Michael Schneider is Vice President for Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at the Texas Association of Broadcasters. 

He began is broadcasting career in 1980 as an assignments editor and associate producer for Houston’s KTRK-TV.  During his four decades in broadcasting, Schneider has also served as News Director, Asst. News Director and Assignments Manager at Austin’s KTBC-TV and KEYE-TV. Since joining TAB in 1996, he has been a leading advocate for Texas broadcasters, driving legislative efforts to protect and strengthen newsgathering rights.

Michael led Texas’ effort to pass the Texas reporter shield law in 2009.  In subsequent legislative sessions he worked to pass the state’s anti-SLAPP litigation law (2011), Defamation Mitigation Act (2013), protections for newsgatherers when reporting third-party allegations, and several upgrades to Texas Public Information Act and Texas Open Meetings Act.

Michael heads up TAB’s legal hotline, legal guides, and ongoing training and career enhancement programs for broadcast newsrooms.  

Schneider graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in Radio-Television-Film and a minor in Political Science.