Genachowski Gets the FCC Gig

At long last it’s official: President Obama on Tuesday afternoon nominated Julius Genachowski as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, confirming an appointment that was widely viewed as inevitable. “I can think of no one better than Julius Genachowski to serve as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission,” Obama said in a statement announcing the nomination. “He will bring to the job diverse and unparalleled experience in communications and technology, with two decades of accomplishment in the private sector and public service.”

A longtime friend of Obama’s, Genachowski served as an adviser on technology policy during the 2008 campaign. During the Clinton administration, he served as chief counsel to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. He’s a ’Net Neutrality advocate. And more importantly, he’s generally well respected by industry and consumer-activist groups alike–something that wasn’t particularly true of former Chairman Kevin Martin. Under his leadership, industry insiders expect the FCC to be far more transparent than it was during Martin’s reign. Here’s hoping that proves true.