NEWS                                                        April 2, 1998

              PRESS STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN WILLIAM E. KENNARD
               REGARDING APRIL 2, 1998 COMMISSION MEETING

     Today's Commission agenda meeting is an important one because of the deregulatory
thrust of many of the matters we consider. 

     When I first became Chairman -- and indeed during the confirmation process -- I said
that I wanted the Commission to take a common sense approach to regulation and ensure that
we do not impose -- or retain -- any unnecessary burdens on regulated entities. Today's meeting
demonstrates that we are making significant progress on this front.

                       Deregulation and Streamlining

     Three of the four items on the agenda today involve streamlining and deregulation. 
These items demonstrate the strong commitment that I and my fellow Commissioners have made
to reduce regulatory burdens and streamline the processes by which the public interacts with the
FCC.  

     Each of these items involves, at least in part, electronic filing.  They will help bring the
Commission further into the information age.  Two of these items also involve substantive
deregulation.

     I am very excited that the Commission is able to move forward on so many streamlining
and deregulatory initiatives, both as part of our 1998 Biennial Regulatory Review and in
additional proceedings.  As one who formerly represented communications companies before the
FCC, I know only too well the need for action in this area.  I want to assure everyone that while
I am Chairman, and under this Commission, there is going to be a lot more deregulation and
streamlining, to the ultimate benefit of not just the industries we regulate but the public interest. 

     In the first of these proceedings, in an item prepared by the Office of General Counsel
and Office of Public Affairs, we consider the adoption of rules for electronic filing in
rulemaking and related types of proceedings.  This will make it much easier for the public -- and
particularly persons with disabilities -- to participate in Commission proceedings of greatest
general interest.

     We also begin a rulemaking proceeding, as part of our biennial review of all FCC rules,
to move to electronic filing for mass media applications.  More generally, this item, prepared
by the Mass Media Bureau, proposes a move toward simpler mass media application processes
and also proposes related substantive deregulation.

     A report and order from the Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) involves
electronic filing for equipment authorization applications, simplification of the equipment
authorization process and deregulation of certain equipment authorization requirements.

                              Biennial Review

     Because one of today's items is part of the Commission's 1998 Biennial Regulatory
Review, I want to say a few words about that broad-ranging Commission initiative for
substantive and procedural deregulation and streamlining.  

     Section 11 of the Communications Act, as amended by the Telecommunications Act of
1996, requires the Commission to review all of its regulations regarding providers of
telecommunications service in every even-numbered year to determine whether certain
regulations are no longer necessary in the public interest as the result of meaningful economic
competition between providers of the service and whether such regulations should be repealed
or modified.  While the statute does not require us to reaffirm those regulations that continue
to serve the public interest, it does require us to identify and do something about those that we
determine don't.  In addition, section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires
the Commission to review its broadcast ownership rules biennially as part of the review
conducted pursuant to section 11.  

     Soon after I became Chairman, I directed that the first biennial review be even broader
than required by the statute.  With a new Commission on board, I believed this was an excellent
opportunity for a serious top-to-bottom examination of all the Commission's regulations, not just
those required to be reviewed by statute.  

     This review began in November and is continuing apace.  As part of the process, the
Commission staff engaged in a comprehensive internal review of all regulations covered by
section 11 and section 202(h) as well as other Commission regulations.  The staff sought specific
suggestions from each of the Commissioners.  Several public forums sponsored by the
Commission as well as brown bag lunches with practice groups of the Federal Communications
Bar Association provided opportunities for input from the industry and the public.  Input has also
been received through the Biennial Review mailbox on the Commission's Internet Home Page
and other means.  We continue to receive useful input.

     After this comprehensive review by the staff, and input from the public and the
Commissioners, the staff announced in early February a list of approximately 30 proceedings
it recommended the Commission initiate as part of the 1998 biennial review.  About half of the
proposed proceedings involve common carriers, which are regulated principally by three
Commission Bureaus (Common Carrier Bureau, International Bureau and Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau).  These proceedings generally involve numerous individual rules. 

     Two important proceedings involving common carriers have already begun -- a
proceeding to consider elimination of certain Computer III rules regarding Comparably Efficient
Interconnection Plans and a proceeding to streamline the application process for wireless
common carriers and other wireless entities.  We have also begun an inquiry into our broadcast
ownership rules, simplified our rules regarding when EEO reports need to be filed and, today,
consider items involving broadcast application streamlining and deregulation as well as
deregulation of some of our equipment rules.

     More proceedings -- involving common carriers, broadcasters and others -- are on the
way.  I am confident that at the end of the process, with the cooperation and input of my
colleagues, we will see significant substantive and procedural deregulation and streamlining for
common carriers, broadcasters and others, both as required by the statute and going well beyond
the statutory requirements.  
          
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