WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission chair Jessica Rosenworcel said she intends to leave the agency on Jan. 20, when the Trump administration begins. Republican commissioner Brendan Carr was nominated this week and is widely expected to be approved.
Rosenworcel was named “acting” FCC chair after President Joe Biden took office in 2021, but was not approved until December of that year. During her term, she prioritized broadband access and equity, spectrum policies and advocated for network neutrality. She frequently clashed with fellow commissioners over these issues and was criticized for her lack of attention to reigning in Big Tech, particularly over free speech issues, a cause that Carr has vowed to address in the coming term.
She was a frequent critic of broadcasters’ transition to ATSC 3.0, over privacy, consumer protections and the lack of backward compatibility with 1.0. She did, however, propose the formation of the “Future of TV” initiative in the spring of 2023 to bring together consumer, manufacturing, broadcast and related industry advocates to hammer out a path forward for the transition. The NAB has sponsored a series of meetings for the group but no report has been issued.
She issued the following statement: “Serving at the Federal Communications Commission has been the honor of a lifetime, especially my tenure as chair and as the first woman in history to be confirmed to lead this agency. I want to thank President Biden for entrusting me with the responsibility to guide the FCC during a time when communications technology is a part of every aspect of civic and commercial life.Taking the oath of office on the street outside of the agency during the height of the pandemic, when so much of our day-to-day moved online, made clear how important the work of the FCC is and how essential it is for us to build a digital future that works for everyone.
“I am proud to have served at the FCC alongside some of the hardest working and dedicated public servants I have ever known. Together, we accomplished seemingly impossible feats like setting up the largest broadband affordability program in history—which led to us connecting more than 23 million households to high-speed internet, connecting more than 17 million students caught in the homework gap to hotspots and other devices as learning moved online, putting national security and public safety matters with communications front and center before the agency, and launching the first-ever Space Bureau to support United States leadership in the new Space Age.
“I also want to thank my husband, daughter, and son for their support throughout my time at the FCC. Public service is not without sacrifice, and I am looking forward to spending more time with my family and rescue pup in the days ahead.”
