WASHINGTON-In his last appearance Nov. 3 at the front of the Federal Communications Commission’s eighth-floor meeting room, outgoing Chairman Reed Hundt said to a packed house closed to outsiders, “It’s been a long and hard road with joy and a lot of successes.”
Hundt, who had been serving on borrowed time since announcing his early resignation last spring and who had just sworn in his successor and protege Bill Kennard, remembered that one Southern governor had only one piece of advice to give him: “Be bold.” And so he thanked both his closest associates and the FCC’s rank and file for their boldness during his tenure. He also reminded the new regime they need to continue help the agency “go the right way.”
The torch was passed quickly once the Senate confirmed Kennard and his fellow commissioners Harold Furchtgott-Roth, Gloria Tristani and Michael Powell fewer than two weeks ago. After Kennard’s informal swearing-in, the new chairman did the honors for Furchtgott-Roth while continuing commissioner Susan Ness administered the oath of office to Powell and Tristani.
Praising the new chairman, Hundt said, “Four years ago, I was impressed with Bill’s wisdom and vision, and I was blessed when he agreed to be general counsel.”
Upon receiving a ceremonial key to his new office, Kennard quipped, “I heard rumors for the last three-and-one-half years about an executive washroom on the eighth floor, and now I have the key to it.” On a more serious note, the chairman outlined the challenges ahead, including continued implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, an increased push for industry competition to make sure “that technology truly changes everyone’s life.”
In a press conference following the private gathering, Kennard told reporters that his top priority “is to serve the American people in the best way I can and to faithfully implement the laws Congress has passed.” To do so, Kennard said he would be following the three Cs: competition, community and common sense.
“I want to arrive at the day when the marketplace, not monopolies, make decisions for consumers,” he said. “It is vitally important for this agency to ensure that the power of technology is realized in everyone’s mind. We must find practical solutions for the problems we face, we must regulate only when necessary and we must eliminate obsolete rules.”
While saying he was in “listening mode” regarding many of the pending issues he inherited from Hundt, Kennard did say that two of the first items the new panel will address Nov. 25 have to do with the upcoming implementation of the World Trade Organization agreement, which takes effect Jan. 1.
Kennard was less specific about how fast he would be handling long-languishing wireless issues. Focusing instead on more recent developments, with petitions for reconsideration regarding adoption of the C-block personal communications services financial restructuring plan due Nov. 24, Kennard said it would be devastating if more licensees were to opt for bankruptcy. It seemed like he would be open to new suggestions on that front. He also said he was committed to working with state and local jurisdictions on tower-siting issues, and that pre-emption was only a last resort.
