Obama's Coming: How Will He Shape the Media Landscape?

The countdown has begun and Barack Obama will soon be our 44th president. How will Obama impact our media landscape? Here are a few things to look out for:

- Who is going to head the FCC?:
Current FCC chairmain, Kevin Martin, is expected to be replaced by a Democrat when Barack Obama takes office. There is speculation that Obama's former classmate from Harvard law school, Julius Genachowski, will be chosen for the position.

- Net Neutrality: Barack Obama has said in the past that he would only appoint an FCC chairperson that believed in Net Neutrality. Sen. Byron Dorgan, a Democrat from North Dakota, promised to introduce a Net-neutrality bill to Congress in 2009. Durbin believes a bill like this will have success under the new congress and president.

- "The Cyber Czar": Obama is going to name the first-ever Federal Chief Technology Officer. Paul Kurtz, is predicted to be appointed to this position, which has been dubbed the "The Cyber Czar."

- The Digital Divide: Barack Obama has promised universal broadband Internet access to all Americans. Investment in Broadband Internet service is part of his economic stimulus program which could boost job creation, enhance US infrastructure, all while making it easier for rural, urban poor, and elderly populations to access the internet. Commentators, such as Stephen Wildstrom writing for Businesweek, worry about Obama's current proposal. Wildstrom writes: "Subsidies for network construction and subscriptions could end up doing little more than boosting the semi-monopolies enjoyed by the cable and telephone carriers."

- Media Ownership: Barack Obama has pledged to encourage diversity in media ownership. As outlined in his Innovation and Technology Plan: "Unfortunately, over the past several years, the Federal Communications Commission has promoted the concept of consolidation over diversity. Barack Obama believes that providing opportunities for minority-owned businesses to own radio and television stations is fundamental to creating the diverse media environment that federal law requires and the country deserves and demands. As president, he will encourage diversity in the ownership of broadcast media, promote the development of new media outlets for expression of diverse viewpoints, and clarify the public interest obligations of broadcasters who occupy the nation’s spectrum."