Disney's MacBride rejoins FCC

Was legal counsel on mass media, cable TV

By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

Marsha MacBride will ankle her post as Walt Disney Co. lobbyist to return to the Federal Communications Commission and serve as chief under new FCC chair Michael Powell.

MacBride worked for Powell in his previous position as FCC commissioner. She left the regulatory agency last year to join the Mouse's Washington office.

"I am incredibly pleased that Marsha has agreed to come back to public service at the commission," Powell said. "Her experience with me as a legal advisor and, most importantly, as executive director of the FCC's Y2K task force, showed what a valuable asset Marsha is to this agency."

At the FCC, she had provided legal counsel to Powell on mass media and cable TV matters.

President Bush wasted no time earlier this week in upping Powell to the chairman's seat, replacing outgoing Democratic chair William Kennard.