FCC Transition May Be a Bloodless One

Despite a scathing assessment of the Federal Communications Commission, it appears it won't result in any quick congressional restructuring of the agency. The result of a Congressional investigation faulted how FCC Chairman Kevin martin runs the agency, but a new chairman will be tapped by incoming-President Barack Obama. It is expected the Obama administration's FCC appointee will be making most of the desired changes at the FCC; and the congressional committees overseeing the FCC may have other priorities. On the House side, Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) will focus on healthcare and energy reform. It is unclear if Telecommunications Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) will keep his post -- a vote will not take place until January. On the Senate side, incoming Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller has announced his agenda.