Steve Friedman, the legendary news producer who’s been known over the years to walk the hallways of the various morning news outfits at which he’s worked wielding a baseball bat, is starting his own media venture.
On the same day CBS News announced that it was firing embattled Early Show executive producer Shelley Ross, Mr. Friedman (who, oversaw the Early Show prior to Ms. Ross’ arrival), publicly announced the plans for his new venture, a consulting company called Vir2L media.
Mr. Friedman formed the new company with Nanci Ross, former special projects director at CBS News.
According to today’s press release, Vir2L media will be "a one-stop, full-service consultancy, specializing in the creation, production, packaging and sponsorship of programs and channels, for both traditional media outlets and the digital space."
The Media Mob caught up with Mr. Friedman briefly on Thursday afternoon. He said Vir2L already has one major client (he declined to say whom) and would be setting up an office and hiring more employees as their client list expanded. He said he hoped to find clients from both old and new media.
More from the press release:
Steve Friedman, former VP and Executive Producer of CBS News, and Nanci Ross, former Special Projects Director at CBS News have formed Vir2L Media LLC., a one-stop, full service consultancy, specializing 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", said Friedman.
"World-class brands realize quality content is "king", says Ross. "With more than fifty 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."
