Analyst Identifies 2 Likely Republican FCC Nominees

President Bush is likely to nominate a White House technology advisor and a Tennessee utility regulator for two slots on the Federal Communications Commission, an industry analyst said Friday.

Richard Russell, associate director of the president’s Office of Science and Technology Policy since 2002, and Deborah Taylor Tate, a director of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, would fill two Republican seats on the commission, Legg Mason analyst Blair Levin wrote to clients.

If nominated, and then confirmed by the Senate, Russell and Tate would restore a 3-2 Republican majority at the FCC, smoothing the way for Chairman Kevin J. Martin to push through decisions on issues including media ownership rules and mergers that would enlarge the two biggest U.S. telephone carriers.

Michael K. Powell’s departure as chairman in March left an even split between the major political parties.

“We expect the nominees to help Chairman Martin carry out his generally deregulatory agenda, particularly as to liberalizing media ownership rules,� dismantling regulations that favor cable TV providers over phone companies and completing a review of the acquisitions, said Levin, who is based in Washington and is a former chief of staff at the FCC.

One nominee would fill the slot left when Powell departed. The other would replace Kathleen Q. Abernathy, a Republican whose term has expired and who has been planning to leave.

A call to Russell’s office was directed to the White House press office, which was not available for comment.

An assistant to Tate said she was traveling and not available.

The FCC’s public information office did not return a call seeking comment.