FCC reaffirmed its Aug. 1999 decisions on TV ownership and attribution rules in decisions late Fri. Among rules reaffirmed were local TV ownership limits, national TV ownership, mass media attribution.

In much-anticipated announcement, President Bush tapped FCC Comr. Powell as chairman Mon., just days after departure Fri. of FCC Chmn. William Kennard. Powell, who has been on FCC since Nov. 1997, had been widely viewed as front-runner for post, although official word didn’t come until White House spokesman Ari Fleischer announced appointment at news briefing Mon. Separately, executive memorandum issued by Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card began circulating more widely at FCC Mon. Though it wasn’t clear how much authority Executive Branch has over decisions of independent agencies like FCC, memo is intended to suspend regulations that agencies have approved recently but which haven’t yet been published in Federal Register.

Nokia Neu CommTech, joint venture of Nokia in China, and Beijing and Hubei arms of China Mobile Communications (CMM), reached agreement for delivery of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) technology, terms not announced. Companies said gear would be used to start wireless Internet services to northern, central and western regions of China. Nokia said deliveries had begun and system would start operating next month. CMM plans to offer WAP- based services to more than 1 million customers. Separately, Nokia signed $160 million pact to deliver GSM 900 MHz and 1800 MHz network equipment to China’s Yunnan Mobile Communications Co. Nokia said it would provide high-capacity mobile switching equipment and base station controllers. Companies said network upgrade would increase capacity of network for Yunnan’s nearly 2 million subscribers in southern China.

In split decision that left broadcast and cable officials scrambling for clarification, FCC voted 3-2 late Fri. against requiring cable operators and DBS providers to carry both analog and digital signals of TV stations right now. Commission hadn’t actually announced decision at our deadline Mon., although action was said to be imminent. Sources said Commission adopted further notice of proposed rulemaking (FNPRM) that would set high bar for broadcasters to prove that they were entitled to must-carry rights for 2 signals during digital transition. Notice apparently seeks comment on whether dual carriage would violate cable’s constitutional rights to free speech, as cable has insisted. But details remained fuzzy at our deadline.

FCC strengthened its line sharing rules in an order released Mon. that acts on petitions for clarification or reconsideration of rules agency adopted last year. Among changes adopted in new order: (1) Line sharing applies to entire loop, even where portion of loop is on fiber facilities. (2) ILECs must provide line splitting so competing carrier can provide voice and data over same line either by itself or in partnership with data carrier.

BT N. America said it opened new Digital Switching Center at Teleport in Washington. New facility will provide customers with international gateway to IP connectivity, digital transmission services and access to BT’s infrastructure.

Nicholas Wodtke, ex-Columbia TriStar International, named senior vp-interactive TV, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment… Allison Remsen, former NCTA staffer, promoted to press secy., House Minority Whip Bonior (D-Mich.)… Changes at NBC: Barry Stoddard promoted to senior vp-program research, West Coast; Rosalyn Weinman, exec. vp-broadcast content policy and East Coast entertainment, leaves network… Changes at CNBC: Steve Sherman promoted to vp-research; Andrew Warren, NBC, moves to vp-CFO… Philip Lelyveld promoted to vp-digital industry relations, Disney… Changes at Discovery Networks International: Rex Recka promoted to vp-programming & sales operations; Tony Harvin, ex- Motown and Arista Records, named dir.-program sales… James Clifford promoted to senior vp-CDMA technologies, Qualcomm… Promotions at Verizon: Wajeeha Aziz to dir., operations-western N.Y. region; Tarita Miller to dir., operations-N.Y. midstate region… Changes at EMS Technologies: Jay Grove, ex-ViaSat, appointed vp-gen. mgr., EMS Space & Technology Group-Atlanta; Michael Gulledge, ex-Glenayre Electronics, named vp-mktg., Wireless Div… Promotions at The National Telephone Cooperative Association: Marlee Norton to vp-international programs; Barbara Ritter to vp-human resources; Ron Precourt to dir.-training & development; Eleanor Baird to dir. of meetings… Sarah Foss promoted to dir.-mktg., Bcst. Communications Div., Harris Corp… Thomas Hicks III, ex-Greenberg, Traurig, becomes partner, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering.

Sprint is using 2-way system from Hybrid Networks to deploy Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service in Melbourne, Fla. Hybrid said it was providing head-end equipment to manage data transmission and bandwidth. Companies didn’t disclose financial terms.

LAS VEGAS -- Mandatory digital tuners in TV sets was subject of sharp exchanges at ALTV panel here Mon., with CEA Pres. Gary Shapiro arguing that consumers shouldn’t be required to buy unwanted tuners while Cox TV Pres. Andrew Fisher said mandatory tuners were “a must… if we're going to get this [DTV] going.” Paxson TV CEO Lowell Paxson said “I'm ready to go to the Supreme Court” on tuner issue, saying All-Channel Receiver Act passed by Congress in 1964 requiring UHF tuners “is the law.” Paxson also got into exchange with panelist Susan Fox, deputy chief of FCC Mass Media Bureau, on what he said was agency’s slowness in acting on DTV applications by TV stations.

Broadcasters on TV Ch. 52-69 should have to give back their analog channels Dec. 31, 2006, regardless of whether 85% of U.S. households have access to DTV, outgoing FCC Chmn. William Kennard said in letter to Congress, and broadcasters on other channels should begin paying escalating spectrum fee to continue analog broadcasts. Changes were among several that Kennard proposed to Congress as way to speed DTV transition.