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NEWS
Federal Communications Commission

News Media Information 202 / 418-0500

445 12th Street, S.W.

Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

Washington, D. C.  20554

TTY: 1-888-835-5322

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
December 27, 2012
Justin Cole, 202-418-8191
Email: justin.cole@fcc.gov

FCC ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF STEVEN WILDMAN AS NEW CHIEF ECONOMIST

Washington, D.C. 

– Chairman Julius Genachowski announced today the appointment of Steven 
Wildman to the position of FCC Chief Economist.  Professor Wildman, an expert on communications and 
media issues who holds the James H. Quello Chair of Telecommunications Studies and is serving as the 
Acting Chair of the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media at Michigan State 
University, will commence his role in January 2013.
Chairman Genachowski said, “I’m very pleased that Steve will be joining the Commission.  He 
has a stellar record as an economist and has conducted important research on broadband adoption and 
spectrum management, among other topics.  The Chief Economist’s role and office are critical to the 
agency’s work and its understanding of complex economic issues related to the communications sector.
"I would also like to commend and thank our outgoing Chief Economist Marius Schwartz. Marius 
was an outstanding Chief Economist, who applied his deep economic expertise and problem solving 
abilities daily to our most challenging initiatives.  The Commission has relied heavily on his input and 
analysis to make key decisions, and his work substantially bolstered the FCC’s economic capabilities.”
Wildman will take over as Chief Economist from Schwartz, who is returning to his prior role as a 
Professor of Economics at Georgetown University.
Wildman’s teaching and research focus on economics, law and policy across the communications 
industry, and the impact of information technologies on the organization of economic activities.  He has 
conducted detailed research on broadband adoption examining infrastructure cost structures and demand 
in rural and underserved areas.  He has also studied the efficiency properties of alternative spectrum 
governance regimes and network interconnection policy.
He has held numerous fellowships and received prominent awards, including the Information and 
Telecommunications Education and Research Association Distinguished Research Award, the Journal of 
Media Economics Award of Honor for Scholarly Contributions, and the McGannon Award for Social and 
Ethical Relevance in Communications Policy Research.
Prior to joining Michigan State University, Wildman was an Associate Professor at Northwestern 
University’s Department of Communications Studies. He has also worked at the University of 
California’s Department of Economics. Wildman holds a Ph.D in Economics from Stanford University, 
as well as an M.A. and a B.A. degree in Economics from Stanford University and Wabash College 
respectively.
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