On the reports that FCC chairman Julius Genachowski will
finally announce that he is leaving, the Women's Media Center is renewing its
call for the White House to name a woman to replace him. There has never been a
female FCC chair.
TheCenter made a similar request in early January, when they anticipated
Genachowski would concede within weeks what most communications lobbyists and
lawyers were predicting -- that he would be exiting the commission.
In the letter dated Friday and signed by, among others, Jane
Fonda, Geena Davis and Gloria Steinem, the center said it had a couple dozen
signatures from women's rights groups on the request.
"You have the chance to democratize the media
with one key appointment when you nominate the next Chair of the Federal
Communications Commission," they wrote. "While there is no easy fix
to getting women into the top jobs in the telecom and media industries, the
government watchdog can and should be headed by a woman."
