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Cochran to retire as RTNDA president

Nov 18, 2008 8:58 AM

Barbara Cochran will step down as president of the Radio-Television News Directors Association in June 2009, a position she will have held for 12 years by the time of her departure, the association said Nov. 13.

Cochran will stay on for a year following her retirement as a consultant with the title of president emeritus.

During her tenure, Cochran spearheaded the conclusion of the RTNDA’s 20-year battle to abolish the last vestiges of the FCC’s Fairness Doctrine. She also worked with others to encourage the Supreme Court to allow the news media immediate access to the audio recording of the arguments in the 2000 presidential election dispute.

While Cochran was president, the RTNDA worked as part of a coalition that won sweeping reform of the Freedom of Information Act. Cochran also led other FOI efforts ranging from battling the NFL over game access for local stations to fighting for passage of a federal shield law.