Rosenworcel: COVID-19 Takes FCC 'Family' Member

The "FCC family" has recorded its first coronavirus-related death, according to FCC commisioner Jessica Rosenworcel.

At the Tuesday public meeting--a teleconference, actually--she saluted the FCC staff, singling out Matthew Berry and Mark Stephens for leading the staff response to COVID-19. But she then added: "I also know we've tragically lost one member of the FCC family, so to our staff, you are in our thoughts and prayers."

One FCC staffer said they thought the person was a contractor working for the FCC. The chairman's office said it had "no details to share," while two industry sources said they did not know--though one was checking.

Rosenworcel's office said it was not in a position to share any details.

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.