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Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2002 |
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: Maureen Peratino at (202) 418-0506 |
FCC APPROVES REORGANIZATION PORTION OF REFORM EFFORT
Media, Wireline Competition, and Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureaus Established;
International Bureau Realigned
The National Treasury Employees Union Local 209 has approved the reorganization. These changes are subject to Congressional notification before they become effective.
In making these changes the Commission was guided by the following principles: develop a standardized organizational structure across the bureaus; move toward a functional alignment; reflect changes in regulation and workload; recognize that dynamic industry change will continue; and use the reorganization to improve the technical and economic analysis in decisionmaking.
Changes under the reorganization include:
- Media Bureau will be responsible for the policy and licensing programs for media
services, including cable television, broadcast television and radio. It will handle
matters pertaining to multichannel video programming distribution, broadcast radio and
television, direct broadcast satellite service policy, and associated matters. It will
conduct rulemakings, resolve waiver petitions and adjudications, and process
applications for authorization, assignment, transfer and renewal of media services,
including AM, FM, TV, the cable TV relay service, and related matters.
The Bureau will be comprised of staff and functions from the current Mass Media Bureau and Cable Services Bureau and will consist of the following organizational units: Management and Resources Staff; Office of Communications and Industry Information; Policy Division; Industry Analysis Division; Engineering Division; Office of Broadcast License Policy; Audio Division; and Video Division.
- Wireline Competition Bureau will be responsible for the policy programs of
communications common carriers and ancillary operations (other than wireless
telecommunications services). It will conduct rulemakings, resolve waiver petitions and
adjudications, determine the lawfulness of carrier tariffs, act on applications for
authorizations, administer accounting requirements for incumbent local exchange
carriers, review carrier performance, and administer reporting requirements.
The Wireline Competition Bureau will be comprised of staff and functions from the current Common Carrier Bureau and have the following organizational units: Administrative and Management Office; Competition Policy Division; Pricing Policy Division; Telecommunications Access Policy Division; and Industry Analysis and Technology Division.
- Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will be responsible for the consumer and
governmental affairs policies to enhance the public's understanding of the
Commission's work and to facilitate the FCC's relationships with other governmental
agencies. It will conduct rulemakings, interact with the public, federal, state, local,
tribal and other governmental agencies, oversee the Consumer/Disability
Telecommunications Advisory Committee and the Local and State Government
Advisory Committee, handle informal complaint resolution, handle consumer outreach
and education, and maintain FCC filings.
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will be comprised of staff and functions from the current Consumer Information Bureau, Cable Services Bureau and Common Carrier Bureau, and will also handle cable services information functions currently performed in the Cable Services Bureau and some related rulemaking functions currently handled in the Common Carrier Bureau. It will have the following organizational units: Administrative and Management Office; Systems Support Office; Information Access and Privacy Office; Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division; Policy Division; Disabilities Rights Office; Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division; and Reference Information Center.
- International Bureau will be realigned along functional lines, with consolidation of the
international policy and spectrum rulemaking functions, and intergovernmental and
regional leadership and planning functions, which are currently distributed throughout
the Bureau.
The International Bureau will have the following organizational units: Management
and Administrative Staff; Policy Division; Satellite Division; and Strategic Analysis and
Negotiations Division.
- Other Organizational Changes: The Enforcement Bureau will handle pole attachment
complaints and some multichannel video and cable television services complaints
currently handled in the Cable Services Bureau. It will also handle common carrier
audit functions. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau will handle instructional
television fixed services and multipoint distribution services matters currently handled
in the Mass Media Bureau. The Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs will
be renamed the Office of Legislative Affairs.
For additional information, contact Mary Beth Richards at (202) 418-1514.