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Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning producer Ben Silverman was named Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, in May 2007, and began his new role in June 2007. His multiple responsibilities include directing the efforts of NBC Universal’s television operations based in Burbank and Universal City, California.
Since joining NBC, Silverman has transformed the television business model by connecting advertisers and consumers through content in a more profound way. He moved the Upfront earlier and brought brands into the entire fall schedule. Also, despite a strike, he delivered the highly rated "American Gladiators" series and "Knight Rider" movie while also reinventing the network's "The Biggest Loser," "Deal or No Deal" and "Celebrity Apprentice" franchises.
Prior to joining NBC Universal in an executive role, Silverman, in March 2002, launched Reveille, a leading independent production and distribution company focusing on exploiting worldwide intellectual property rights through scripted and alternative television formats. The company leverages its unique relationships with the world’s top broadcasters and producers to acquire, produce and distribute innovative entertainment programming across all television genres. Reveille has been a world leader in creating integrated marketing opportunities for leading advertisers and developing alternative financing paradigms for the television business.
Silverman is executive producer of both the Emmy Award-winning NBC comedy “The Office” and the recent Golden Globe-winning comedy hit “Ugly Betty,” and he is co-creator and executive producer of the hit reality shows “The Biggest Loser” for NBC and USA Network’s “Nashville Star.” Additionally, he is an executive producer of the critically acclaimed “The Tudors” for Showtime. Silverman’s other projects include “Date My Mom” for MTV, the FX series “30 Days” (created by Oscar nominee Morgan Spurlock), the Emmy Award-winning TV movie “9/11,” and MTV’s “Parental Consent.”
In 2003, Silverman redefined the paradigm in advertiser-supplied programming by joining forces with media giant Interpublic Group to produce “The Restaurant,” followed by Bravo’s “Blow Out” in 2004. Both shows chronicled the creation, launch and operation of a business within a competitive market and were fully financed by context-relevant advertisers.
Previously, Silverman was in charge of the international packaging division at the William Morris Agency (WMA), where he was the company's youngest division head. At WMA, he packaged more than 25 television series that encompassed some 500 produced episodes, including the game shows “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and “The Weakest Link,” the reality show “Big Brother,” and the one-hour drama series “Queer as Folk.”
Silverman also led WMA's New York consulting branch, representing such brand names as Maxim, InStyle, eBay and Anheuser-Busch. In that arena, he focused on extending those well-known brands into alternative and traditional media outlets.
Prior to joining William Morris, Silverman was vice president for New World/Marvel Entertainment. In that position, he developed sitcoms, and -- drawing on the one-of-a-kind library of Marvel Comics characters -- envisioned live-action projects for film and television. Previously, he also held posts at CBS and Warner Bros.
Silverman graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history, and is involved with multiple philanthropic endeavors, including Seeds of Peace, a group helping to foster peace among young people from adversarial cultures.
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