Co-hosts Brad Forsythe and Ray Schilens interview Award-winning entertainment industry journalist, author, broadcaster and show business historian Alex Ben Block is Contributing Editor at The Hollywood Reporter.

 

He is also Co-Editor of “Blockbusting: The Business of Filmmaking: A Decade-by-Decade Survey,” showcasing 300 blockbuster movies being published by Harper Books and George Lucas Books (tentatively set early 2010). Block returned to The Hollywood Reporter in 2009, where he had been Editor for seven years in the 90s, where he launched the first weekly international edition, and the first online edition, while raising the standards of journalism. He was editor of the THR Cannes festival dailies in France six times, produced the Key Art Awards and numerous seminars, panels and events.

 

He went on to be founding Editor of TelevisionWeek, which he re-launched in print, and then oversaw redesign of the web site. He moderated the TV Week Power Breakfast series, as well as panels in New York and elsewhere on TV, advertising and the media. Block is also currently a widely quoted Show Business Historian for Hollywood Today.net, and a regular contributor to The Advertising Show, and frequently does commentary on KNBC-TV and NBC Digital 4 serving Southern California. Block is a popular public speaker, toastmaster, M.C. and moderator. His panels at the Paley Center for Media included one-on-one with Roseanne Barr, a look at Fox’s “Prison Break” and a dialogue about the image of Arabs on TV with producers of “24” and “Lost.” As Director of Programming, Block produced panels and created the first 3-D Day for The American Pavilion during the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, featuring James Cameron. He’s moderated at Digital Hollywood, NATPE, Showest, Hong Kong Market and more.

 

He has been Associate Editor of Forbes Magazine, covering Hollywood; movie critic and entertainment editor in Miami, columnist and critic in Detroit as well as Assistant City Editor of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, overseeing news coverage of all of Southern California.

 

For the LA Press Club, Block served as Executive Director for three years, helping reorganize the club, re-inventing the awards program and making it a non-profit again. As an honorary board member since, his contributions have included organizing a LA Herald Examiner reunion, numerous panels and with the Annenberg School at USC - "Who Can Be Trusted? – A Seminar On Sourcing," sponsored by the New York Times and Discovery Networks.

 

Block was Editor-in-Chief and VP of eStar.com, a pioneering show business web site where he organized the editorial team and built a celebrity database.

 

He is author of the critically acclaimed books "OUTFOXED: The Inside Story of America's Fourth Television Network," and the international bestseller "The Legend of Bruce Lee." Block was on KPCC-FM's "Call Sheet" for five years and remains a frequent contributor to John Rabe’s “Off Ramp” and Patt Morrison’s talk show. He has been an expert commentator heard on KNBC-TV, the Today Show, CNBC, NPR, NBC, O’Reilly on Fox, CNN and more.

 

Block’s honors include three LA Press Club Awards for journalistic excellence, Hearst Awards, Crain Awards, a Detroit Press Club Award, a Will Rogers Foundation Award, the (RIM) Angel Award and the Journalism Award from the Caucus For Television Producers, Directors and Writers presented by CBS Chairman Leslie Moonves.

 

A native of Syracuse, New York and graduate of Ithaca College, Block is married to actress Jodi Taylor and is the father of singer-songwriter Hayley Taylor.

 

For entertaining advice join hosts Ray Schilens and Brad Forsythe for a lively and informative discussion. 

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