[governance] FW: [cc-mediareform] Baker Leaving NTIA

[Milton L Mueller]

FYI. From the US-based media reform list, which has a domestic policy
focus, but M. Baker is also the NTIA acting head who presided over the
ICANN hearing last week. See the IGP blog
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2008/2/27/3549041.html
for an analysis / contrast of the UN IGF consultation and the US ICANN
consultation.

-----Original Message-----

Meredith Baker Leaving National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/28/2008 4:42:00 PM

According to sources, Meredith Atwell Baker, 
acting head of the National Telecommunications 
and Information Administration and point person 
on the government's digital-TV-to-analog 
converter-box-coupon subsidy program, is exiting that post.

"Meredith Baker has been talking with Commerce 
Department officials for months about her desire 
to leave," confirmed NTIA spokesman Todd Sedmak. 
"There is no timetable for her departure, and she 
is going to ensure a smooth transition to her future replacement."

Baker has only been running the NTIA since 
shortly before Thanksgiving, after the abrupt 
exit of John Kneuer just six weeks or so before 
the launch of the coupon program Jan. 1.

As acting assistant secretary for communications 
and information, she is responsible for 
administering the program that is distributing 
millions of $40 coupons the government will issue to consumers.

The NTIA is distributing two $40 coupons per 
household to help pay for the boxes, which allow 
analog-only TVs not hooked up to cable to receive 
over-the-air digital signals after Feb. 17, 2009, 
when full-power TV stations must pull the plug on analog.

Just two weeks ago, Baker was on Capitol Hill 
briefing legislators on the progress of the 
coupon program. The NTIA began mailing the 
coupons Feb. 18. More than 3.4 million households 
have requested more than 6.4 million coupons.

As acting head, Baker would have had to be 
nominated by the president and confirmed by the 
Senate to take over as official head of the agency.

The collegial and genial Baker had been 
considered a good fit for the high-profile phase 
of the coupon campaign, when the NTIA must work 
with industry and government partners on an education campaign.

Baker has been with the NTIA since 2004, when she 
joined as a senior advisor. The NTIA is the 
administration's telecommunications-policy 
advisor, but the DTV-transition-coupon program 
has put it in the spotlight as never before.

Before joining the NTIA, Baker was vice president 
of Williams Mullen Strategies and, before that, 
director of congressional affairs at the Cellular 
Telecommunications Industry Association. Her 
resume also includes working in the 
legislative-affairs office at the State Department.

House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman John 
Dingell (D-Mich.) thanked her for her service and 
urged the White House to nominated a full-time replacement.

"Given ongoing concerns about the converter box 
coupon program, it is important that there be 
continuity of leadership at NTIA," he said in a 
statement, "I'm pleased Ms. Baker is committed to 
remaining at NTIA until a replacement is 
confirmed and urge the President to nominate a 
well-qualified replacement who is knowledgeable 
about the transition and whose arrival will not 
cause any disruptions at this critical time in the transition."

Jason Oxman, senior VP of the Consumer 
Electronics Association, whose members are making 
those converter boxes and partnering with 
broadcast and cable operators to promote the DTV 
switch, praised Baker's service. "CEA applauds 
and thanks Meredith Attwell Baker for her years 
of dedicated service to the American people," he 
said. "We will continue to work with the 
dedicated public servants at NTIA, including the 
Administration's new choice as the Assistant 
Secretary, on the successful implementation of 
the DTV converter box coupon program.  We 
appreciate the Administration's strong commitment 
to ensuring the success of the nation's 
transition to digital television on February 17, 2009."

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