Roger Goodman (director)

He began his ABC career as a production assistant on ABC's Wide World of Sports with Jim McKay in 1965.[3] He was a production assistant from 1965-1968 when he became an associate director with the show until 1976. Goodman was a director for ABC Sports from 1976 until 1980 when started working in for both ABC News and ABC Sports. He continued to work in both until 1985 when he moved exclusively to News.

He worked on broadcasts including college football, horse racing, auto racing, bowling, boxing, golf and Frank Sinatra: The Main Event Live. He was the director and/or coordinating director for nine Olympic Games, with responsibilities that included the design and creation of the Broadcast Centers. He covered the Summer and Winter Games in Grenoble, Mexico City, Munich, Innsbruck, Montreal, Lake Placid, Los Angeles, Sarajevo and Calgary.[1]

When Goodman started at ABC News, he was the Director of Production Development. He was promoted to Director of Production and Design for both News and Sports in 1985.[4] In 1990, he became Senior Director with responsibility for the on-air look and design of all ABC News broadcasts. He continued to move up the ranks in 1996 when he was named Executive Director of Special Projects. In this newly created position, he was responsible for the design, direction and overall look of special programming for all of the Network's divisions, including News, Sports, and Entertainment. Two years later, in 1998, he became Vice President of Special Projects. This gave him a new set of responsibilities including overseeing the development of ABC's entrance in interactive television and introduction of computer-generated "virtual-reality" sets to speed production and enhance versatility in the production process.[5]

Goodman's projects throughout his tenure included developing the creative design and direction of ABC's political coverage since 1980, directing all Presidential conventions, debates, elections and inaugurations, executive director of ABC News' 15-hour coverage of the one-year anniversary of September 11, and co-executive producer and director of In Search of America: A July 4 Musical Celebration. He played a large part in the development and execution of the Times Squares studio where GMA, the Millennium, and many more shows have been produced.[6] He also directed the Peabody Award-winning coverage of the September 11th attacks and aftermath, which was broadcast live for over 91-hours, making it the longest consecutive news report in ABC history. He served as co-executive producer and director of Norman Lear's Independence Day 2001, which celebrated the 225th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

On December 31, 1999, Goodman was the co-executive producer and director of ABC 2000 Today: The Millennium, the distinctive and unprecedented 24-hour news and entertainment broadcast where 175 million viewers took a world tour of New Years’ celebrations that took place in more than 60 countries. Goodman directed the entire 24 hours, using over 400 cameras, 32 satellites, 4 control rooms and a staff of 1,000 technicians.

Goodman has designed and directed 20/20, Primetime Live, Nightline, This Week, Good Morning America’s live interview by Diane Sawyer with Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley, Primetime Live's tours of the White House and the Kremlin, and the 50th anniversary of D-Day. He created the visual concept for televised town hall meetings for Ted Koppel and Peter Jennings. He also directed the historic town hall meetings that aired during the week-long series Nightline in South Africa and Nightline in the Holy Land, the critically acclaimed series examining Arab-Israeli conflicts; and the four-hour Nightline on AIDS, at the time, the most comprehensive coverage of the epidemic ever shown on network television. He also served as director for other ABC News Specials including Liberty Weekend, Capital to Capital, the historic series which marked the first live exchanges between members of Congress and the high-ranking officials at the Kremlin, and many Peter Jennings's children's specials.[1]

Mr Goodman directed the 81st Academy Awards.[7]

Other entertainment credits include directing the Daytime Emmy Awards, Red Carpet pre-shows for the Primetime Emmys and the Academy Awards, David Blaine: Frozen in Time, Extreme Makeover Home Edition Live, the live Michael Jackson Talks…to Oprah special event (which drew a worldwide viewing audience of 110 million people,) the original Battle of the Network Stars, and ABC’s Upfront presentations live from Lincoln Center and Radio City Music Hall.[1]