A capsule history of the retiring chairman's tenure at the Federal Communications Commission.
November 1993: Reed Hundt becomes chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.
February 1994: In the wake of a new federal law regulating cable television, Hundt persuades commissioners to vote for a 7 percent rollback in cable rates.
July 1994: FCC begins auctioning available spectrum for new wireless communications technologies. After the first round of auctions, Hundt said: "The proudest day of my entire career was giving the president a check for $7.7 billion. That's not too shabby." Through May 1997, the auctions raise US$20 billion.
April 1995 - February 1996: Responding to congressional assaults on FCC funding, Hundt launches a vigorous campaign that sees almost $30 million added to the original Senate allocation. At a September news conference, Hundt tells reporters, "This agency is the biggest cash cow in the entire history of government. To date, it has returned over $9 billion to the Treasury and the US taxpayer.... They would kill this cash cow, even while we're trying to milk it for billions of more dollars in auction revenue."
February 1996: President Clinton signs the Telecommunications Act of 1996, deregulating local telephone and cable markets.
August 1996: The FCC passes a regulation requiring broadcasters to air at least three hours of educational children's programs per week. "The creative community can invent a whole new art form: the art of teaching children with television," Hundt says.
November 1996: Hundt declares that the FCC should consider regulating television ads for hard liquor after an industry group drops a voluntary moratorium.
April 1997: After forcing broadcasters to the bargaining table with a tough stance on conversion to digital television, the FCC issues a compromise ruling that requires networks to begin digital broadcasts in the 10 largest broadcast markets within two years.
7 May 1997: FCC hands down the last major orders required under the 1996 Telecom Act. The first slashes access charges that local phone companies charge long-distance carriers. The second creates a $2.25 billion fund to subsidize inexpensive Internet access for schools, libraries, and public health facilities.
27 May 1997: Hundt resigns from the FCC, pending the appointment of his replacement.
