Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun Roundtable Breakfast

BermanBraun

BermanBraun is an independent media company with three divisions – television, feature film and digital - which create and exploit entertainment content and advertising solutions across all platforms throughout the world. The Santa Monica, CA based company, founded by principals Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun in 2007, has established strategic global alliances with a number of media companies throughout the industry, including NBC Universal Television and Microsoft.

BermanBraun’s digital division has created and operates some of the most popular properties online. They include the celebrity news site "Wonderwall", which BermanBraun launched in partnership with Microsoft in February 2009. The site is the primary celebrity destination on the MSN network, and currently ranks second in reach and first in engagement among all competitive sites in entertainment news.  The site has exceeded seven billion page views since launch and averages over ten million unique users per month.  BermanBraun recently launched new Latino and political versions of its "Wonderwall" site in October 2010.

In April 2010, BermanBraun launched Glo – a site created in partnership with MSN and Hachette Filipacchi Media.  Glo features an innovative design that creates a unique “digital magazine” experience for women seeking style, beauty and lifestyle content. Glo currently ranks first in engagement among competitive sites in its lifestyle categories.  

In August 2010, BermanBraun announced a multi-year partnership with Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) to create compelling, new world-class digital content and advertising solutions available “first” to SMG clients.  SMG is part of Publicis Groupe, the world's third largest communications group.

In scripted television, BermanBraun is currently producing the series "The Cape" for NBC’s 2010/2011 television season and the pilot "Alphas" for the Syfy network.  Also in production are the unscripted series "Brad Meltzer’s Decoded" for History Channel to air in January 2011 and three new series to be produced with Mythbusters stars Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage for Discovery Channel.   BermanBraun also produces "Swords", entering its second season in August 2010 for The Discovery Channel and the reality show "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" currently entering its third season on MTV.

Gail Berman

Gail Berman was the first and only female executive to hold the top posts at both a major film studio and television network.

Berman became President of Paramount Pictures in 2005 and was responsible for the studio’s annual slate of films, including the acquisition of literary properties, development, budgeting, casting, and the production of motion pictures for Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, and Nick Movies.

Before joining Paramount, Berman served from 2000 to 2005 as President of Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company, where she was the first-ever series producer to hold the top Fox programming post. At Fox, Berman was in charge of all program development and scheduling, as well as marketing, business affairs, and promotions. Berman took the network to number one, creating such hits as “American Idol,” “24,” “House,” “Arrested Development,” “Bones,” and “Family Guy.”

Prior to her Fox presidency, Berman served more than two years as founding President of Regency Television, the TV studio created in 1998 as a co-venture between Fox Television Studios and New Regency Productions. Under Berman, Regency Television quickly grew into one of the most prolific and respected suppliers of TV entertainment programming, including the primetime hit “Malcolm in the Middle,” which she developed for Fox.

Berman also served as Executive Producer on both “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and its spin-off, “Angel.” The series are frequently recognized as two of television’s most successful young adult entertainment franchises.

Before assuming the Regency presidency, Berman served as President and CEO of production company Sandollar Television. While there, she had both creative and bottom-line responsibility for all program development and production.

Berman began her career as a theater producer after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in theater from the University of Maryland. At 23, she co-produced her first Broadway show, the original Broadway production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which went on to garner seven Tony Award nominations. Berman’s other Broadway productions include “Hurlyburly” by David Rabe (1984), Athol Fugard’s “Blood Knot” (1985), and “The Nerd” by Larry Shue (1987), all of which received Tony Award nominations.

In 2003, Berman was named to FORTUNE Magazine’s list of “50 Most Powerful Women in American Business” (#25). That same year, she received the coveted “Lucy” award, recognizing “women who have revolutionized the television industry” from Women in Film. In 2004, she was named to FORBES Magazine’s list of “100 Most Powerful Women in the World” (#49), reappeared on the FORTUNE list (#25), and received the inaugural Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award from the National Association of Television Production Executives (NATPE). Berman was awarded “Executive of the Year” (2004) by the Caucus for Television Producers, Writers and Directors in January 2005. In 2006, Berman became a Paley Center for Media “She Made It” honoree. In June of 2010, she became a Member of the University of Maryland Board of Trustees.

Lloyd Braun

Prior to BermanBraun, Lloyd Braun served as head of the Yahoo! Media Group (YMG) from November 2004 through December 2006. As head of YMG, Braun oversaw all creative and business aspects of Yahoo!'s media properties, including all news, finance, sports, entertainment, games and lifestyle sites.

Prior to joining Yahoo, Braun served as Chairman of ABC Entertainment Television Group from January 2002 until April 2004. He served as Co-Chairman of the division from July 1999 thru December 2001. In this position, Braun had responsibility for all creative, programming and business areas of the division, which encompassed Touchstone Television and ABC Entertainment. During his tenure with the ABC Entertainment Television Group, Braun initiated and oversaw the development of such successful programs as "Alias", "Lost", "Desperate Housewives", "Grey's Anatomy", "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and “The Bachelor”.

Before overseeing the consolidation of Buena Vista Television Productions (BVTP) and ABC's Primetime Division into ABC Entertainment Television Group, Braun served as Chairman of BVTP from April 1998 to July 1999, and was responsible for the Walt Disney Network Television divisions, including Touchstone Television.

Prior to 1998, Braun served as President of Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, where he oversaw the company's television, management and motion pictures divisions. While at Brillstein-Grey, Braun initiated and oversaw the development of such successful programs as "Just Shoot Me", "NewsRadio" and "The Sopranos".

Braun practiced transactional entertainment law from 1984 until 1994 at the law firms of Silverberg, Rosen, Leon & Behr (1984-1989), and Silverberg, Katz, Thompson & Braun (1989-1994).

Braun is a graduate of Vassar College (BA 1980) and Hastings College of the Law (JD 1983). Braun served on the Board of Trustees of Vassar College from 2002 to 2010. Braun and his wife Lauren have four children.

This event was exclusive to Media Council members and other invited guests.  To inquire about joining the Media Council, contact Becky Levikow at 310-786-1033 or blevikow@paleycenter.org.