Piper says that it is the duty of the telecommunications industry in 2018 to prevent misinformation and propaganda. “Working for a network that targets African Americans, there is an increased expectation of communication and transparency when it comes to the issues … and we are rising to meet the challenge,” she says. Piper takes that same idealistic attitude outside of work, serving as court appointed special advocate for foster children. Piper honed her skills working for Radio One, BET and Scripps Networks Interactive.
What have been the most important legal issues in communications for you in the past year?
There are a myriad of important legal issues due to the changing media landscape, but for me, the biggest day to day challenge has been dealing with rights issues on emerging platforms. Because of rapid advances in technology, industry standards are constantly in flux, and the law is trying to keep up.
How is today’s political environment impacting your job and the industry?
Due to the political environment, our industry has to keep the community informed about political and social issues and put a stop to misinformation and propaganda. Working for a network that targets African Americans, there is an increased expectation of communication and transparency when it comes to the issues…and we are rising to meet the challenge.
What movie superhero would you most like to be and how would that character fit into the legal world of communications?
I would be Shuri from Black Panther because she’s an innovator that seeks to stay ahead of technology instead of playing catch up. In this ever changing media landscape, such foresight is necessary to stay relevant.
