The past twelve months were a banner year for Baker both professionally and privately. Baker and his team successfully sealed multi-year agreements and key renewals with distribution partners including Altice USA and Charter that retained and expanded carriage of Viacom networks while promoting advanced advertising and data capabilities. “I’m focused on guiding our legal strategy to keep us at the cutting edge of the TV content ecosystem as we strengthen and expand our distribution relationships through new creative solutions and innovative partnerships,” he says. To top it off, Baker became the father of twins.
What have been the most important legal issues in media for you in the past year?
As a lead attorney on Viacom’s Distribution & Business Development unit, I’m focused on guiding our legal strategy to keep us at the cutting edge of the TV content ecosystem as we strengthen and expand our distribution relationships through new creative solutions and innovative partnerships. As the media industry continues to evolve rapidly, it’s crucial that my team continue to help accelerate our presence on new platforms and initiatives that will broaden our global footprint.
If you could be remembered for just one case, which case would that be and why?
Early in my career, I partnered with the ACLU to challenge a school district that refused to allow student journalists to publish a series of articles about the struggles of LGBT students in rural California. I devoted a great deal of time advocating on behalf of these students with depositions and motion practice that eventually led to the articles being published, and, perhaps more importantly, the enactment by the school district of a free speech policy to protect the rights of all students going forward.
