By David Bauder, Media Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --President Trump's former communications chief Hope Hicks is taking on a similar role at the new Fox company, meaning she'll supervise messaging at her former boss' favorite television network.
The new company, being created by the shedding of many of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets to the Walt Disney Co., will include Fox News Channel, the Fox broadcasting network, several local Fox stations and Fox Sports.
Hicks' hiring was announced Monday by Viet Dinh, chief legal and policy officer. Hicks, who left the White House on March 29, will be based in Los Angeles.
Hicks had a mostly behind-the-scenes role at the White House. But she was one of the president's most trusted aides, and had worked for him at his real estate company before Trump was elected president.
It's not immediately clear how much of a role Hicks, 29, will have at the New York-based Fox News, where communications has been run for several years by Irena Briganti. It seems to deepen the relationship between Fox News and the White House, where former Fox News executive Bill Shine is the communications director.
Trump gives the bulk of his television interviews to Fox News.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that Fox won't find anyone smarter or more talented than Hicks. "So happy for my friend," she tweeted. "They are beyond lucky to have you."
Dinh also announced the hiring of Danny O'Brien from General Electric as head of government affairs for the new company. O'Brien is a longtime Washington hand who was staff director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and chief of staff to three senators.
The new company is expected to get an official name and begin operations early next year.
Julie Henderson and Nathaniel Brown, the communications team at 21st Century Fox, aren't moving to the new company.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More