WASHINGTON - Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski (jen-uh-KOW'-skee) is reportedly set to announce Friday that he will step down.

That's according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited an unnamed FCC official and an industry representative on Thursday.

His five-year term is to end in June.

Genachowski, 50, chaired a group that advised President Barack Obama on technology, media and telecommunications policy in his first campaign for president and was appointed FCC chairman by Obama in 2009.

His departure would leave Democrats with a 2-1 majority on the commission after Republican Commissioner Robert McDowell leaves in a few weeks.

Genachowski has pushed for more access to high-speed Internet in rural America, and contributed to AT&T's decision to abandon its acquisition of T-Mobile in 2011.

A spokesman for Genachowski declined to comment.