Network news veteran Steve Friedman and former CBS News special projects director Nanci Ross have set up shop as a one-stop, full service programming consultancy under the banner of Vir2L Media LLC.
In their announcement Thursday, they said they will specialize in the creation, production, packaging and sponsorship of programs and channels, for both traditional media outlets and the digital space.
“The idea here is to be inside enough to be ‘in,’ but outside enough to know what has to be done to make the crazy quilt world of new media and old media work together,” Mr. Friedman said.
“World-class brands realize quality content is ‘king,’ Ms. Ross said. “With more than 50 years of production skills between us, we know what a network or client wants their programming to look and feel like, where it should be broadcast, and who might want to buy or sponsor it. People are realizing is there is no substitute: ‘old media’ experience is the hot commodity in the new media universe.”
Mr. Friedman is best known for his two terms as executive producer of NBC’s “Today” show, during one of which he launched the windowed studio that has become a tourist attraction. He served as the executive producer of “The Early Show” on CBS from 1999 to 2002, during which time he launched a street-level studio for that show. He was VP of morning broadcasts for CBS News from 2005 until recently.
Ms. Ross was an executive producer for Post-Newsweek Television’s WPLG-TV in Miami and senior producer at Fox/Twentieth Television joining CBS News nearly a decade ago. Her assignments there ranged from producing for “Public Eye With Bryant Gumbel” to large-scale, remote broadcasts of “The Early Show,” as well as such sponsor-driven series as the annual summer concerts.
(Editor: Baumann)