The brief, ridiculously productive reign of FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn

[Commentary] The Federal Communications Commission’s position between serving the public versus feeling pressure to meet the demands of large corporations results in things not always getting done in a timely fashion. And when they do, the decisions made don’t necessarily have citizens foremost in mind. That’s what has made FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn’s fleeting moment in the chairperson’s seat such a refreshing change of pace.

Tapped to lead the FCC in the gap between Julius Genachowski’s departure and former lobbyist Tom Wheeler’s confirmation, she didn't just sit back and keep the seat warm for Wheeler. Instead, she used the opportunity to launch two hugely important new blocks of wireless spectrum, fix a long-running technical problem between AT&T's network and smaller carriers, and close one of the biggest telecommunications deals in history -- all while dealing with an unprecedented 16-day government shutdown. Commissioner Clyburn also oversaw the creation of new rules for phone calls that inmates make from prisons, the culmination of a decade-long fight with service providers where monopolies and a captive audience (literally) have led to absurdly high rates -- rates that, as the FCC pointed out in an August ruling, prevented some low-income families from staying connected. And with just days to go until Wheeler’s swearing in to office, Clyburn oversaw a set of actions aimed at completely overhauling (and saving) AM radio, and -- practically on her way out of the door -- a proposal to dump federal sports blackout rules, the bane of TV-watching football and baseball fans everywhere. While the jury is still out on how Wheeler will shape the country’s telecom policy, Chairwoman Clyburn -- much to the delight of many -- remains on board as a commissioner until 2017. And her industrious moment at the helm hasn’t been lost on DC insiders.

"In her short stint as the chair of the FCC, Clyburn worked to further the public interest and protect consumers," Public Knowledge said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing our work with Clyburn as she resumes her position as a commissioner of the FCC."