Obama Picks Julius Genachowski to Head FCC

[Fansome]

Obama Picks Julius Genachowski to Head FCC

By Cecilia Kang
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 12, 2009; 10:27 PM

President-elect Barack Obama will name Julius Genachowski to head the Federal Communications Commission, according to one source close to the transition team and two sources close to key lawmakers.

Obama's transition team declined to confirm Genachowski's nomination.

Genachowski, 46, is a veteran of technology policy having served as chief counsel for former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt. He also has business experience as an executive at Internet firms IAC/InterActive and currently as a venture capitalist in Washington.

Obama's pick for the nation's head telecommunications regulator has served as the president-elect's chief technology counsel and was classmates with Obama at Harvard Law School. Genachowski is credited for spearheading Obama's online campaign strategy, which used social networking and other tools to spread Obama's campaign message and raise record campaign contributions.

"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 and he has embraced, along with Obama, a full slate of public-interest positions on media and telecommunications policy," said Ben Scott, policy director for public interest group Free Press.

[Zoidberg]

So he's the new Twitter Czar?

...Genachowski is credited for spearheading Obama's online campaign strategy, which used social networking and other tools to spread Obama's campaign message and raise record campaign contributions.

[ChrisSmolinski]

I can't believe Obama passed you over again, Al.

[Pigmeat]

You wuz robbed Al.