Exclusive: NBCU Names Student Outreach Exec to Stem Online Piracy

Will work with stakeholders, colleges and universities

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/8/2013 9:56:00 AM

NBCUniversal, a leading voice for content protection, confirms that it has named Gregory Jackson to head up a new student outreach effort to stem online piracy of TV shows and movies.

In 2010, a law was passed that puts federal funds at risk to any school that doesn't do enough to try and stop illegal file sharing on their campuses .

Jackson, who most recently has been VP for policy at EDUCAUSE, an international higher-education IT association, will be based in Washington and report to Rick Cotton, executive VP and general counsel.

Jackson's charter is to help schools and universities point their students toward "appropriate" -- as in legal -- means of obtaining digital content.

"We see this new role as a critically important part of our long-term campaign to highlight legitimate online outlets for TV and movies, while at the same time educating key audiences about the corrosive impact of digital theft on employment," Cotton said in announcing the new hire.

While at EDUCAUSE, Jackson was on the Joint Committee of the Higher Education and Entertainment Communities, which also included the Motion Picture Association of America (Universal is a member).

He is former VP and CIO at the University of Chicago and while there testified before Congress on copyright compliance, according to NBCU.