Celebrated Populist, Commissioner Michael Copps leaving FCC After 10 Years? Service

As FCC Commissioner Michael Copps concludes his 10 years at the Commission this month, Speed Matters wants to thank  him for his dedicated and innovative work at the FCC. He will be missed. 

We think Politico got it right in its recent tribute to the FCC's most determined, and celebrated, opponent of media consolidation: "Copps leaves the commission at the end of the year with a legacy as one of the most consistently liberal and effective commissioners in the FCC's history."

One of Copps' hallmarks was his commitment to giving voice to the American people on media policy.

"I believe in taking this commission out on the road so that the American people can see us and get to know us and we can get to know the American people and see more of them," he said. "It's so important as we transition to our media to the digital realm."

As much as sheer political skill and success, Copps acquired fans. When Copps appeared at the National Conference for Media Reform in Memphis in 2007, he was hailed as a hero. "In a YouTube video of the event, Copps appears on stage balding and in a suit jacket -- but, in a rarity, he's tieless -- to screams from a crowd decked out in tattoos and piercings."

Given the strength of Copps' opposition, he was unusually effective. But not always. As he said:

"I think we accomplished something. I think the disappointment is we didn't do more. We stopped more bad things from happening. We stopped a loosening of the rules back in 2003. The bad news is those rules are still pending."

Copps' influence is likely to remain well after he leaves. Said Politico:

"While Copps leaves the commission at the end of the year, perhaps his greatest legacy is what is informally known in telecom circles as the 'Copps Mafia.' His former staffers populate the government and tech industry, and one of his acolytes, Jessica Rosenworcel, is awaiting Senate confirmation to take his seat."

FCC's 'star' media regulator Copps bows out (Politico, Dec. 12, 2011)

Michael Copps at National Conference for Media Reform (YouTube, 2007)