Motion Picture Association Statement on the passing of Richard M. Bates
WASHINGTON – The following statement is from Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO, the Motion Picture Association on the passing of Richard M. Bates, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, the Walt Disney Company:
“We are profoundly saddened by the sudden passing of our friend and colleague Richard Bates. Our prayers and condolences are with his wife Rose, their sons Ricky and Chris, his extended family and the entire Walt Disney Company.
“Everyone loved Richard. Generous, supportive, charming and witty, he was widely respected and admired here in Washington and beyond, and he was a fierce advocate for the creative industries and the Walt Disney Company — which for him was much more than a job. His loss is deeply felt throughout the MPA, and it’s with heavy hearts that we think about entering the new year without him at our side.
“We’ll miss you, Richard.”
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About The Motion Picture Association:
The Motion Picture Association, Inc. (MPA) serves as the global voice and advocate of the motion picture, home video, and television industries. It works in every corner of the globe to advance the creative industry, protect its members’ content across all screens, defend the creative and artistic freedoms of storytellers, and support innovative distribution models that bring an expansion of viewing choices to audiences around the world.
Its member studios are: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Netflix, Inc.; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO.
Media Contact:
Tom Zigo, Motion Picture Association