25 Indian Road, 4F | New York, NY 10034 (212) 942-2743 Cell (917) 689-4139
SIMON SUROWICZ [email protected]
TEACHING
Adjunct Professor, Columbia University, The Graduate School of Journalism 2010
Adjunct, New York University, School of Continuing & Professional Studies 2008
● Digital Broadcast Journalism ● Investigative Journalism
MULTIMEDIA
Senior Multimedia Producer, ABC News.com 2006 - 2009
● Created and launched “The Blotter,” ABC News’ award-winning Investigative Team's Web site. ● Managing editor responsible for overall day-to-day editorial oversight. ● Liaison with the Web development team on functional specifications and layout implementations. ● Developed distribution channels to deliver original “Blotter” content across all ABC News platforms. ● Managed a small team of graphic artists, video editors, IT specialists and content management engineers. ● Broke several major news stories, including the Congressman Mark Foley sex scandal which changed the political landscape in Congress (12 million impressions for a single story, the highest ever at ABCNews.com). ● Oversaw substantial growth – routinely reached and surpassed monthly metrics goals. ● The Blotter’s innovative concept and unique design was widely emulated at ABCNews.com.
Senior Producer, Brian Ross Investigates Webcasts 2006 – 2009
www.simonsurowicz.com
● Produced weekly Webcasts, featuring top experts examining the major investigative stories of the week. (*partial list) Interrogation Techniques: Waterboarding A Sting Gone Bad: To Catch a Predator Inside a Taliban ‘Commencement’ To Heimlich or not to Heimlich? Covert ‘Black’ Operation in Iran
TELEVISION
Producer, ABC News 1995 – 2006
● Produced broadcast segments for all ABC News platforms, including: "20/20", "Primetime Live", "World News Tonight", "Nightline" and "Good Morning America". (*The following is a partial list)
● “The Great Diamond Heist” Produced a one-hour exclusive ABC News PrimeTime Special on the largest diamond heist in history, now being turned into a movie by Paramount. The story of the theft is chronicled in the new book Flawless.
● “Blood Money” A four-month examination into the harvesting and selling of organs from executed Chinese prisoners. (Recipient of five major awards)
● “Search For Justice” an investigation of one of Germany’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Bayer and its role in human medical experimentation on concentration camp inmates during World War II.
● “Family Secrets” recently declassified World War II documents pierced the veil of secrecy surrounding the Wildenstein’s, one of the world’s preeminent art dealing families, uncovering a shadowy business arrangement between the Nazis and the Jewish-owned French gallery during the war.
● “Toys in Trouble” a four-month investigation revealed a possible health risk from babies’ soft plastic teething toys that contain a dangerous chemical.
● “Nuclear smuggling project” a three-month investigative report that revealed continued gaps in security at U.S. ports.
● Wrote, directed and edited “Belgian Memories,” a documentary on Jewish life in Antwerp, Belgium before the war.
-- 2 -- www.simonsurowicz.com Producer, NBC News, Dateline 1992 -1994
● “The Great Dictator” Produced an exclusive television interview with the elusive and highly controversial President Sese Seko Mobutu, who ruled Zaire with an iron fist and the support of seven American administrations.
● "Yes Ma'am" Produced a story on women instructors in the first- rate Israeli Army revealing the psychology behind the battle of the sexes.
● “Imported Meat” Produced a groundbreaking story on the lack of inspections on imported meat.
Staff Editor, 60 Minutes, CBS News 1986 -1992
Staff Editor in New York and Paris. Worked exclusively with correspondent Mike Wallace. (Click here for reference) Overseas editing assignments with Morley Safer and Steve Kroft in Moscow, Vienna and London. Directed 60 Minutes’ transition from film to linear tape editing systems.
Editor & Weekend Tech Manager, E.J., NBC NEWS, Nightly & Today Show 1982 -1986 Weekend Technical Manager and Editor for Nightly News with Tom Brokaw and Today show with Bryant Gumbel.
AWARDS
Television Awards: Winner of the 2007 and 2006 Emmy Award, 2005 George Polk Award, the 2004 DuPont Award, the National Headliner Awards, the 2002 News & Documentary Emmy, the Silver Alfred I. DuPont Award, the George Foster Peabody Award, the Gracie Allen Award, the National Headliner Award, the 1998 IRE Renner Award, the Overseas Press Club Award for Best Business Reporting, the 1997 News and Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Investigative Journalism; the Overseas Press Club Award for Best Foreign Reporting, and the Amnesty International Spotlight Award.
Online Awards: 2007 Winner of the Online News Association Award 2007 Cronkite Award for Special Achievement in TV Political Journalism 2007 National Headliner Award 2006 Peabody Award 2006 Investigative Reporter & Editors (IRE) Award
-- 3 -- www.simonsurowicz.com FREELANCE CLIENTS
Broadcast & Magazine: ▪ ABC News “Day One”, Forrest Sawyer Producer, Ebola virus crisis in Zaire. ▪ CBS News “60 Minutes”, Development Contract for "American Diva" story on opera singer Marilyn Horne. ▪ NBC News: “Nightly News” Weekend Manager Electronic Journalism
▪ Editing projects for: Newsweek, FOX, BBC, Panorama, TF1, German ARD, ABC News Paris, Italian RAI, UPITN, Eurovision EBU.
LANGUAGES
▪ Fluent: English, French and Dutch/Flemish ▪ Working Knowledge: German, Hebrew, Italian
OTHER PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ▪ Speaking engagements at Professional Seminars (Click here)
▪ Avid and Final Cut Pro non-linear edit (Click for editing reference)
▪ Designed a new visual style for ABC News’ Investigative Unit, combining specialized table-top photography and a specialized lighting technique to highlight original documents. ▪ Videographer, Press Photographer, Lighting Designer, Web designer. ▪ Designed and oversaw multimedia lab for ABC’s Investigative Unit. ▪ Technical Skills: Working knowledge of graphics programs, including Adobe Photoshop and Portfolio.
▪ Proficiency in multiple Content Management Systems, including Go Publish, Typepad and WordPress, Dreamweaver, basic knowledge in HTML and Adobe Acrobat Pro software.
▪ Assistant Instructor at NYU SCPS Film School.
EDUCATION ▪ New York University, Film ▪ Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Politieke Wetenshappen (Political Science)
-- 4 -- www.simonsurowicz.com