Meili spent 2017 dealing with contractual issues regarding industry consolidation of distributors and programmers. Leading the New York Entertainment and Media Practice for Greenberg Traurig, Meili has represented major cable programming services, station groups, sports content providers and online and Internet-delivered programming providers. Meili says one aspect of the industry she particularly likes is that success is measured through tangible results. “I like working with companies that, at the end of the day, measure success based on their ability to distribute content which mirrors and informs society,” she says.
What have been the most important legal issues in communications for you in the past year?
Navigating the contractual issues associated with consolidation in the industry, both on the distributor and programmer side.
How is today’s political environment impacting your job and the industry?
One of the reasons I gravitated towards the television industry is because I like working with companies that, at the end of the day, measure success based on their ability to distribute content which mirrors and informs society (because viewers “vote” via ratings). The industry has made a lot of progress over recent years in better reflecting our diverse cultures on the screen – and viewers have flocked to watch.
If you could be any legal thriller writer, who would you want to be and why?
Scott Turow– because he has the ability to weave a compelling but plausible story. And he was also practicing law at the same time!
What movie superhero would you most like to be and how would that character fit into the legal world of communications?
Superman (well, maybe Supergirl) —- would be nice to make it from Coast to Coast in a hurry.
