Ari Meltzer

Ari draws upon his experience in the areas of regulatory policy and compliance, transactions, and litigation, to provide clients with a holistic approach to their legal needs. He represents clients on some of their most important strategic matters, including mergers and acquisitions, significant rulemaking proceedings, and government investigations.

Ari works with clients to maximize the business potential of digital distribution technologies. He advises clients on spectrum monetization and policy, satellite, and cable distribution (including retransmission consent agreements and market definitions), and advertising matters.

Ari frequently represents regulated parties in matters before the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Enforcement Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and other adjudicatory bodies, where he provides strategic guidance, leads internal investigations, and drafts responses to letters of inquiry (LOIs) and subpoenas. He works to achieve favorable results for clients, whether through negotiation, formal responses, or litigation.

Additionally, Ari represents plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state trial and appellate proceedings throughout the United States, including cases relating to trademark and copyright, contractual disputes, and administrative procedure. He regularly works with domestic and international clients on issues related to the distribution of content over the Internet, including helping them to protect and defend their trademark rights and to advise them on copyright matters, including under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA), and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Representative Matters

• Transactions

• Represented broadcaster in antitrust review before the FTC and the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding acquisition of multiple television stations that resulted in early termination notice.
• Represented Nexstar Media Group in obtaining regulatory approval for its $6.4 billion cash acquisition of TV station owner Tribune Media.
• Represented Nexstar Media Group in obtaining regulatory approval for its $4.6 billion cash and stock acquisition of TV station owner Media General.
• Advised Entravision Communications Corp. on ownership changes following the death of its founder/controlling interest holder.
• Advised Searchlight Capital Partners, L.P. on its $425 million strategic investment in Consolidated Communications Holdings.
• Negotiated successful retransmission consent agreements with large cable providers and direct broadcast satellite providers.
• Negotiated channel sharing agreements, ATSC simulcast hosting agreements, content licensing agreements, and talent employment agreements.

• Regulatory Matters

• Represented Atlanta TV station in successful must carry complaint against direct broadcast satellite provider.
• Represented multiple broadcasters in proceedings to modify the broadcast television Table of Allotments to facilitate new stations, channel changes, and community of license changes.
• Served as lead counsel for the Preserve Community Programming Coalition, obtaining FCC authorization for low power television stations to continue broadcasting an analog audio signal following the transition to digital television broadcasts.
• Served as lead counsel for the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition in regulatory proceedings shaping the first ever Broadcast Television Incentive Auction, including the formation and adoption of rules for channel sharing of television stations.
• Advised multiple clients on tower siting and antenna structure registration issues.
• Advises television and radio clients on political broadcast compliance.

• Enforcement Matters

• Drafted responses to FCC letters of inquiry regarding licensee-conducted contests, sponsorship identification, data security, wire fraud, and unauthorized broadcast transmissions.
• Negotiated amount of settlement payments and terms for consent decrees between regulated parties and FCC.
• Advised clients on proceedings before FTC and state attorneys general offices.

• Litigation Matters
  • Human Rights Defense Center v. Ishee, 2024 WL 1309186 (E.D.N.C. 2024)
  • Nexstar Media, Inc. v. Jaros, 2023 WL 2571475 (M.D. Fla. 2023)
  • Amicus Briefs in Sony Music Entertainment v. Cox Communications and BMG v. Cox (4^th)
  • Peterman v. Republican National Committee, 369 F. Supp. 3d 1053 (D. Mont. 2019).
  • Montblanc-Simplo GmbH v. Ilnitsky, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 24431 (E.D. Va. 2018).
  • Wagner v. Lindawagner.com, 202 F.Supp.3d 574 (E.D. Va. 2016), aff’d, 680 Fed. Appx. 240 (4th Cir. 2017).
  • Montblanc-Simplo GmbH v. Montblanc-outlet.co, 2016 WL 9175602 (E.D. Va. 2016).
  • Central Source LLC v. 227 domain names, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 110119 (E.D. Va. 2014).
  • Payless ShoeSource Worldwide Inc. v. Premier Success, 2014 UDRP LEXIS 773 (WIPO 2014).
  • United Press Int’l Inc. v. UPIphoto.com, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 189667 (Va. 2013).

Professional Experience

• General Counsel, Congregation Har Shalom, Potomac, Maryland (2019-Present)
• Legal Intern, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Office of Chairman Julius Genachowski (2009)
• Segment Producer, ABC News and Good Morning America (2004-2007)
• News Producer, Tribune Broadcasting (2002-2004)
• News Producer, WPSD-TV (2001-2002)

Affiliations

• American Bar Association (ABA)
• Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA)
• Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA)

Recognitions

• Included in The Best Lawyers in America directory of “Ones to Watch” for Intellectual Property Law (2021-2023) and in Communications Law (2024)
• Named to Law360's Media & Entertainment Editorial Advisory Board (2019-2020)
• Recognized in The Legal 500 US in Telecom and Broadcast: Regulatory (2019-2020) and Telecom and Broadcast: Transactional (2021-2023)
• Recognized by Law360 as a “Rising Star” in Telecommunications Law (2018)

• Listed by Chambers USA as one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” in Media & Entertainment: Regulatory (2021-2023), one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business - Up and Coming” (2019-2020), and an “Associate to Watch” (2018) in Media & Entertainment: Regulatory

• Named one of DC’s “Rising Stars” for Communications by Super Lawyers magazine (2020)