Hello, Biden/Harris; Bye Bye, Pai
• Concurrent with Wednesday’s inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, NAB President & CEO Gordon Smith issued the following statement, “Sincere congratulations to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on their historic inauguration. As we celebrate this hallmark tradition of our democracy, broadcasters will do our part to encourage all Americans to come together to address the difficult challenges ahead. In that spirit, NAB looks forward to working with the new Administration and Congress on bipartisan policies to address the serious crises facing our nation, while helping keep our millions of listeners and viewers informed, safe and connected.”
Concurrent with Biden’s inauguration, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai exited the agency after 12 years as an employee, eight years as a Commissioner, and the last four as Chairman. As he formally submitted his resignation, Chairman Pai (left) issued the following statement, that read, in part, “Serving the American people as Chairman of the FCC has been the greatest honor of my professional life. Over the past four years, we have delivered results for the American people, from narrowing the digital divide to advancing American leadership in 5G, from protecting consumers and national security to keeping Americans connected during the pandemic, from modernizing our media rules to making the agency more transparent and nimble. It has been a privilege to lead the agency over its most productive period in recent history.”
Pai continued, “None of this — not a single action, big or small — would have been possible without the incredible staff of the FCC. They are remarkable public servants who brought to the task each day their expertise, diligence, and collegiality. As I’ve had the chance to tell them during farewell events over the past week, they are inspiring public servants. I’ll miss working with our engineers, economists, attorneys, 24/7 public safety staff, consumer outreach teams, policy experts, administrative staff, and many others. Their accomplishments are even more remarkable considering that they have been working from home for the past ten months, as the FCC became one of the first federal agencies to implement comprehensive telework. I thank each and every one of our staff for their outstanding service to the Commission and to the country. Thank you to the American people for their support during my time at the FCC. I look forward to the next adventure.” Look for the Biden administration to name an interim Chairman soon.
