Full Stream Ahead Focus: What are the Challenges and Opportunities for Digital Media in the New Administration?

Content is King: digital media is the engine driving broadband service consumption, and consumers are consuming more digital media every day in their homes and on the go.  This panel will discuss the future of content and will focus on the aspects of emerging issues in the media streaming marketplace, including regulators’ inquiries regarding zero-rating plans from mobile broadband providers, interconnection issues stemming from the FCC’s open Internet order and various merger agreements, regulatory implications of streaming apps on set top boxes, and copyright developments that affect streaming business models.

Speakers

Markham Erickson (Moderator)

Steptoe and Johnson, Partner

Markham Erickson represents clients on all aspects of telecommunications, media, and Internet law.  He regularly represents clients in regulatory complaints, investigations, rulemakings, and proposed mergers before the Federal Communication Commission and the Department of Justice.  He also represents clients before the United States Copyright Office and the Patent and Trademark Office.  He has challenged and defended regulatory actions before federal courts.Ranked in Chambers USA in Telecom, Broadcast & Satellite – District of Columbia, Mr. Erickson has also been recognized by The Legal 500, which describes him as a “substantive legal expert with great connections and understanding of the regulatory process, as well as a command of the political, policy and public relations aspects of regulatory work.”  He has been appointed by the White House to represent the United States before the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development on Internet speech and regulatory matters.Mr. Erickson is the co-chair of the premier annual seminar on the legal and regulatory developments in the broadband and cable industries.  He served as the first general counsel to the Internet Association, where he advised the association’s president and CEO, as well as its members, on industry-impacting regulatory and legislative initiatives.  In addition, he has represented Internet companies and Internet service providers since the beginning of the commercial Internet.Mr. Erickson is Steptoe's Chief Diversity Partner, responsible for the firm's initiatives surrounding diversity and inclusion.  He also is co-chair of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Committee and a member of its Technology Committee. 

Alison Minea

Director & Special Counsel, Regulatory Affairs, Dish Network

Alison Minea serves as Director and Senior Counsel of Regulatory Affairs for DISH Network.  She has responsibility for the company's advocacy before the Federal Communications Commission on spectrum, media, and satellite issues, and has testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on video competition.  Ms. Minea has been with DISH since 2010, following several years practicing communications law in the Washington, D.C. office of Morrison & Foerster LLP.  Ms. Minea has a law degree from the University of Colorado School of Law and graduated magna cum laude with an A.B. degree in Philosophy from Bryn Mawr College.

Michael Cheah

General Counsel, Vimeo, Inc.

Cathy Massey

Vice President - Federal Regulatory Affairs, T-Mobile US, Inc.

Cathy joined T-Mobile in 2014 and was named Vice President, Federal Regulatory in
Feb. 2016. In that capacity, she is focused on legal policy and advocacy work before
the FCC and the FTC, including in the areas of consumer protection, competitive
policy, enforcement and privacy. Immediately prior to joining T-Mobile, Cathy was
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Public Policy for Clearwire Corporation. She
has also served as a Deputy Chief of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau and as a Vice President for AT&T Wireless and XO Communications. She
has worked in the wireless industry for more than 20 years, beginning as a
regulatory attorney for cellular telephone industry pioneer McCaw Cellular
Communications. A graduate of University of Virginia School of Law, she received
her undergraduate degree from Northwestern, with a Bachelor of Science in
Journalism.