Kevin Martin Resigns
WASHINGTON -- January 15, 2009: FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will resign from the commission on Inauguration Day, January 20, and join the DC-based Aspen Institute as a Senior Fellow.
With the change of administration, President-elect Obama will name a new FCC Chairman -- he is widely rpeorted to have chosen Julius Genachowski, although that is not yet confirmed -- and Martin has elected not to serve the remainder of his FCC term as a commissioner. Fellow Republican Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate has already announced her resignation.
Martin said his philosophy has been "5o pursue deregulation while paying close attention to its impact on consumers and the particulars of a given market, to balance deregulation with consumer protection," and said he "approached his decisions with a fundamental belief that a robust, competitive marketplace, not regulation, is ultimately the best protector of the public interest and the best method of delivering the benefits of choice, innovation, and affordability to American consumers."
In his resignation letter to President Bush, Martin wrote, I have had the privilege of serving at the Federal Communications Commission for almost eight years, including four years as the agency's Chairman. During this period, we have seen a telecommunications industry undergoing rapid and unprecedented change. As a result of the market-oriented and consumer focused policies we have pursued the American people are now reaping the rewards of convergence and the broadband revolution including new and more innovative technologies and services at ever-declining prices."
NAB President/CEO David Rehr said in a statment on Martin's departure, "The FCC chairman's job is one of the most difficult in Washington. On behalf of the broadcast industry, I want to express our thanks to Kevin Martin for his public service. NAB respects Kevin Martin's intellect and his belief in the lifeline role played by local broadcasters. We wish him well."
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