FOR RELEASE: January 8, 2019
Contact: Richard T. Kaplar
The Media Institute
703-243-5700
Arlington, Va., January 8, 2019 – Bill Bailey, vice president of government relations for The Walt Disney Company, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of The Media Institute, it was announced today by Institute President Richard T. Kaplar.
Bailey is responsible for advocating company positions and monitoring a variety of issues pertaining to cable and broadcast television, copyright, employment law, tax law, and other areas.
Bailey replaces Richard Bates, Disney’s senior vice president of government relations, who had served on the Institute’s Board since 2010.
“We are glad to maintain the Disney presence on our Board, and Bill brings a wealth of corporate, Capitol Hill, and FCC experience on media and telecom issues,” said Kaplar.
Previously, Bailey was the lead advisor to then-Chairman John McCain on all telecommunications matters before the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. He also served as a senior advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Telecommunications in the administration of President George W. Bush. Bailey served for four years at the Federal Communications Commission as a legal advisor to Commissioner Harold Furchtgott-Roth.
In the private sector, Bailey held government affairs and legal positions with XM Satellite Radio, CoreExpress, Inc., and NorthPoint Communications. He began his legal career at the law firm Robins, Kaplan, Miller, and Ciresi.
The Media Institute is a nonprofit research foundation working to advance sound communications policy, freedom of speech, and excellence in journalism. For more information, visit the Institute online at www.mediainstitute.org.
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