WASHINGTON—FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has a little less than a month left on the job, but during that time he will preside over his 49th and final Open Commission Meeting on Jan. 13. In a blog post that usually outlines what will be on the docket for the upcoming meeting, Pai took this final opportunity to highlight a few of the accomplishments he's most proud of during his four-year stint as chairman.

Pai calls his four years “more productive, more collaborative and more transparent” than any other time in the FCC’s history. In the monthly meetings that he has conducted, he says that his commission has voted on 286 items, an average of about six per meeting; historically the average has been closer to three, per Pai. He also touts that of the votes during these meetings, 205 (71.7%) had no dissents and 253 (88.5%) were bipartisan.

The agency’s transparency efforts are also a point of pride for Pai, as after he took over it has become practice for the FCC to publish the full text of FCC meeting items three weeks in advance of votes; to include a one-page fact sheet describing what each item does; and his previously mentioned monthly blog.

For the final meeting, Pai says they will change up the proceedings a bit, asking FCC Bureaus, Offices and Task Forces to prepare presentations highlighting their most significant accomplishments over the past four years. “It’s been a privilege to work alongside these outstanding public servants,” Pai said. “Three weeks hence, the spotlight properly should shine on them.”

Pai called his tenure serving on the FCC the honor of his life.

The FCC’s January Open Commission Meeting will take place on Jan. 13.

WASHINGTON—Planning ahead, the FCC has announced the dates for its Open Commission Meetings for 2021.

Here are the 2021 scheduled dates:

• Jan. 13 
• Feb. 17
• March 17
• April 22
• May 20
• June 17
• July 13
• Aug. 5
• Sept. 30
• Oct. 26
• Nov. 18
• Dec. 14

All meetings will take place from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET. Because of the unknown circumstances regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not clear if these meetings will be able to take place in person or will be conducted via a conference call as most have in 2020; though the FCC has listed its address for each 2021 meeting (2020 meetings say “online only”). Either way, a live webcast will be available for interested viewers.

The agenda for these meetings will be posted onto their individual meeting pages closer to their dates. Also, other meeting materials, including circulation drafts, White Copy notices, meeting videos, commissioner statements, press releases and the final adopted items, are posted and archived on the meeting pages.

There are still three scheduled Open Commission Meetings for 2020: Oct. 27, which will vote on white space and audio descriptions, Nov. 18 and Dec. 10.

For more information, visit the FCC’s Open Commission Meeting event page.

WASHINGTON—Those interested in attending the November Open Commission Meeting at the FCC headquarters in D.C. will have to update their calendars as the commission has announced a date change for the meeting. Originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Nov. 19, the meeting is now slated for Friday, Nov. 22.

Topics expected to be discussed at the open meeting will include protecting against equipment or services from countries that may pose a national security threat; modernizing rules on debarment and unbundling; a debate on whether to begin a transition to all-digital AM radio; and more.

The meeting is open to all, though all attendees will be subject to security checks at FCC headquarters. The meeting will also be livestreamed on www.fcc.gov/live and tracked on social media with #OpenMtgFCC.

The FCC will begin the meeting on Nov. 22 at 10:30 a.m.

Visit the FCC website to find out more about the complete agenda.