and the cameras begin to roll you can be sure he is focusing on something that few others do–on something good. Unlike other news organizations that tend to focus on the negative and all that is wrong in the world, Sladkus, CEO of Good News
Broadcast, searches for whats good in this world–and he finds it.
Sladkus was 49 years old when he founded Good News. I started it to confront the consistent negativity in the world and media, he says. If we want to see a better world, then we have to shift what we are looking at. Thus for the past 11 years, Sladkus has traveled the world bringing good news into our living rooms and our computers too. However, in most cases, he doesnt have to go very far: the Good News comes to him as thousands of corporations, non-profits, public relations companies and individuals request that he tell their stories.
When the time had come for him to create Good News, Sladkus already had much experience behind him. In the 70s, he worked at CBS on award- winning shows such as All in the Family, Carol Burnett, Sonny and Cher and Love of Life. At PBS Channel 13 he helped create The Nature and Brain series. Sladkus also founded his own multi-cultural marketing organization. All these experience gave me the foundation to create www. goodnewsbroadcast.com, he says. Good News Broadcasts mission is to focus on events and entertainment which are positive and life enhancing. Instead of trying to depress a nation, its goal is to elevate it. For certain, the power of positive thinking is gaining more and more traction in goal setting and believed to be instrumental to success. Good News is a virtual home site for feeling good about life and to give hope to the world, Sladkus says. Good news has covered such events as the American/Israel Cultural Foundation, Open University in Israel, 60th Israel Anniversary Celebrations, AIPAC, American Israel Friendship League, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Childrens Cancer and Blood Foundation, Sesame Street
Anniversary, Wounded Heros, and The Water Hour. Good news also covers those who have no namethe homeless and the helpless and everyday citizens of the world who are aided by corporations and individuals.
The goal is to show caring and love is still very much apart of our world as well as to inspire further acts of kindness and charity. Sladkus was born in Tarrytown, NY, to a family who was committed to its Jewish roots. His grandfather helped build the first
temple in Tarrytown and his love for all things Jewish was emulated by the entire family. They have been actively involved in many Jewish organizations and have been major donors to many of the causes that supported the State of Israel and helped it flourish.
But Sladkus himself, although he loves his Judaism and wanted at one time to be a rabbi, loves people of all faiths. He became inspired to become an interfaith minister after producing and covering the World Peace Day concert in Central Park where a group of singers from The New Seminary (an interfaith seminary) performed. He worked with the Seminary on a production project for TV and eventually became a minister too. He has since conducted many weddings and often throws in an extra benefit by entertaining the guests with his sax and piano playing.
His own personal religious passion, however, is still with Judaism and he is working hard these days to help raise badly needed funds for The Actors Temple in New York City. The Temple was the home of such legends as Milton Berle, Sophie Tucker, Joe E. Lewis, the Three Stooges, the Marx Brothers, Rodgers and Hammerstein and many more. The temple is just a few years short of celebrating 100 years since its founding. Those who know Sladkus say he always has a smile on his face. Maybe its because he is in the business of good news. For that, many have called him a visionary. But he says what gives him purpose is the people he loves and is loved by in his life. All we are is what we are for each other, he shares. Thus, for him, he says that being a father, a father-in-law, a grandfather, a brother, a former husband of two, and a friend to many are his raison detre. And it is because of the people he loves that he wants this world to be a much better place. As such he is trying to build www.goodnewsbroadcast.com into one of the leading media conglomerates in the world. It has 5,000 shows to date. And as the old song goes, you dont have to be a star baby to beon Good News Broadcast you just have to be a mensch.
Good News in now creating Channels for corporations, non-profits and individuals who are giving time, money, and love to be their brothers keepers. Good News also has opportunities for sponsorship and investment. If you have good news to share, Sladkus wants to hear about it.
Whats special about Sladkus is his down-to-earth personality despite the many famous people hes met throughout his life. Over the years he has interviewed Katie Couric, Les Paul, Michael Douglas, Ted Danson, Ted Turner, Deepak Chopra, Patch Adams, Mitch Albom, Jack Canfield, Marianne Williamson, Tiki Barber, Isabella Rossellini, Percy Heath, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Kathleen Turner, Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, America Ferrera, Pete Seeger, Danny DeVito, Ben Vereen, Elmo, Harvey McKay, Chuck Close among many others doing good for the world. Sladkus envisions a world with no countries, no borders, and no war, just peace, love and harmony. He believes that environmental and financial resources beg for this type of world. We are high-tech, he says, but low-tech in taking care of the people of the world. But with his never-ending optimism Sladkus says that despite our difficult times, I see Good News ahead.
Written by Aliza Davidovit for Mann About Town Magazine
