How did I get here? 

From Wikipedia --

Alan Goodman is an actor, a former media branding executive, and a TV writer/producer/director. He has worked in media since 1981.

He has been a storyteller his entire life. While still in high school, he began his media career as a reporter at The Hunterdon County Democrat in Flemington, New Jersey. When entering Columbia University in 1970, he joined the college radio station, WKCR-FM. 

In 1981, Goodman was part of the team that launched MTV. He supervised hundreds of animations and their accompanying soundtracks depicting the MTV trademark.

With his creative partner, Goodman resigned from MTV and started Fred/Alan in New York. They consulted with MTV's sister channel, Nickelodeon, which was having challenges finding audiences for their quality kids programming. They led the efforts to rebrand the network as "The First Kids' Network" and help build its new vocabulary, promotional strategies and execution.

Goodman and his partner conceiving and created Nick-at-Nite and launched VH-1Goodman worked with MTV Networks, the parent company of both MTV and Nickelodeon, for over 30 years.

Goodman co-created the television series Kids' Court, The Movie Masters, and Hey Dude, among others, and created The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. He also co-created the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice AwardsGoodman also wrote scripts for several television shows including Hey Dude, Clarissa Explains It All, Clifford's Puppy Days and JoJo's Circus. He was the co-producer and show runner for two seasons of Clarissa Explains It All.

Since 1984 Goodman has been the primary writer and creative director for all the brochure and website essays for one of the most respected jazz reissue record labels, Mosaic Records limited edition jazz boxes. This work is in addition to his liner note writing for various independent jazz recording labels.

During his consulting engagement at BBC America, Goodman wrote and produced entertainment news content and specials for the network. He was also one of the developers and first creative director at COZI-TV, a free-to-air television network owned by the NBC Owned Television Stations division of NBCUniversal. At COZI-TV he also wrote, directed, and produced original content, including the first ever fully auto-tuned TV program, Autotune The Munsters.

Goodman has written two books -- A Slash in the Night, the first in a series of novels based on characters in Goodman's Nickelodeon series The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo,  and The Big Help Book. He also was a contributor to The Rolling Stone Record Guide. Goodman was a co-creator of the Virgin Comics (now Liquid Comics) title The Econauts.

Want to know more about my career in TV network development, promotion, and production?  My former partner Fred Seibert has done an incredible job of archiving our best. Just click on the image above and journey back to the dawn of cable TV.