Rosel H. Hyde

Rosel H. Hyde (April 12, 1900 – December 19, 1992) served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) twice under the four different presidents. He was chairman from April 18, 1953, to October 3, 1954, and again from June 27, 1966, to October 31, 1969. He was also acting chairman from April 19, 1954 to October 3, 1954 and again from May 1, 1966 to June 26, 1966. He was the first chairman of the FCC to be reappointed and was also the first chairman to be appointed by a president of a different political party. In 1924, Hyde began working for the government as a member of the United States Civil Service Commission. He then worked for the Office of Public Buildings and Parks from 1925–28. In 1928 he joined the Federal Radio Commission (FRC), which became the FCC in 1934, and was their first disbursement officer.

Career at the FCC During his time in the FCC, Hyde passed the bar and then took on the role of associate attorney, attorney, attorney examiner (administrative law judge), senior attorney, principal attorney, assistant general council, and finally became general counsel.

When Franklin D. Roosevelt became President, he put a fellow Democrat in Hyde's place. The new administration could not legally fire Hyde solely due to his political affiliation as a Republican so he remained at the FCC, but was demoted to the position of assistant attorney. This demotion only lasted about a year because a few months later he became the senior examiner. By 1945, he was reinstated as general counsel of the FCC.

During Hyde's time as commissioner many rules were made to control how television stations functioned. One example is the requirement that cigarette commercials and anti-smoking announcements had the same amount of air time. Around this time, cable television became a competitor to free broadcasting as a result of decisions made by the commission.

Awards In 1965, Hyde received a gold medal citation from the International Radio and Television Society after a unanimous vote by the society's board of governors. In his gold medal citation it was said that he was one of the main contributors to the success of television becoming a nationwide service. During his first 19 months as chairman, he nearly tripled the number of television stations on air.

Personal life Hyde married Mary Henderson in June 1924. They had four children and were both active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. he died in 1992