Nothing But Praise For The New Chief…

Wednesday, January, 14, 2009 by Mel Phillips.

He hasn’t officially been named as new FCC Chairman yet but already Julius Genachowski has a fan club.  Heading the welcome wagon is NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr who calls Genachowski a “superb choice” with a “keen intellect, a passion for public service and a deep understanding of the important role that free and local broadcasting plays in American life.”  Following Rehr with a basket of flowers is Ben Scott, policy director for the public interest group Free Press: “If Julius is indeed the selection for FCC chair, he has the right mix of experience in government and business to give him a unique perspective on the job.”  Trailing those two with the booklet of store coupons is current FCC chair Kevin Martin who adds, “if that’s who it is - it’s just been reported it hasn’t been announced - I’m sure he’ll do a fantastic job”…

So who is this guy, Julius Genachowski?  He’s a Harvard techie and classmate of President-elect Barack Obama.   The G-Man was chief counsel for former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt and spearheaded Obama’s online campaign strategy.  He’s very much in favor of social networking, a believer in high-speed Internet, universal broadband access and net neutrality, just about everything our new president favors…

What we don’t know about Genachowski is what kind of regulator of broadcast licenses he will be or how he will handle radio and TV indecency complaints, Multibillion-dollar mergers or wireless policies.  All of these things now take a back-seat to the transition from analog to digital television, Genachowski’s first item to tackle but will eventually become important… 

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1882] Doctor my eyes: The Myopia Hunt Club in Winchester (MA) becomes the first country club. The founders were actually near-sighted or myopic. The club eventually moves to Hamilton (MA)…
2. 1952] Debuted on this date: “The Today Show” on NBC-TV with Dave Garroway and Jack Lescoulie.  2007’s tribute to the show…1972] “Sanford and Son” starring Redd Foxx on NBC-TV. The show runs until September 2, 1977 before going into syndication…
3. 1954] Wedding Bells: Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe marry at San Francisco City Hall. Marilyn will charge ‘mental cruelty’ in October and the couple will divorce…2004] J.P. Morgan Chase strikes a deal to buy Bank One for $58 billion.  The deal becomes official on July 1, 2004…
4. 1963] Color blind: George C. Wallace vows “segregation forever” as he’s sworn in as Governor of Alabama. Eventually Wallace drops his racial discrimination stance…
5. 1970] I am I said: The first “Human Be-in” is held, where else? San Francisco. Golden Gate Park is the scene and here’s a clip from it. Far-out, man…
6. 1993] Musical networks: David Letterman announces that he’s leaving NBC for CBS-TV.  Before he leaves he interrupts the Today Show…
7. 1998] Circular filed: Whitewater prosecutors begin questioning Hillary Rodham Clinton about the gathering of FBI files on past Republican political appointees…
8. 1998] Band aid money: NBC agrees to pay Warner Brothers a record $13 million per episode to retain the top-rated TV show, “ER”, now in its final season.  Here’s ‘ER’ through the years….
9. 2001] Super Sunday here we come: The Giants gain their third trip to a Super Bowl by beating Minnesota for the NFC crown but they lose the SB to Baltimore.  A history of the Super Bowl…
10. 2004] And Teddy too: George W. Bush unveils a plan to send astronauts and Ted Kennedy to the moon, Mars and beyond to a galaxy billions and billions of light years away…

Music Memories:

• 1960] Salute me, PFC: Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army…
• 1966] The Name Game: David Jones changes his last name to ‘Bowie‘ to avoid confusion with Monkee Davy Jones…
• 1970] Someday means never: Diana Ross and the Supremes perform their last concert together at the recently imploded Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.  This was the last time they performed the song on TV…
• 1989] Released on this date: “Back in The U.S.S.R.” LP - Paul McCartney.  McCartney sings it live in the U.S.S.R…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Jason Bateman (40), LL Cool J (41), Faye Dunaway (68), Julian Bond (69), Jack Jones (71), Allen Toussaint (71), Clarence Carter (73), Caterina Valente (78) and Andy Rooney (90)…

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until MLK Jr. Day, 6 days until the Inauguration, 18 days until the Super Bowl and 31 days until pitchers & catchers report voluntarily…

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