FCC disappoints on media, Internet policies

[Commentary] There was much hope when President Obama was inaugurated that the United States finally had a president who supported and understood media policies that would foster an independent press and ensure an open, creative Internet. Unfortunately that has not been the case. President Obama appears to be no different from his two immediate predecessors, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Both presidents did great harm to this nation's media and communications systems. When President Obama appointed Julius Genachowski as Federal Communications Commission Chairman there was an assumption the appointee would champion the things that Obama, as a senator and candidate, supported. So far, the FCC has been a disappointment. It's not too late. The FCC is undertaking its congressionally required 2010 quadrennial review of its media ownership rules. Obama should engage his chairman and tighten the cross-ownership rules. I won't hold out much hope, though. If the FCC's legal brief is any indication, it will be 2007 and Kevin Martin all over again.