SpectrumTalk

Comm. McDowell Renominated

Yesterday the White House has announced its intention to re-nominate Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell for a new five-year term at FCC.

Acting Chairman Copps stated,

I congratulate my colleague and friend Rob McDowell on the announcement that President Obama intends to nominate him for another term at the FCC. I am truly delighted that he will continue on as a fellow Commissioner. Since becoming Acting Chairman several months ago, I appreciate more than ever Rob's collegiality, his openness, his creative intellect, and the deep sense of purpose he brings to his work. I especially want to thank him for all the talent and energy he has brought to our work on next week's DTV transition. He has traveled near and far to help consumers prepare and he has done an outstanding job in helping us deploy an extensive
DTV Call Center operation.

Broadcasting & Cable pointed out

If the Republicans have settled on the other Republican seat--former NTIA acting head Meredith Attwell Baker is thought to be the choice--that could pave the way for the scheduling of nomination hearings for Democrat chairman-designate Julius Genachowski and Mignon Clyburn, a South Carolina utility commissioner. Republican leaders were widely thought to be intent on picking the Republicans before moving on the Democratic choices.

So finally FCC might be able to start addressing other issues besides DTV in the next month or two.

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McDowell bio from White House:

Commissioner McDowell brings to the FCC approximately sixteen years of private sector experience in the communications industry. Immediately prior to joining the FCC, Commissioner McDowell was a senior executive for a trade association representing competitive facilities-based telecommunications service providers. McDowell was graduated cum laude from Duke University in 1985. After serving as chief legislative aide to a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, he attended the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary. Upon his graduation from law school, McDowell joined the Washington, D.C., office of Arter & Hadden, a national law firm based in Cleveland. McDowell is admitted to practice law before the courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia, First, Fourth and Fifth Circuits and the U.S. Supreme Court.