NHMC Statement On The Departure Of FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 22, 2013

"We have certainly had our share of ups and downs during Chairman Genachowski's term. Unfortunately, more than I would have liked, I have found myself profoundly disappointed. Particularly, I have been troubled by his proposals for media ownership rules, the persistent absence of Latinos working at the Commission, and his unwillingness to move NHMC's Petition for Inquiry into hate speech in the media - an item that he refused to introduce for a Commission vote despite it having the support of all other Commissioners at one point in time. Indeed, even when I agreed with his positions or actions, I often felt that he missed the chance to do more and take the truly bold measures needed. "Some of his actions and initiatives are commendable, such as the agency's opposition to the AT&T/T-Mobile merger, the ongoing modernization of the Universal Service Fund, passage of open Internet rules, and, of course, his emphasis on the importance of broadband. "We look forward to President Obama's nomination of the next Chair - somebody who must be ready, willing, and able to address the needs of the poor, rural communities, and people of color. The next Chair must have a deep understanding of the unique challenges that these communities face, particularly when it comes to ownership, access, and adoption of the communications services that are essential to serving their information needs. She must have an understanding of the law and policies that guide the Commission so that she can hit the ground running. And she must have her finger on the pulse of the evolving technological landscape and recognize all the challenges and opportunities that it brings. Finally, she should be somebody that reflects the diversity of the country that she will serve and who can use her diverse background to bring more talented people of color into the Commission's ranks. "We thank Chairman Genachowski for his service, wish him well, and advise our President to diversify the FCC by appointing a qualified woman of color as Chair." About NHMC The National Hispanic Media Coalition is a non-partisan, non-profit, media advocacy and civil rights organization established in 1986 in Los Angeles, California. Its mission is to educate and influence media corporations on the importance of including U.S. Latinos at all levels of employment. It augments the pool of Latino talent with its professional development programs. It challenges media that carelessly exploit negative Latino stereotypes. It scrutinizes and opines on media and telecommunications policy issues. Learn more at https://www.nhmc.org. Receive real-time updates on Facebook and twitter @NHMC.]]>