Former Democratic FCC Commissioner Susan Ness has been elected to the board of directors of Gannett.
Ness was a commissioner from 1994 to 2001, after which she launched her own consulting firm, Susan Ness Strategies. She was also a leader on the Obama transition team review of the Federal Trade Commission.
As a liberal Democrat she got mixed reviews from broadcasters during her tenure. She supported kids' TV rules and broadcast and cable ownership rules most of those companies would rather live without. But she also supported allowing TV stations to preempt children's programming for Saturday sports programming and helped broker compromises on the DTV transition.
"Susan has been a strong voice for consumers and understands the enormous value technology brings to people's lives," said Gannett President Gracia Martore. "She'll be a great asset to the board and to Gannett as we continue to redefine our company and its place within the media industry. We are especially glad to have her here as we work to reposition our business to succeed in the digital age."
