Former Washington Post columnist joins LightSquared

Former Washington Post columnist Terry Neal will join wireless startup LightSquared, the company announced Monday.

He will serve as senior vice president of public relations and communications, overseeing the company’s media strategy.

At the Post, Neal served as assistant metro editor, national political columnist and national political reporter. He hosted a weekly video series called “Political Players with Terry Neal.” He previously covered politics for The Miami Herald and South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Most recently, Neal worked for public relations firm Hill & Knowlton in their Washington office.

LightSquared plans to launch a wholesale-only satellite and broadband network, but tests early this year revealed the company’s land-based towers interfere with GPS devices. Officials at the Federal Communications Commission are currently reviewing LightSquared’s proposal and have said they will only allow the company to go forward when the GPS interference issues are resolved.

Last month, former Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and former Reps. George Nethercutt (R-Wash.) and Charlie Stenholm (D-Texas) joined an advisory board to help LightSquared address the interference concerns.

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