Obama expected to name FCC chairman

January 13, 2009 The Obama administration's likely FCC chairman, Julius Genachowski, won't have much time to get settled, with big issues like the digital transition looming on the horizon. Industry execs on Tuesday lauded Genachowski's experience -- including a stint at Barry Diller's IAC and a prior stay with the FCC -- and noted his close relationship with President-elect Barack Obama from their days at Harvard Law School. Genachowski, whose appointment must be confirmed by the Senate, is likely to bring a more collaborative approach and more digital media savvy to a commission often maligned in recent years amid's current FCC chairman Kevin Martin's bitter battles with Hollywood.

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