It’s Soup!

        In the days before microwave ovens and instant-everything, there was a popular commercial for soup. The child would run into the kitchen, where the mother was stirring a pot.  “Is it soup yet?” he’d breathlessly ask. “No, not yet,” Mom would lovingly respond. This scene repeated itself until finally, after many stirs later, the mother would proudly proclaim: “Its soup!”

        Even though our launch is still months away, it’s time for me to proclaim: “Its soup!”  Since we started our New York operation back in the spring, I’ve been using this space to update you on our progress in creating programming and content for our growing network of the 21st Century. We started small and tentative, feeling our way. Then, we hit upon two ideas that we think have great legs: Morgan Jones’ “Social Experiment” and “RevYou” where moviegoers rate the latest movies.

        Now, to coincide with the exciting new look of the TitanTV 1.5 beta, we debut a pilot show I’m really proud of. It’s called TitanTV Fresh Greens, and it’s anchored by Liza de Guia. It’s an almost-half-hour look at the environment--specifically, urban sustainable living. If that sounds like a mouthful, and not a tasty one, wait until you see how it’s treated by Liza and her cohorts. Multi-faceted Senior Producer Morgan Jones  and Managing Editor Laura van Straaten worked with videographer Matt Rivera and his staff, along with our talented Cedar Rapids-based designer, Brandon Whalen.  It’s a show of show-and-tells: A barge on the Hudson River that just could be the model for helping cities around the world grow and distribute more of their own food, an investigation into why—at a time of energy-consciousness—so many city buildings blaze their lights into the night, long after their employees have left, a tongue-in-cheek look at your carbon footprint, and a serious look at what we’ve learned in the four years since the last big blackout.  There’s also a great piece from TitanTV affiliate WISC in Madison Wisconsin on a family that’s living "off the grid."

        Since this is the web, you can watch the show anyway you want: assembled, or piece-by-piece. Either way, you’ll get a bite of Titan Greens: crunchy, healthy, with a little tang.

        Now, a word or two about Liza de Guia. She’s more than the face of Titan Greens; she’s the embodiment of it.  Despite her youth, she’s a veteran of environmental journalism, having logged hundreds of hours covering stories with an environmental bent for a number of outlets. Most recently, she was on PLUM TV in the Hamptons (on Long Island, near New York City) where she would shoot, produce, and edit her own pieces all day, then show up on the morning show to introduce them live. She’s perfect for the do-it-a-new-way spirit that permeates TitanTV.  She’s a graduate of Georgetown, and a self-proclaimed “beach girl” from the Sarasota, Florida area (Look for my “Q and A” with Liza in my next blog).  As we get closer to our launch, Liza will be your guide for all things green, including her own blog and regular interaction with viewers and users.  Even as you enjoy our first pilot, Liza, Morgan, and Laura are in our conference room plotting out the next projects. 

        Please let me know what you think of the pilot; we value your input and that will help guide our future efforts.  To view it, go to titantv.com, click on TitanTV Video, then look for Liza and the Fresh Greens logo.

        “Is it soup yet?”

        Yes, it is—a fresh greens soup that’s healthy--and entertaining.