Venable partner Frederick Joyce was quoted in a March 8, 2009 TV Week story about President Obama’s appointment of Julius Genachowski to lead the Federal Communication Commission and what it means for the communication industry.

According to the article, the Obama campaign's Technology and Innovation Plan may provide the biggest indication of where Mr. Genachowski will head on media issues. It calls for encouraging diversity in the ownership of broadcast media, promoting the development of new media outlets for expression of diverse viewpoints, and clarifying the public-interest obligations of broadcasters who occupy the nation's spectrum.

Joyce, chair of Venable's DC communications group, predicts that policy goal will more likely play out in the bully pulpit than in actual regulation, and predicted Mr. Genachowski is likely to use license renewals and perhaps speeches to push broadcasters to provide more local content.

"He has a businessman's sense that now is not the time to impose new financial burdens," Joyce said.