Podcast Summary: Tech Brew Ride Home
Episode: (BNS) Susan Lyne Part 1
Date: November 27, 2025
Overview
In this engaging episode, the Tech Brew Ride Home podcast interviews Susan Lyne, renowned media executive and investor, about her remarkable career journey from Boston upbringing to magazine publishing, Hollywood, and eventually to the heights of broadcast television with ABC. The conversation dives deep into the cultural shifts of late-20th-century America, the intricacies of media creation, and the early seeds of modern TV fandom. It’s an episode rich with history, inside stories, and lessons on leadership and creativity.
Major Discussion Points & Insights
1. Early Life and Transformative Years at UC Berkeley
- Upbringing in Boston:
- Oldest child in a close-knit, Irish Catholic family of five siblings.
- Family reunites regularly, emphasizing strong lifelong ties.
- Move to Berkeley (03:05):
- Enrolled in 1970 at the heart of the anti-war and women's movements.
- Quote:
"So going out to Berkeley was a way to define or at least explore who and what I wanted to be." —Susan Lyne [03:52]
- Describes Sproul Plaza as a vibrant, diverse marketplace, not just a melting pot.
2. Journalism Roots and Early Career
- First Steps in Media:
- Fact-checker, copy editor, and writer for the underground Berkeley Tribe newspaper.
- Driven by a desire for lifelong learning and to join national conversations (05:12).
- Quote:
"If you wanted to impact the way people thought about something ... that's where you went." —Susan Lyne [05:12]
- Francis Ford Coppola’s City Magazine (06:04):
- Simulates Rolling Stone’s format, aiming for West Coast voice; describes a scrappy, creative environment.
- Vivid anecdotes about chasing down the editor in North Beach bars.
- Closure came as Coppola left to film Apocalypse Now, reinforcing Lyne's passion for fast-paced publications over slower media.
3. New York Journalism and the Village Voice
- Migration East and Managing Editorship (10:01):
- Moves to NYC in 1978, quickly lands at New Times, then Village Voice.
- Lived affordably in NYC, observed stark contrast to today’s challenges for young professionals (12:59).
- Recalls a "golden era" at the Voice—the seat of iconic writers and the CBGB scene.
- Quote:
"Some of the best writers I've ever met in my life were at the paper at that point ... Nat Hentoff and Jack Newfield..." —Susan Lyne [13:32]
4. Brief Foray into Film with IPC Films
- Hollywood Development (15:02):
- Worked with Jane Fonda’s company on projects like Coming Home and 9 to 5.
- Disliked the film world’s slow, approval-heavy process:
"I love the relationship between an editor and a reader ... you don't get that in the movie industry." —Susan Lyne [16:42]
- Pitched the idea for a "Rolling Stone for the movies"—the genesis of Premiere magazine.
5. Premiere Magazine & Behind-the-Scenes Movie Journalism
- Launching an Influential Title (20:27):
- Premiere became known for its “inside baseball” approach to filmmaking, reporting on the process and power dynamics behind movies.
- Format innovations like "Shot by Shot" analyzing iconic scenes (e.g., Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables [21:14–23:25]).
- Balanced access with tough reporting, constantly negotiating industry relationships:
"There was never an issue that came out where I didn't get an angry call from somebody ... but we also clearly adored movies." —Susan Lyne [23:51]
- Key leadership task: shield reporters so “they could tell stories that are going to be meaningful.” [25:59]
6. ABC, Primetime Television, and Greenlighting Modern TV Hits
- From Magazines to TV (26:24):
- Disney recruited her after magazine ownership changed. Lured by the chance for creative relationships with audiences, as in magazine work.
- Head of Primetime Entertainment at ABC (30:43):
- Took the reins during a ratings slump, greenlighted shows pivotal to TV’s "golden era": Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, and The Bachelor expansion.
- On working with creators:
"You're trying to identify talent ... not just the skills, but the drive to be very successful in this." —Susan Lyne [31:33]
- Describes the frantic "pilot season" as exhilarating and magazine-like:
"The kind of excitement that comes from that cycle of putting out a magazine. Very, very similar." [33:47]
7. Iconic TV Show Development Stories
Lost (34:01–37:02)
- Concept emerged from a brainstorming session: "Castaway with a big plane."
- Original pilot script was weak; J.J. Abrams saved it with an outline and act one.
- Lyne’s major input: insisted they not kill off the "doctor" lead in the first episode:
"I promise you, 10 million women have just turned off the television." —Susan Lyne [36:10]
Grey’s Anatomy (37:30–40:20)
- Shonda Rhimes first pitched a war correspondent series—well-written but unviable for TV.
- On the new medical drama, standout element was revolutionary, authentic, and visually diverse casting:
"This is going to be a show where diversity in every sense is so much at the center of it that you don't even think about it." —Susan Lyne [39:28]
8. Creative Risk, Leadership, & Gender Dynamics
- Protecting Creator Vision (40:20):
- Partnership with Lloyd Braun was key; he taught her not to ask permission but to fight for projects she believed in.
"Having somebody who I felt would go shoulder to shoulder with me was incredibly valuable." [41:32]
- Partnership with Lloyd Braun was key; he taught her not to ask permission but to fight for projects she believed in.
- Championing Female Audiences:
- Intentionally sought shows for women; wary that TV was too focused on male viewers.
"Felt like there was a big opportunity if we could find appointment television for women." [42:48]
- Intentionally sought shows for women; wary that TV was too focused on male viewers.
- Navigating Industry Politics (44:46):
- Was suddenly let go in 2004, just before the shows she championed premiered to success.
- Candid about gendered power dynamics and her own learning:
"I think that I had this assumption...you do good work, you're going to be protected. And so I should have gone hard and fast at the two of them." —Susan Lyne [45:29]
- Ultimately found some solace in being recognized for her work, even if not present to see it pay off.
9. The Birth of Modern TV Fandom (Lost, Online Communities)
- The Legacy of Lost and Fandom's Evolution (48:09–50:33):
- Host posits that Lost created the modern era of intense, online TV fandom, paving the way for later phenomena like Game of Thrones.
- Lyne recounts how J.J. Abrams seeded fan engagement by participating in chat rooms over the summer hiatus:
"He gave them a little bit of hint of what was going to be coming in season two, and he was really a key driver of that excitement." —Susan Lyne [49:00]
- Shonda Rhimes followed suit with similar direct fan outreach.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Defining Self at Berkeley:
"So going out to Berkeley was a way to define or at least explore who and what I wanted to be." —Susan Lyne [03:52]
-
On the Magic of Magazines:
"I liked the way that magazines are put together. I liked the, the collegiality of it." —Susan Lyne [08:30]
-
Managing Editor at the Village Voice:
"You could live on the salary you were making at an alternative newspaper. The Voice was extraordinary. Some of the best writers I've ever met in my life were at the paper..." —Susan Lyne [13:32]
-
On Development vs. Editorial Work:
"It's not just a lot of 'no’s.' It's a lot of hurry up and wait ... you don't get that relationship between creator and viewer that I was used to." —Susan Lyne [15:55]
-
Editorial Integrity at Premiere Magazine:
"There was never an issue that came out where I didn't get an angry call from somebody ... but we also clearly adored movies." —Susan Lyne [23:51]
-
On Female-Focused TV:
“Felt like there was a big opportunity ... if we could find appointment television for women.” —Susan Lyne [42:48]
-
Modern TV Fandom Origin:
“J.J. spent the summer between season one and season two in chat rooms ... he was really a key driver of that excitement.” —Susan Lyne [49:00]
Key Segment Timestamps
- 03:05 — Susan Lyne on culture shock and transformation at Berkeley
- 06:04–09:51 — Working at Coppola’s City magazine: scrappy creative environment
- 10:01–14:52 — Journey through New York alternative journalism, managing The Village Voice
- 15:02–16:42 — Jump to Hollywood and why she disliked the movie development world
- 20:27–23:25 — Innovation at Premiere magazine: investigative, inside-Hollywood reporting
- 30:43–34:01 — Transition to ABC, development of primetime hits
- 34:01–39:28 — Making of Lost and Grey’s Anatomy, nurturing creator talent
- 40:20–44:05 — Fighting for creator vision and programming for female audiences
- 44:46–48:09 — Departing ABC, professional setbacks, and leadership lessons
- 48:09–50:33 — The rise of online fandom, Lost’s legacy, and engagement through digital communities
Final Thoughts
This episode offers a rare, candid look into the intersections of journalism, Hollywood, and television through the eyes of a singular leader. From shaping alternative media to pioneering television hits that changed viewer culture, Susan Lyne’s stories illuminate what it means to empower creative voices and navigate the shifting sands of media power. Her reflections on the roots of today’s fan-driven entertainment culture highlight how the seeds of contemporary fandom—and the ongoing conversation between creators and audiences—were sown in the early 2000s.