Media Institute Names Kirby Chair as Wiley Steps Down

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, January 7, 2026 | 2:24pm CT

Kathleen Kirby

The Media Institute announced that longtime Board Chair Richard E. Wiley will step down from the role on January 31, concluding more than three decades of leadership. The board has selected veteran media attorney Kathleen Kirby to succeed him.

Wiley will remain active with the Institute and has been named Chairman Emeritus, effective February 1. In a statement, Wiley said he looks forward to supporting the organization's new leadership team, including incoming President Mike O'Rielly, while continuing the Institute's focus on sound communications policy and First Amendment principles.

A co-founder of Wiley Rein LLP, Wiley previously served as Chairman, Commissioner, and General Counsel of the Federal Communications Commission from 1970 to 1977, where he was instrumental in early efforts to promote competition and reduce regulation in the media sector. He received The Media Institute's inaugural Freedom of Speech Award in 1992 and its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.

Kirby brings more than 30 years of experience in telecom, media, and technology law. A partner at Wiley Rein, she co-chairs the firm's Telecom, Media, and Technology practice and serves on its Executive and Management committees. She has also served as president of the Federal Communications Bar Association and has received leadership honors from RTDNA and the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

Kirby said she is honored to take on the chair role at a pivotal time for media and communications policy, crediting Wiley's leadership as a guiding influence. Media Institute President Richard T. Kaplar welcomed the transition, noting Wiley's lasting impact and expressing confidence that Kirby and O'Rielly will guide the Institute's next chapter.