As an editorial manager, I recruit and lead teams that create, develop and maintain top-tier publications and Websites (and their promotional and marketing strategies). I oversee the production of text, photos, video, multimedia, blogs and social media. I edit, write and spearhead high-quality projects for all media, including magazines, newspapers, TV, radio, books and the Web.
WEBSITES
KobreGuide.com
(curated guide to Web's best videojournalism)
KobreChannel.com (blog)
Executive Editor, 2008-12
HollywoodReporter.com
(daily entertainment trade magazine)
Senior Web Producer, 2006-08
CBS2.com / KCAL9.com
(TV news)
Senior Online News Producer, 2005-06
Lazar Productions
(Web creative services)
President, 1995-2005
Owned and managed full-service Internet business that created, designed, launched and maintained Websites for an eclectic array of companies and organizations, including:
- Writers Guild of America / WGA (screenwriters) - WGA.org
- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists / AFTRA (actors) - AFTRA.com
- Actors’ Equity (theater actors) - ActorsEquity.com
- Ticketmaster (live entertainment) - Ticketmaster.com
- Frederick’s of Hollywood (women’s apparel) - Fredericks.com
- Mitsubishi (consumer electronics) - Mitsubishi.com
The Gigaplex - (Gigaplex.com)
(first professional arts & entertainment Webzine)
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, 1995-99
BOOK PROJECTS
Contributing writer & researcher:
“Videojournalism: Multimedia Storytelling” textbook by Ken Kobre (Focal Press, 2012)
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip” by Robert Landau (Angel City Press, 2012)
“Juicy Speculative Investments” autobiographical guide to venture capital by Weedeater inventor George Ballas
MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS
LIVE! (Ticketmaster entertainment)
Senior Editor, 1996-97
Us Magazine
West Coast Bureau Chief, 1990-92
Time Inc. Custom Publishing
(Commemorative magazines for Warner Bros. Studios & Walt Disney Company)
Executive Editor, Special Projects, 1989-90
TV Guide
Staff Writer, 1988-89
Los Angeles Herald-Examiner
Lifestyle Editor, 1987-88
Freelance Assignments
(writing & reporting)
Esquire, Premiere, Playboy, New York Times Magazine, California Magazine, Los Angeles Magazine, Hollywood Magazine, Written By (WGA), Crawdaddy, East/West Network, many more
TELEVISION
Last Call (Paramount TV / Brandon Tartikoff)
Executive Producer, late-night one-hour news panel show, 1996
Q&E! (E! Entertainment Television / Brandon Tartikoff)
Executive Producer, daily half-hour celebrity interview show, 1995-96
Extreme Close-Up (E! Entertainment Television)
Host & Producer, daily half-hour celebrity talk show, 1993-95
TEACHING
Lead classes, workshops and seminars on all facets of journalism (print, broadcast, online) at UCLA, USC, San Francisco State University, University of Houston, Learning Annex and more
OTHER
California Lawyers for the Arts &
Los Angeles County Bar Association
Certified Mediator
Directed dispute-resolution programs for litigated and pre-litigated cases. Trained mediators.
Southern California Mediation Association
Board of Directors and newsletter editor
Magic Castle
Performing member of the world-famous private club in Hollywood
EDUCATION
Columbia University. Graduate School of Journalism. New York, NY.
M.S. in Journalism
University of Massachusetts. Amherst, MA.
B.A. in English and Journalism
