FCC composition remains murkier than ever

Few probably would have guessed that the telecommunications industry would still be waiting around in late July for the Biden Administration to name a permanent Federal Communications Commission chair, but that’s where things stand. One name that has been floated in recent weeks is that of long-time public activist Gigi Sohn [a senior fellow at the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society], who was on the staff of former Chairman Tom Wheeler and led the consumer group Public Knowledge for more than a decade. While analysts cite Acting FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel as the slight favorite for permanent chair due to her current interim position and Democratic connections, they believe Sohn and Free Press CEO Jessica González are in the mix. A possible compromise scenario would be Rosenworcel for chair and a progressive for the open Democratic seat. Parul Desai, a former FCC staffer with activist roots, may also be a candidate.