Michael Powell

Michael K. Powell served as Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission during the first administration of George W. Bush. He was replaced as Chairman in March 2005 by Kevin J. Martin, who had served as FCC Commissioner since May 25, 2001. 

Powell, the son of former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who also served during Bush's first administration and announced that he would be vacating the top post in January 2005. 

In March 2007, Cisco Systems announced that Powell had joined their board of directors. "Powell is an advisor to Providence Equity Partners as well as the head of his own consulting firm, MK Powell Group," reported Broadcasting & Cable. "Powell was Chairman when the FCC decided ruled that the government was not required to impose open-access [or net neutrality] requirements on cable broadband (cable-modem service). That was a decision that unnerved some big Web companies like Google and Yahoo! ... Cisco has said it is in support of the the principle of an open Internet but against mandating neutrality." 


 * Trustee, RAND Corporation

SourceWatch Resources

 * Federal Communications Commission
 * Network neutrality
 * The Media Institute