Genachowski Confirmed as FCC Chair, Starts Monday?

We're super busy on this Friday afternoon, but we wanted to get it in the official FMC record (or at least this here blog) that the Senate voted Thursday evening to confirm Julius Genachowski — President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the Federal Communications Commission.

Ars Technica:

There's just one more step to go for the new boss. The White House must now formally make the Genachoswki appointment, but that's a done deal. "We expect him to be sworn in and start by Monday," an FCC spokesperson told Ars. Genachowski worked at the Commission in the 1990s as a senior advisor, then ran a variety of media ventures through the Bush years.

Genachowski and Obama go back a ways — they were Harvard classmates, and the Chief-to-be was instrumental in the Obama campaign's digital strategy. Genachowski has also worked as a venture capitalist and internet executive, so he's clearly familiar with that "series of tubes" known as the worldwide web. (Maybe he'll get 'em started on a more user-friendly FCC website?)

We're sure we'll be talking about this appointment (as well as the remaining Commission seats) in the future, but for now, we'll just say congratulations, Mr. Chairman.