Washington ? Soon after joining the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Powell said one of his mottos would be: “Fight with ideas and not emotion.”

His efforts to ease rules governing media ownership are prompting plenty of emotional debate — and lots of criticism of Powell. So much that Powell met with top aides after returning from vacation Monday and assured them he won’t quit.

“The chairman is aware of the speculation in the press and industry about his future,” said Jonathan Cody, Powell’s special policy adviser. Powell “assured senior staff that it is his firm intention to continue to lead the commission and implement our agenda.”

Powell, a champion of deregulation who critics say is too pro big business, rose from commissioner to chairman when President Bush took office in 2001. His term isn’t over until 2007.

Powell succeeded in getting his Republican-dominated FCC to ease decades-old rules governing ownership of newspapers and television and radio stations. The party-line vote on June 2 approved changes that allow individual companies to own TV stations reaching nearly half the nation’s viewers and combinations of newspapers and broadcast outlets in the same community.

The vote has become a magnet for those concerned that a few large companies control too much of the news and entertainment people see, hear and read.

Small broadcasters complained about network domination of local television. The National Rifle Assn. warned media giants would impose liberal views. Consumer advocates predicted squelched diversity.

Lawmakers from both parties are pushing to roll back some or all the FCC changes, a fight expected to heat up when Congress returns from its August recess.

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell says he plans to continue running the commission despite criticism. Powell, pictured during a May 27 interview, met with his top aides Monday to let them know he has no plans of quitting. His efforts to ease rules governing media ownership have prompted emotional debate.