Superstar Media Executive Joe Ferullo on What Makes America Tick.

Joe Ferullo is CEO & Publisher of the National Catholic Reporter, an independent non-profit news organization founded in 1964. NCR leads the field in reporting on one of the world's most influential institutions, and its impact on US laws, society and culture.

Prior to NCR, Joe was an Executive Vice President of Programming at CBS, where he oversaw several long-running programs - including Entertainment Tonight and Judge Judy - and helped guide his division's transition into digital & streaming media.

Joe worked for several years as a producer for NBC; he was on the management group that oversaw NBC’s merger with Universal. As a Dateline NBC producer, he received an Emmy award as part of the team that covered the events of 9/11; an Emmy nomination for his story on Vietnamese war orphans; and an Education Writers’ Award with Maria Shriver for their look at inner city schools.

His special hour celebrating the series “Friends” scored NBC’s highest Wednesday prime time ratings in five years. Joe spent a month at sea at the Titanic wreck site in the North Atlantic, producing a series of specials for NBC and Discovery. He’s also developed and produced pilots for public television.

Joe began his career in print journalism: he was a staff writer at Rolling Stone magazine and a reporter for Hearst newspapers. He’s written for the New York Times op-ed page and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications.

As a screenwriter, Joe has written for Universal, USA Network, and Michael Douglas’ Stonebridge production company. His script “Gridlock” became an NBC movie special. He also performed narration for programs on NBC, MSNBC and Discovery.

Joe was on the dean’s advisory board at Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, and served on the governing board of MEND, an advocacy group for low-income families in the San Fernando Valley. He has been a frequent guest lecturer at Syracuse University’s L.A.-based media program.

Joe is a graduate of Columbia University; he was editor-in-chief of the university’s independent daily newspaper. Joe was born and raised in The Bronx, where his family ran a small Italian bakery.