MPAA Welcomes New Technology Executives
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2013
MPAA Welcomes New Technology Executives
Additions Reflect Focus on Innovating to Give Consumers More Choice, Protecting an Internet that Works for Everyone
WASHINGTON- The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) announced today the addition of two executives to the Office of Technology. John McCoskey joins the MPAA as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, having previously served for more than six years as Chief Technology Officer at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). McCoskey will report to Chief Operating Officer Diane Strahan. Alex Deacon joins the organization in the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Internet Technology and will report to McCoskey. He will be based in Silicon Valley. Deacon most recently worked as Chief Technologist and Distinguished Engineer at Neustar Media.
“We are thrilled to welcome John and Alex, both of whom have tremendous experience and insight in their field,” said MPAA Chairman and CEO Senator Chris Dodd. “New technology has made it easier than ever to watch your favorite film or television show online, and our studios are relentlessly innovating to develop new options to increase consumer choice. John and Alex will be important voices at MPAA as our industry continues to work closely with the technology community to better serve our shared audience.”
McCoskey will be responsible for developing and executing the MPAA’s global technology policy in conjunction with advocacy, legal, communications, and content protection initiatives. Deacon’s focus will be on continuing to build and strengthen relationships with the tech community with a particular focus on industry leadership, collaboration and standards participation.
“John and Alex’s experience working in the technology sector will provide a valuable perspective to what is already a talented and diverse staff at the MPAA,” added Strahan. “We look forward to utilizing their extensive knowledge to advance the association’s priorities.”
As Chief Technology Officer at PBS, McCoskey was responsible for all technology strategy, development, operations and infrastructure serving more than 350 full-power television stations reaching citizens of all 50 states, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa. Prior to PBS, McCoskey was Vice President, Product Development at Comcast; Chief Technology Officer and cofounder at Brief Original Broadcasts (BOB); and Senior Vice President, Technology and CTO at Discovery Communications.
In his work at Neustar, Deacon’s key responsibilities included the continued development of key features of the cloud-based UltraViolet platform. Before joining Neustar, Deacon was a founding member of the technical staff at VeriSign where he was a key contributor in the design, architecture and development of VeriSign’s Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) products and services.
McCoskey holds two M.S. degrees from Johns Hopkins University, one in Technology Management and one in Computer Science, and a Bachelor of Science from Bucknell University in Electrical Engineering. Deacon holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Syracuse University.
About the MPAA:
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) serves as the voice and advocate of the American motion picture, home video and television industries from its offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Its members include: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures; Paramount Pictures Corporation; Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.; Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation; Universal City Studios LLC; and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
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For more information, contact:
MPAA Washington, D.C.
Kate Bedingfield
(202) 293-1966
Kate_Bedingfield@motionpictures.org