Michael Freidson
A media leader with two decades of experience guiding content strategy, building loyal audiences and generating revenue.
Writer. Editor. Content Director.
Your audience makes about 35,000 decisions a day. I love to make the important ones easier, via fun, engaging content that leads them to the right choice every time.
My specialty is wellness and pop culture. Whether it’s identifying the coolest movie, most effective fitness trend or more reliable COVID info, I have spent my career guiding readers to the info they need, in the most appealing way possible. As a result, audiences and profits have followed.
And I can do it for you.
Most recently, I was President and Chief Content Officer of the start-up Galvanized Media, which grew to be bigger than many media brands you know. (I still help run some of their biggest brands, gratefully.) Previously, I was Editor-in-Chief of Time Out New York and have written for Men’s Health, Details, and was profiled in the New York Times. Along the way, I have interviewed more than 500 celebrities—from Jay-Z to Lady Gaga, with Will Smith and Tina Fey in between—and done content work for brands like Tiffany and Pepsi.
A native New Yorker, I have lived there most of my life, with stints in London, Cambridge, Oaxaca and now South Florida. My favorite movie is Do the Right Thing. My favorite fitness trend is monitoring my resting heart rate. Let’s see what we can do together.
Work Experience
President and Chief Content Officer, Galvanized Media
In my role, I:
Oversaw all editorial strategy and product development (of websites, best-selling books, magazines, apps) for consumers and clients, managing a team of 20 people.
Generated data-driven content ideas and identify new revenue opportunities.
Developed and managed content partnerships and marketing relationships.
Operated in cross-functional management team combining edit, finance, marketing and sales.
Devised content campaigns for clients such as Unilever, Tiffany & Co. and Nutrisystem, and a never-before-seen biometric app for Ralph Lauren's Polo Tech.
Global Lifestyle Editor, Metro
In my role, I:
Worked alongside and advised the EIC, Maggie Samways, now at Google as UX Content Strategy Lead.
Oversaw digital and print Hollywood, travel, style, health, fitness, motor and parenting coverage.
Managed a staff of editors and designers in the UK, New York and London.
Produced Guest Editor packages with Lady Gaga, Will Smith and Justin Bieber, among others.
Proposed and executed new business opportunities.
Previous roles at the company: Co-Editor-in-Chief of NYC, 09/06 – 12/07; Entertainment Editor, 12/05 – 08/06
Editor-in-Chief, Time Out New York
In my role, I:
Edited the weekly magazine and website, setting the standard for the brand internationally and getting at the heart of what people really wanted from the city.
Managed a staff of 50 editors, writers and designers.
Quadrupled traffic; increased profitability; lowered median age of reader; increased ad revenue.
Scored national buzz and award noms with a redesign, website launch and new features.
Appeared regularly on CNN, CBS, Fox and more, to represent the brand.
Previous roles at the company: Deputy Editor (from 01/07 until 2/08)—where I worked with Brian Farnham, now Head of Media, Local Content at Google—and Cultural Editor (07/99-01/03).