KENNARD BIDS FCC ADIEU SANS OFFICIAL GOODBYE OR DEPARTURE DETAILS
Without actually announcing his resignation or future plans, FCC Chmn. Kennard said farewell to fellow commissioners and agency staffers at Commission’s open meeting Thurs. In packed, emotional session filled with others’ tributes to his warmth, good humor and commitment to helping minorities, disabled and native Americans, Kennard acknowledged he was chairing his last FCC meeting and wished his successor “a great deal of success.” Choked up and admittedly “overwhelmed” at times, Kennard repeatedly thanked staffers and commissioners for their support and hard work and said he had been “proud and very privileged” to head Commission.
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Kennard, who had chaired FCC since Nov. 1997 and served as agency gen. counsel for 4 years before that, told us after meeting that he would announce his departure date when agency completed action on AOL-Time Warner merger, which could come as soon as today (Fri.). He’s widely expected to leave by end of next week, before President-elect Bush is sworn into office Jan. 20. Kennard said he hadn’t decided what he wanted to do afterward and would spend some time with his family before moving to next job. His Chief of Staff Kathryn Brown said she would leave when Kennard did. Sources still expected Bush to name Republican Comr. Powell as new FCC chmn., at least temporarily.
FCC bureau chiefs, senior staff and fellow commissioners spent more than half of meeting showering Kennard with accolades as Commission dealt with dramatically reduced agenda, after dropping one intercarrier compensation and 3 controversial DTV items at last min. and earlier approving memorandum, opinion and order on video description and emergency information for visually impaired. At start of meeting, Kennard said FCC put off proposed intercarrier compensation notice of inquiry because it was “tied to another proceeding on reciprocal compensation” and agency was trying to do both in tandem. He said 5 commissioners also agreed to push back vote on DTV items to no later than Jan. 17 (see separate story, this issue).
Commission did unanimously approve one remaining item -- order and notice of proposed rulemaking on interoperability of public safety operations in 700 MHz band (see separate story, this issue). In presenting item for consideration, Wireless Bureau Chief Thomas Sugrue joked that he hated to interrupt “the all- Kennard, all-the-time Commission meeting.”
FCC didn’t act on AOL takeover of Time Warner at meeting, despite widespread reports that Comrs. Powell and Furchtgott-Roth had voted to approve deal without additional regulatory conditions and that Kennard and Comr. Ness were ready to approve it with some instant messaging (IM) service requirements. With Comr. Tristani still holding out for tougher IM requirements on merged company, agency missed making decision by one-year anniversary of deal announcement. Well-placed sources continued to insist that approval could come any min., with time quickly winding down on Kennard’s reign.
In staff kudos to chairman, Gen. Counsel Christopher Wright pointed to Kennard’s work in areas such as improved communications access for persons with disabilities and in poor areas and highlighted “high level of collegiality” at agency. Wright said he was chosen to speak for all senior staff because if individuals had spoken on their own behalf, meeting would have run too long. Powell joked that it was testament to Kennard’s leadership skills that he could get that many individuals at agency to agree “to let one person speak for them” in form of Wright.
Ness, appearing misty-eyed, called Kennard “loved” and “wonderful” and told him that “your sweet tone and demeanor have really set a standard at this agency.” Furchtgott-Roth, acknowledging extent to which he has disagreed with chairman, said Kennard was “what he appears to be and that is a very thoughtful, very sincere and extremely friendly individual.” “When I think of you, it’s with a single word -- champion,” Powell said. Referring to “those of us who are left here,” Powell said “we will always see your footprints in the sand. You have truly left your mark on this place.”
Tristani, acknowledging her occasional disagreements with chairman, cited Kennard’s strong commitment to Native American issues and low-power FM radio. “I will miss you and I do not know whether I will survive,” she said, referring to her ode to Kennard at last month’s chairman’s dinner to disco song of “I Will Survive.” Kennard got up, hugged her and assured her that “you will survive.”
Leave-taking ritual continued at lunch where disability community honored Brown for her efforts to reduce barriers to communications services. Kennard credited her for e-rate program, access charge reform and broadcast ownership actions during his tenure, saying her ability to “hammer out consensus” had been invaluable. “I don’t know if there’s another agency where I have more friends,” said Paul Schroeder, Alliance for Public Technology pres. and disability rights activist. “There’s never been anyone more dedicated to bringing people together,” Ness said of Brown. - - Alan Breznick, Mary Greczyn, Edie Herman