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ninch-announce: FCC CHAIR REED HUNDT TO STEP DOWN

ninch-announce: FCC CHAIR REED HUNDT TO STEP DOWN

FCC CHAIR REED HUNDT TO STEP DOWN

David Green (david@cni.org)
Tue, 3 Jun 1997 09:28:54 -0400 

Message-Id: <v0213050eafb9cc869eb1@[192.100.21.23]>
Date: Tue, 3 Jun 1997 09:28:54 -0400
To: ninch-announce@cni.org
From: david@cni.org (David Green)
Subject: FCC CHAIR REED HUNDT TO STEP DOWN

NINCH ANNOUNCE
May 27, 1997

FCC CHAIR REED HUNDT TO STEP DOWN

An important announcement, forwarded from the Benton Foundation, about Reed
Hundt's announcement this afternoon of his intention to leave the FCC in
the next few months. In many ways, Hundt has been an ally of the nonprofit
community in the telecommunications arena. Note Andrew Blau's comments at
the end of this Benton Announcement.

David Green

=========================================================
Date:         Tue, 27 May 1997 15:59:18 -0400
Reply-To: lists@BENTON.ORG
Sender: The Benton Communications Policy Mailing List
              <BENTON-COMPOLICY@periplum.cdinet.com>


FCC Chairman Reed Hundt Announces Plan to Leave Commission

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Reed Hundt announced this
afternoon that he will be stepping down from the Commission. Although
Chairman Hundt's term does not expire until June 1998, his announcement
today will set in motion a process that will probably end his tenure within
the next few months.

At a press conference at the FCC, Mr. Hundt noted the Commission's work to
"put the power of communications into the hands of every child" as his
greatest accomplishment. Also noted as important accomplishments were the
FCC's rules of children's television and efforts to win free airtime for
political candidates.

Hundt pointed out that since the beginning of the Clinton Administration, 12
million new jobs have been created -- 8 million in the communications
industry. Chairman Hundt said he felt lucky to have been asked to serve by
President Clinton.

The Chairman said that he has no immediate plans other than writing. He has
a title for a work of nonfiction -- So You Want A Revolution -- on bringing
competition to the communications industry. Hundt also plans to publish a
work of fiction.

Asked of his role at the Commission over the next few weeks, the Chairman
said he would continue to be active and be a full voting member: "We're
going to see if this duck can fly."

Speaking for the Benton Foundation after the press conference, Andrew Blau said:

"Whether the issue was connecting America's classrooms, paving the way for
digital television, or ensuring that universal service would survive into
the next century, Reed Hundt has been the best friend the public interest
community has had in the Chairman's office for at least a generation - if
not longer.

"The last four years have been one of the most extraordinary periods for
communications since the creation of the FCC itself, yet Chairman Hundt has
been a principled voice for fairness and the public interest throughout. His
door was open to people and constituencies that hadn't been on the 8th floor
before.

"He has been smart, took risks, and even dared to be unpopular -- a rare and
risky thing in this political town.  But his government service has been a
true public service, and we will miss his leadership. We wish him the best
of luck in whatever he does next."

==================================
Communications Policy and Practice
Benton Foundation
1634 Eye St, NW  12th Floor
Washington, DC  20006
202.638.5770
202.638.5771 (fax)
http://www.benton.org

===============================================================

David L. Green
Executive Director
NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR A NETWORKED CULTURAL HERITAGE
21 Dupont Circle, NW
Washington DC 20036
www-ninch.cni.org
david@cni.org
202/296-5346                                  202/872-0886 fax

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