Kevin J. Martin, a Republican with pedigree ties to the Bush Administration, has been named the new chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, succeeding Michael Powell.
In 2003, Martin and Chairman Powell famously locked horns over UNE-P — Powell backed the RBOCs that stand against it, but Martin voted to keep it. Powell was roundly criticized when fellow Republican Martin sided with the Democrats.
C/Net reports many of the FCC’s technology-related decisions, such as a 5-0 ruling last year dealing with VoIP wiretapping, were unanimous. Others, such as media ownership and VoIP regulation, tended to pit the Republican majority against the Democratic minority–a political dynamic not viewed as likely to change.
Martin takes the helm of the FCC at a time when Congress is moving to rewrite telecom regulations that are nearly 10 years old and when state and federal officials have been clashing over the impact of new technologies such as Internet telephony and high-speed broadband.
Martin was appointed to the FCC in 2001. Since that time, he has followed a somewhat independent course that has seen him generally favor industry deregulation. Martin is also viewed as a hard-liner on indecency issues that provoked clashes between broadcasters and Powell.
Martin worked on President Bush’s election campaign and his transition team. His wife is a special assistant to the president on economic policy and formerly worked for Vice President Richard Cheney.
Martin doesn’t need Senate confirmation since he already serves on the FCC.
