FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to resign

WASHINGTON, March 22 (UPI) —
U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a note to agency personnel he would retire soon.

The chairman said he would retire “in the coming weeks,” in an announcement that was expected, although the timing of his departure was not previously known, The New York Times reported Friday.

Consumer advocacy organization Public Knowledge said Genachowski’s tenure at the FCC was defined by “missed opportunities.”

With the recent resignation of Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell, the agency will be left with two of five board member jobs unfilled. Of the three remaining commissioners, two are Democrats.

Former FCC Chairman Michael Powell, a Republican, said Genachowski “wisely believed that ubiquitous Internet connectivity would be the defining technology of our day … and his leadership has ensured that America’s robust wired and wireless broadband networks are world class.”