COVER O N
B L O O M B E R G
I
remember standing next to Mayor Bloomberg, cell phone in his hand, one autumn day in 2012. Within moments, the camera was rolling, and a director yelled “Action.” Hitting his mark, the Mayor delivered his line in response to learning the identity of “Gossip Girl,” the eponymous character of the CW Network’s “Made in NY” television series, which filmed all six of its seasons in New York City. As I watched the Mayor, I was once again astonished at how far we— and the local media and entertainment industry—have come. When I was first appointed as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, New York City was not the first choice for filmmakers and producers. It was too complicated and too expensive to film here, they said. With all this in mind, I looked to the leadership of Michael Bloomberg, a man whose vision for New York City has had a transformative effect. My focus at the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment has always been on customer service, and it’s a practice I learned from the mayor himself when we worked together in the private sector. That simple strategy of listening to
KATHERINE OLIVER customers, understanding their needs and providing top-notch service, has meant that we’ve turned New York City into a thriving center for production, eliminating red tape, opening up city locations for filming, revolutionizing the permitting process and introducing free marketing services for productions.
From the beginning, the mayor understood that we needed to diversify the City’s economy by supporting an array of different industries, and our work with the film and television industry has been a towering example of what can be accomplished with city government as your champion. Together the mayor and I have visited sets, filmed cameos and gotten to know the remarkable people who make up this thriving industry. Along the way, we’ve created 30,000 new jobs in the sector since 2004. In fact, New York City’s production industry is the strongest it’s ever been, generating a direct annual spend of more than $7 billion to the local economy. The Mayor’s support of the film and television industry has also been felt in a number of far-reaching ways. Thousands of local small businesses have experienced the positive effects of increased filming in the City: restaurants delivering food to stages; antique shops scoured for set pieces; lumberyards supplying construction materials for the scenery. The increase in production has also meant new opportunities for young people: more than 450 young New Yorkers from economically disadvantaged
ROB WALSH
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DECEMBER 16, 2013 | cityandstateny.com
I
t was a Sunday morning just a few weeks after Superstorm Sandy. I was having a catch with my 10-year-old son when my phone rang. It was Shea Fink, and she wanted me to meet the mayor in Red Hook in the next hour. I rushed over to Red Hook where the mayor and I walked the retail corridor along Van Brunt Street and met with small business owners. We then walked over to the piers in Red Hook where all the small businesses were devastated by the storm. Along the way the mayor stopped to thank countless volunteers who were helping businesses get back on their feet and Con Edison workers who were restoring service. When we got out to the piers, I remember how attentive the mayor was
backgrounds have been trained for entry level positions on film sets and are now flourishing in their new careers, thanks to the “Made in NY” Production Assistant Training Program, which our office developed in partnership with Brooklyn Workforce Innovations. The mayor, with his background as an entrepreneur, has also had the insight to recognize new trends and emerging industries. With the appointment of the first chief digital officer and the creation of a department focused on digital communications and supporting the tech sector, he has placed New York City in a potent position to harness the power and innovation of the technology industry. Everything that we’ve accomplished in recent years—record levels of production, job creation, the growth of the tech industry—is due to the Mayor’s singular leadership and guidance, and it has been a privilege to serve his administration. Katherine Oliver, the commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, was appointed commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting in 2002 and has overseen NYC Media since 2009.
when he met with Mark Snyder, the owner of the Red Hook Winery. The winery was wiped out by the storm. Mark was exhausted and not sure if he would ever open his doors again. I was struck by what a calming force the mayor was as he listened carefully and asked insightful questions. He lifted Mark’s spirits and gave him and his team the confidence to go forward. The mayor promised them that the city would do everything possible to get them up and running. The mayor then followed up himself with calls to the chair of Con Edison to get the lights on. On that day the mayor lifted Mark and so many others in Red Hook. He also lifted me. I went home that night and told my wife how proud I was to have been a part of the administration for 12 years. Great leaders often exhibit their very best during times of crisis. Mike Bloomberg showed this after 9/11, and through all the challenges that have faced our city. When the Red Hook Winery reopened their doors, the mayor returned—and bought a bottle of wine. Rob Walsh, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services, has served the entirety of all three of Mayor Bloomberg’s terms.