Ben Arden, former special counsel in the Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau and once a legal adviser to Brendan Carr, has joined the National Association of Broadcasters as senior vice president and deputy general counsel.
Arden will lead NAB’s policy and legal advocacy before the commission, the association said, advocating broadcasters’ priorities on such issues as media ownership, competition policy and the evolving media marketplace.
He’ll report to Rick Kaplan, NAB’s chief legal officer and executive VP of legal and regulatory affairs.
“Ben brings an exceptional depth of experience in communications law and policy, along with a proven ability to navigate complex regulatory challenges,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said.
As Media Bureau special counsel, Arden advised Carr’s office and FCC senior leaders on a range of issues, including media ownership, transaction reviews, foreign ownership, retransmission consent and emerging technologies, NAB said.
Arden was with the FCC for 15 years and held multiple leadership roles. Prior to the Media Bureau post, he served as chief of staff and legal adviser to then-Commissioner Carr.
Before the FCC, Arden was an associate attorney at law firm Williams Mullen, representing communications clients before Congress, the FCC and other federal agencies. He earned his law degree from Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and political science from Arizona State University.
[Related: “LeGeyt Says FCC License Action Creates ‘Significant Uncertainty'”]
