It won't be official until June 5 or so, but Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords' defection from the Republican Party will have far reaching implications, including a significant, if indirect, effect on the entertainment industry.
With Jeffords' defection, the Democrats take control of the Senate for the first time since 1994. Assumption of that control means the chairpersons of all Senate committees will change from Republican senators to Democrat, including the Commerce Committee. The Commerce Committee oversees all elements of communications in the United States, including the Federal Communication Commission.
Sen. Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.), a colorful political veteran who ascended to his state's gubernatorial position in 1958 and entered the Senate in 1966, takes over as the committee's chairman.