About ERICA MATSON

MY NAME IS ERICA MATSON AND over the last 15 years, I’ve been developing and delivering engaging content for global media companies including NBC, The Discovery Channel, The Wall Street Journal, Conde Nast, Comedy Central and VICE Media. My career has taken many turns, most recently as the Executive Producer of News and Entertainment for VICE Media where I led teams of videos producers and editors, developing and executing on a video slate that was in line with the VICE brand and audience. Part of that job was to liaison with international offices, news editorial departments and sales teams to ensure uniformity across platforms and to create sellable IP. I left that role at the end of 2023 and I believe my experience both producing for and leading digital video departments uniquely qualifies me for the constantly changing responsibilities and needs of the digital landscape.  

AS FOR THE REST OF MY CAREER, I STARTED as an NBC Page RIGHT AFTER GRADUATING FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY IN 2009. AFTER THAT YEAR LONG PROGRAM ENDED, I BECAME AN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER AT PEACOCK PRODUCTIONS, a PRODUCTION UNIT WITHIN THE NBC NEWS DIVISION. THE CONTENT AND FORMATS RANGED FROM NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LIVE BROADCASTS, TO INVESTIGATIVE CRIME SHOWS, TO FAST TURN AROUND NEWS SPECIALS TO REALITY TELEVISION. FAST FORWARD TO 2014 AND VICE, IT WAS MY FIRST TIME WORKING IN DIGITAL MEDIA BUT I FOUND IT TO BE INNOVATIVE, EXPERIMENTAL, AND MORE CHARACTER DRIVEN AND DEEP DIVING THAN WHAT I WAS USED TO DOING IN TELEVISION. DURING MY FIRST 4 years at VICE, I produced over 60 ORIGINAL PIECES WITH SUBJECTS RANGING FROM GENDER, TO DRUGS, TO THE MILITARY, TO POLITICS, TO ART, TO EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (WE EVEN WON A GLAAD AWARD FOR OUR COVERAGE OF DANICA ROEM, THE FIRST OPENLY TRANS PERSON ELECTED TO A STATE LEGISLATURE). SOMETIMES IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA BUT MOSTLY BEHIND THE SCENES, MY GOAL WAS TO LEARN ABOUT COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE FROM EVERYDAY WALKS OF LIFE AND HELP TELL THEIR STORIES. EVEN IF THOSE VOICES WERE CONTROVERSIAL, AND ESPECIALLY IF THOSE VOICES HAD BEEN OVERLOOKED BY MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

I left VICE in 2018  AND WOUND UP AT COMEDY CENTRAL, Directing 2 episodes of a HYBRID COMEDY/DOCUMENTARY TV SERIES CALLED “KLEPPER” hosted by JORDAN KLEPPER. After ‘Klepper’, I did a STENT AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, DEVELOPing A SHOW THAT ENDED UP WINNING AN EMMY FOR OUTSTANDING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY OR ENVIRONMENTAL COVERAGE IN 2021. it was The first Emmy for The Wall Street Journal. 

At the end of 2019 I was ready for the next step in my career.  So I returned to VICE as the SUPERVISING PRODUCER of North American Video, overseeing THE DEPARTMENT I ONCE WORKED IN. AFTER 2 years in that role, I WAS TAPPED TO TAKE OVER AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF ALL OF VICE’S DIGITAL VIDEO VERTICALS (VICE, MUNCHIES, NOISEY. R29). THE JOB was TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND CREATIVE FEEDBACK AND LEAD THESE VIDEO TEAMS, MAKING SURE THE CONTENT IS IN LINE WITH THE BRAND WHILE DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING ON OUR DIGITAL VIDEO STRATEGY. IN 2023 we won an Emmy for ‘Outstanding Feature Story in Spanish’ Sicarios (VICE) - the first Emmy for VICE digital.  

I’M ALSO A 36 YEAR OLD LIVING IN THE BACK HOUSE OF AN OLD ITALIAN WOMAN’S PROPERTY (HER NAME IS BLANCHE AND SHE’S 92) IN WILLIAMSBURG BROOKLYN. MY ROOMMATES ARE EDDIE AND WINONA, TWO VERY SWEET CATS. I PLAY SOFTBALL AND MAHJONG DURING THE WEEK AND WILL HAPPILY BORE ANYONE WITH MY VAST WHISKEY AND DALLAS COWBOY FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE.