ESA hires MPAA exec

The Entertainment Software Association is currently fighting a variety of battles that the Motion Picture Association of America is intimately familiar with, ranging from working for cultural acceptance of an emerging medium to attempting to curb Internet piracy. As a result, the ESA's newest hire, former MPAA senior vice president Rich Taylor, should be well prepared for his role as the gaming lobby's new senior vice president for communications and research.

The ESA announced the hire today, noting that Taylor will begin work early this month. At the MPAA, Taylor headed up the communications department under Jack Valenti, overseeing press relations and serving as a senior strategist for the trade group.

MPAA CEO Dan Glickman spoke highly of Taylor in a prepared statement, saying, "The ESA and MPAA share many of the same goals, such as promoting intellectual property rights and reducing piracy across the world. Rich will hit the ground running in his new position, and his insight and creativity will be valuable to ESA, just as it was for the MPAA."