Kevin J. Martin

Chairman
Federal Communications Commission

Kevin J. Martin is chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, where he has served as a commissioner since 2001 and as chairman since 2005. During his term he has conducted a balancing act between the interests of the technology and telecommunications industries. He mostly sided with Google in the effort to impose new openness rules on a large chunk of spectrum the FCC recently auctioned, and has been publicly critical of the cable TV companies. He could be an important player in the battle over Net neutrality.

Posts With Kevin Martin

Verizon Taps McAdam as Second-in-Command

Verizon has finally wrapped up its succession planning. Over the weekend, the company named wireless head Lowell McAdam as COO, effective October 1, making him heir apparant for the CEO job currently held by Ivan Seidenberg. McAdam will report directly to Seidenberg, who has headed the company since it was founded in 2000.

D8 Video: FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski on the Broadband Problem

When former Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin appeared at D6 in 2008, Walt Mossberg asked him why broadband speeds in the United States were abysmal. “You’re the chairman of the FCC,” he said. “How did you allow this to happen?” This afternoon, Walt posed a similar question to current FCC chairman Julius Genachowski. After the jump, a video of his answer.

New FCC Report: Reaching the “Digitally Distant,” but “Digital Hopefuls” Too (We’ll Ask Chairman Genachowski About It and More at D8)

There is a new report out today by the Federal Communications Commission about high-speed access in the U.S., with all sorts of lovely data. It is all part of an effort by the FCC to ferret away on a plan to get Americans better hooked up to the Internet. Part of a newish government push to digitize this country, it will be spearheaded by Chairman Julius Genachowski, who is now coming to D8, so we can ask him all about it.

New FCC Report: Reaching the "Digitally Distant," but "Digital Hopefuls" Too (We'll Ask Chairman Genachowski About It and More at D8)

There is a new report out today by the Federal Communications Commission about high-speed access in the U.S., with all sorts of lovely data. It is all part of an effort by the FCC to ferret away on a plan to get Americans better hooked up to the Internet. Part of a newish government push to digitize this country, it will be spearheaded by Chairman Julius Genachowski, who is now coming to D8, so we can ask him all about it.

Welcome to the FCC, Julius: Now Get to Work on a National Broadband Plan, Please…

Last week, after much delay, longtime Internet exec Julius Genachowski was confirmed by the Senate as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. It is an important role for the future development of the Web, of course, although it took a dog’s age into the new Democratic administration to approve him. Hopefully, he and the other commissioners can soon get to work on a wide range of major digital issues, such as a national broadband plan that does not cost Americans a fortune.

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.

The Promise of Broadband–Is the Umpteenth Time a Charm?

In an article in The Wall Street Journal today comes the news that “President-elect Barack Obama’s call to improve the nation’s broadband infrastructure has cable and phone company lobbyists maneuvering to get a leg up.” To BoomTown, this is akin to Scrooge making his overnight transformation, except without any soul, sincerity or true intent to actually care about the consumer. God help us, everyone.

FCC's Free Wireless Broadband Plan Now Unfiltered to Protect Free Speech and Pornographers

Tenacious guy, that Kevin Martin. The December meeting at which the Federal Communications Commission was to vote on his free wireless broadband plan has been canceled. And the plan itself is, by his own admission, dead in the water; yet the FCC chairman continues to push it forward.

Like Trying to Take Pee Out of a Swimming Pool?

The Federal Communications Commission imposes decency standards on publicly broadcast radio and television signals. No surprise, then, to hear it’s looking to do the same to the free wireless Internet service it envisions in the AWS III spectrum. At its December meeting, the FCC is expected to push forward with another major spectrum auction, one that would require the winning bidder to use a portion of those airwaves to offer a free, and smut-free, broadband service.

FCC to Comcast: Cut It Out

Comcast to FCC: Ow! My Wrist!

How Do You Spell Cuil? F-A-I-L

D6 Conference Recap