Job Description JOB SUMMARY Reporting to Group Vice President – Law, Programming, the VP – Law, Programming will serve as a senior-level in-house legal counsel responsible for programming and content licensing matters at the nation’s third-largest pay television supplier. This role assists in the overall management of the business and legal affairs of the company’s programming acquisition function. The VP – Law, Programming will negotiate and draft complex retransmission consent and affiliation agreements involving hundreds of millions of dollars with cable networks, broadcast stations, studios and other content providers. The position also will involve advising senior executives in Programming Acquisition on a wide-range of legal issues relating to programming, including copyright and federal regulations. MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Actively and consistently support all efforts to simplify and enhance the customer experience. Oversee legal aspects of highly complex and multifaceted programming transactions with major programming providers, including negotiating, drafting and overseeing administration of company rights and obligations with respect to nationally distributed broadcast and cable programming services and television broadcast stations on traditional and new media (e.g., TVE, OTT) platforms, both linear and on-demand. Provide advice and guidance to executives in Programming Acquisition and Product on the legal interpretation of the company’s agreements with programmers. Negotiate, draft, review, revise and approve retransmission consent contracts for carriage of broadcast television stations and advise on “must carry” regulatory issues. Advise Compliance team regarding various broadcast regulations (network non dupe, syndex, etc.). Provide strategic advice and expert guidance to executives in Programming Acquisition and Product on policy, legal and business implications of programmer contracts and relationships, as well as a wide variety of copyright and other legal issues implicated by distribution of content over existing and new technology platforms. Such advice and guidance will require a solid understanding of FCC regulations governing the distribution of video content over various platforms. Develop and recommend company policy and positions on legal issues and process relating to programming. Provide counsel on issues arising from actual or anticipated lawsuits relating to programming matters. Support GVP - Law, Programming in managing Law, Programming group; meet regularly with and advise GVP - Law, Programming regarding status and priority of the group’s matters and allocation of deal work. Manage outside counsel. Perform other duties as required. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS SKILLS/ABILITIES AND KNOWLEDGE
EDUCATION Law Degree RELATED WORK EXPERIENCE- NUMBER OF YEARS Top-tier law firm and/or as an in-house lawyer in television networks distribution or in MVPD industry experience- 10+ Experience in copyright law- 5+ WORKING CONDITIONS Full-time from Stamford, CT headquarters