[JURIST] AP is reporting that FCC officials have confirmed that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell [official website] will announce his resignation from the Commission Friday. A publicly-unconfirmed report of a possible announcement was carried early this morning in the Wall Street Journal. Powell's tenure as Commission chair was marked by controversy over telecommunications deregulation and, more recently, stricter broadcast indecency rules. His resignation after seven years on the board opens the way for President Bush to appoint a replacement, perhaps Commissioner Kevin Martin [official profile], a Republican. AP has more.