Thune Heads Communications Subcommittee

As expected, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) has switched places with Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and will head up the Senate Commerce Committee's Communications Subcommittee in the new Congress.

Wicker is succeeding Thune as chair of the Commerce Committee--Thune has been named minority whip and the rules prevent him from holding the chairmanship and the "whipping" post, as it were.

"We made significant progress in helping to make 5G internet a reality during my chairmanship, something I will continue to push for in my new role as chairman of this important subcommittee," said Thune. "I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate and with the administration and local leaders to continue to encourage 5G deployment, along with a better quality of rural broadband throughout South Dakota and across the nation.”

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.