Obituary
Richard Bates, 70, who headed government relations for Disney, died Thursday at his home in the Washington, D.C., area. He joined the company some three decades ago and had helped run its Washington operations as a senior vice president. He…
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also served on the board of the Media Institute, 2010-18. That group and many others issued statements following his death, including NCTA and RIAA. MPA CEO Charles Rivkin said Bates “was a fierce advocate for the creative industries“ and for Disney. Bates worked well with lawmakers of both parties, said NAB CEO Gordon Smith. Industry officials said Bates died suddenly and unexpectedly. Bates is survived by his wife and two sons.