Doug Herzog

Before he launched The Daily Show, Chappelle’s Show and South Park, and before her oversaw MTV, VH1 and Comedy Central simultaneously, Doug Herzog was MTV’s first News Director. This week, the Broadcasting & Cable Hall Of Famer shares stories about almost turning down the offer from MTV co-founders, John Sykes and Bob Pittman; branding ten-to-the-hour-every-hour news briefs; hiring Kurt Loder; launching the Week in Rock; and generally transforming the fledgling network's news operation from VJ-hosted rip and reads to prime time, enterprise journalism. Along the way, Doug recalls bum-rushing Lionel Ritchie at Live Aid, office visits from the then-teenage Beastie Boys, and an unforgettable photo op with Bruce Springsteen.