Insiders at the Las Vegas NAB were betting on venture capitalist and former cable and wireless association head Tom Wheeler – a rainmaker for the Obama campaigns in 2012 (more than $500,000) and 2008 (between $250,000 and $500,000). He’s knowledgeable about wireless (he was CEO of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association) and cable (former president of NCTA, the National Cable Television Association). Presumably he’s gung-ho about the President’s prime objective for the FCC – the deployment of broadband Internet access. That means hacking through the terra incognita of persuading TV stations to turn in some of their spectrum, “re-packing” of the TV band, and then spectrum auctions. Wheeler’s currently a managing director at D.C.-based Core Capital Partners. The Wall Street Journal broke the news yesterday afternoon that he’s Obama’s choice, and that current Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn will be interim chair. She’d been the favorite of some groups for the Chairman’s job – as had her colleague Jessica Rosenworcel. Going with Wheeler avoids choosing between them. The NAB’s Gordon Smith “welcomes the nomination…Tom Wheeler has the experience and temperament to serve the agency with distinction.”
I get that he's pushing the internet thing--and that's good obviously--but when Gordon Smith from the NAB is happy, I'm a little worried. Etch it in stone, they're going to push for media ownership rule changes again. The big boys will never tire of wanting to get even bigger.
