President Bush’s choices of Deborah Tate and Michael Copps for the Federal Communications Commission seem to have struck a proper balance. Groups on both sides of most competitive issues are praising the selections.

Tate, a director on the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, was named to the Republican slot, while Copps will continue on the Democratic side. Tate will take the slot originally occupied by Kevin Martin, before he was promoted to chairman, resulting in a 3-2 advantage in advancing the Republican agenda, which has tended to tilt in favor of the larger incumbent carriers.

“This is a critical time for the telecom industry with technologies and the marketplace rapidly evolving, and we applaud President Bush for nominating Deborah Tate, a strong, experienced candidate, to the FCC,” said Walter B. McCormick, president and CEO of USTelecom, in a prepared statement. “With the President’s goal of achieving universal broadband deployment by 2007, Congress preparing to update the nation’s communications laws and technology forging ahead, the FCC is at the center of today’s communications debate. We urge the Senate to quickly confirm Deborah Tate to help Chairman Martin move the President’s agenda forward.”

Earl Comstock, president and CEO of Comptel, which represents competitive carriers, called Tate “a very thoughtful and effective public servant during her years at the Tennessee Regulatory Authority.”

Copps is known as a staunch consumer advocate and, with fellow Democrat Jonathan Adelstein, has negotiated some concessions from Martin, including conditions imposed on the recent mergers of SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI.

BellSouth also stressed the significance of speed in approving the appointments.

“At this critical time, when fast-changing technology provides ever increasing consumer benefits, it is important to have the FCC at full strength to be certain that regulation does not impair delivery of these benefits to consumers,” said Herschel Abbott, BellSouth vice president of governmental affairs. “Quick Senate approval of these nominees will provide Chairman Martin with a team of hard-working individuals who understand the importance of the job they've been asked to undertake.”

The full slate will be a temporary phenomenon. Bush will have to nominate a third FCC member when Kathleen Abernathy is required to step down when this session of Congress ends in December.

Tate’s term would run through 2007 and Copps’ through 2010.