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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. 516 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 March 11, 2005
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
 Meribeth McCarrick, 202-418-0654



ROBERT PEPPER NAMED ACTING CHIEF, OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND POLICY ANALYSIS
LINDA BLAIR RETURNS TO POSITION AS DEPUTY CHIEF, ENFORCEMENT BUREAU

Washington, DC - FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell announced that Linda Blair will return to her position as Deputy Chief of the Enforcement Bureau and that he has named Robert Pepper to be Acting Chief of the Commission's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis (OSP), effective March 14, 2005.

Blair has been serving as Acting Chief of OSP on an interim basis since October 2004. Pepper is the Commission's Chief of Policy Development, a position he has held since March 2003.

Chairman Powell said, ``I am grateful to Linda Blair for the excellent job she has done as interim Acting Chief of OSP. She is a skilled manager and will continue to serve the agency well upon her return to the Enforcement Bureau.''

Powell said, "I am also very fortunate to be able to call on a person with Robert Pepper's extensive and broad experience at the Commission to provide the strong leadership necessary to continue the terrific work Linda has done leading the OSP team.''

As Chief, Policy Development, Pepper is responsible for providing strategic advice to the Chairman and Commissioners on industry and policy developments, particularly on issues that cut across traditional industry and institutional boundaries as a result of technological developments and convergence. Among other responsibilities, he co-chairs the Commission's Internet Policy Working Group.

Before joining the FCC, Pepper was Director of the Annenberg Washington Program in Communications Policy Studies. He also was Director of Domestic Policies and Acting Associate Administrator for Policy Analysis and Development at NTIA, and developed a program on communications, computers, and information at the National Science Foundation.

Blair had been Deputy Chief of the Enforcement Bureau since October 2001. In that capacity she oversaw the Bureau's broadcast and spectrum-related work, as well as the work of the Bureau's field offices. She has also served as Deputy Director of the FCC's Homeland Security Policy Council, working with the Chairman's Office and with senior managers throughout the FCC to coordinate the agency's Homeland Security initiatives.

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