also speculate that Genachowski was involved in advising Obama to request a delay on the DTV transition. The switch will affect 20 million customers whose TVs still operate via analog over-the-air signals.

Broadcasters hope Genachowski will take a more moderate approach to enforcement of indecency standards, according to the Wall Street Journal, while the National Association of Broadcasters called him a “superb” choice.

Julius Genachowski served as law clerk at the Supreme Court from 1992 to 1994, followed by an executive position at InterActive Corp. — the parent company of Ask.com — from 1997 to 2005. He also held a handful of positions at the FCC during the Clinton Administration, writes MarketingVOX.

Genachowski is already a member of Obama’s advisement team and was considered a front-runner for FCC Chairman prior to this news. He and Obama were friends at Harvard Law, where both graduated in the class of ‘91.

The FCC’s primary task is to oversee U.S. telecommunications regulation and policy. Its jurisdiction includes TV and cable companies, auctioning public airwaves, and ensuring sufficient competition in radio and television outlets.

In a YouTube address, the President Elect divulged his ambition that “every child” be given the chance to go online during Obama’s time in office. These aspirations appear to fall in line with a condition the FCC put on the sale of certain public airwaves last year: that whomever wins the airwaves must provide free internet access nationwide.

Plans to conduct the auction were delayed until the Obama Administration takes office.