FCC Chief Michael Powell Quits
01-21-05, 09:33 AM
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FCC Chief Michael Powell Quits
I had no idea he was Colin Powell's son.
Just posted on MSNBC:
NEW YORK - Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell will step down from his post Friday, CNBC confirmed.
The 41-year-old Republican is expected to officially announce his resignation later Friday. He led the regulatory agency for four years.
Early Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported The FCC top man — son of outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell — would step down. The editorial cited no reason, nor did it name a source for the information.
Appointed chairman by President George W. Bush in 2001, Powell suffered several defeats, including a failed effort to relax regulations restricting television and radio ownership and a revolt by fellow Republican Commissioner Kevin Martin who voted against his plan to ease local telephone network sharing rules.
Among bright spots, he shepherded through a plan to eliminate interference with public safety wireless communications, advanced the transition to higher-quality digital television and promoted high-speed Internet service.
Lately, the FCC under Powell was perhaps best known for cracking down on indecent antics on television and radio, sparked by pop singer Janet Jackson exposing her bare breast during the Super Bowl football game last year.
The FCC chairman has received praise from most companies for his deregulatory approach. However, consumer groups have criticized him for attempting to allow media conglomerates to grow bigger and reducing competition among wireless providers.
Powell, son of retiring Secretary of State Colin Powell, had planned on following his father’s military career, entering the U.S. Army. But, a jeep accident in Germany in 1987 almost killed him, requiring 18 units of blood during extensive surgery in which doctors almost left him for dead.
After a long rehabilitation, he went to law school, clerked for a federal judge, became chief of staff at the Justice Department’s antitrust division, and was appointed in 1997 as an FCC commissioner by then-President Bill Clinton.
Just posted on MSNBC:
NEW YORK - Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell will step down from his post Friday, CNBC confirmed.
The 41-year-old Republican is expected to officially announce his resignation later Friday. He led the regulatory agency for four years.
Early Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported The FCC top man — son of outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell — would step down. The editorial cited no reason, nor did it name a source for the information.
Appointed chairman by President George W. Bush in 2001, Powell suffered several defeats, including a failed effort to relax regulations restricting television and radio ownership and a revolt by fellow Republican Commissioner Kevin Martin who voted against his plan to ease local telephone network sharing rules.
Among bright spots, he shepherded through a plan to eliminate interference with public safety wireless communications, advanced the transition to higher-quality digital television and promoted high-speed Internet service.
Lately, the FCC under Powell was perhaps best known for cracking down on indecent antics on television and radio, sparked by pop singer Janet Jackson exposing her bare breast during the Super Bowl football game last year.
The FCC chairman has received praise from most companies for his deregulatory approach. However, consumer groups have criticized him for attempting to allow media conglomerates to grow bigger and reducing competition among wireless providers.
Powell, son of retiring Secretary of State Colin Powell, had planned on following his father’s military career, entering the U.S. Army. But, a jeep accident in Germany in 1987 almost killed him, requiring 18 units of blood during extensive surgery in which doctors almost left him for dead.
After a long rehabilitation, he went to law school, clerked for a federal judge, became chief of staff at the Justice Department’s antitrust division, and was appointed in 1997 as an FCC commissioner by then-President Bill Clinton.
01-21-05, 09:38 AM
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This made my day. Although, I would have rather seen him resign in disgrace after the press discovered a hooker in his room while watching Nip/tuck.
Unfortunately, I don't see things changing much under new leadership.
Unfortunately, I don't see things changing much under new leadership.
01-21-05, 09:44 AM
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I don't think anything is going to change. Michael Powell was just the head of the commitee. It's not like he had a lot of opposition in the fcc about the after effects of the janet jackson incident. I fear we'll get someone worse, although I don't know how they could censor anything worse then they already have. I guess the next logical step is that you won't be able to say pregnant on tv and couples will have to sleep in seperate beds.
01-21-05, 10:24 AM
#10
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Originally Posted by raven56706
nothing is going to change people.... he doesnt make the ultimate decision.... a panel does....
this does nothing
this does nothing
01-21-05, 10:36 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by raven56706
nothing is going to change people.... he doesnt make the ultimate decision.... a panel does....
this does nothing
this does nothing
Rev. Phelps anyone? Maybe Jerry Falwell?
01-21-05, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel
In addition, with the current state of the administration, we'll probably get someone twice as worse....
Rev. Phelps anyone? Maybe Jerry Falwell?
Rev. Phelps anyone? Maybe Jerry Falwell?
01-21-05, 01:12 PM
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When I first saw Michael Powell in an interview, on the Screensavers (how I miss that show), he seemed like a decent enough guy.
I was listening to a radio interview with Penn (of Penn and Teller) this morning when the news broke and he stated that he thought Powell had stood up for a lot of free speech before being appointed head of the FCC, and that Powell had at one point mentioned that the Supreme Court should be the ones to step in and stop them (the FCC). It didn't seem like Penn was joking either...
In any case, I don't see Powell as being the driving force behind all the complaints people have against the FCC, but more of the pubic spokesman, and I doubt much will change.
I was listening to a radio interview with Penn (of Penn and Teller) this morning when the news broke and he stated that he thought Powell had stood up for a lot of free speech before being appointed head of the FCC, and that Powell had at one point mentioned that the Supreme Court should be the ones to step in and stop them (the FCC). It didn't seem like Penn was joking either...
In any case, I don't see Powell as being the driving force behind all the complaints people have against the FCC, but more of the pubic spokesman, and I doubt much will change.
01-21-05, 01:28 PM
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The Inquisition (what a show)
The Inquistion (here we go)
We know you're wishin' that we'd go away.
But the Inquisition's here and it's here to stay!
The Inquistion (here we go)
We know you're wishin' that we'd go away.
But the Inquisition's here and it's here to stay!
01-22-05, 01:31 AM
#20
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Originally Posted by fujishig
When I first saw Michael Powell in an interview, on the Screensavers (how I miss that show), he seemed like a decent enough guy.
I was listening to a radio interview with Penn (of Penn and Teller) this morning when the news broke and he stated that he thought Powell had stood up for a lot of free speech before being appointed head of the FCC, and that Powell had at one point mentioned that the Supreme Court should be the ones to step in and stop them (the FCC). It didn't seem like Penn was joking either...
In any case, I don't see Powell as being the driving force behind all the complaints people have against the FCC, but more of the pubic spokesman, and I doubt much will change.
I was listening to a radio interview with Penn (of Penn and Teller) this morning when the news broke and he stated that he thought Powell had stood up for a lot of free speech before being appointed head of the FCC, and that Powell had at one point mentioned that the Supreme Court should be the ones to step in and stop them (the FCC). It didn't seem like Penn was joking either...
In any case, I don't see Powell as being the driving force behind all the complaints people have against the FCC, but more of the pubic spokesman, and I doubt much will change.
He's only one man, but he must have had some kind of authority to appoint like minded officials to his organization....unless it was not his choice.
01-22-05, 05:56 AM
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Powell was put in during Clinton's administration. He was there pre-Bush so the "when in Rome" thing makes some sense.
01-22-05, 08:22 AM
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This changes nothing. Powell hasn't been the driving force behind the FCC fines, his largest 'contribution' to the FCC has been in the field of de-regulation, not decency.
