Groups offer their two cents on who should be next FCC chair

Groups are rushing to give President Barack Obama their two cents on who should be the next chair of the Federal Communications Commission following Julius Genachowski’s announcement that he would step down from the post.

Over 25 organizations wrote to Obama on March 26, urging him to appoint a strong public interest advocate to lead the agency, criticizing Genachowski’s tenure. The Administration, the groups said, “must recognize the severe mismanagement and lack of progress that occurred” under Genachowski’s leadership and urged the president to consider someone without strong ties to industry lobbying groups. “We expect that the Administration will put the FCC back on course to do its job for this country and choose a nominee who will protect the future of communications for all,” wrote the groups, which include the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute, Fight for the Future, Free Press Action Fund and Center for Media Justice. Public interest groups are not the only ones weighing in on who should succeed Genachowski.