Susan Eid, Federal Communications Commission chairman Michael Powell's top
cable and broadcasting adviser, is leaving the agency, Powell announced Thursday
at the agency's monthly public meeting.
"I think she is one of the most phenomenal public servants I have ever had
the pleasure of working with, an extraordinary intellect," Powell said in his
farewell remarks.
Eid was vice president of federal relations in Washington, D.C., for MediaOne
Group Inc., a cable company sold to AT&T Corp. in June 2000. She joined
Powell's staff before he became chairman in January 2001.
Over the past two years, Eid worked with Powell on a number of new policies,
including classification of cable-modem service as an information service and
the recently adopted broadcast-ownership rules that triggered so much
controversy.
Powell did not announce a precise departure date for Eid, and Eid has not
announced her future plans.
"She's leaving for what she thinks is a quieter life. I suppose that after
what she's done over the past year, anything would be a quieter life," Powell
said.
