Robin Roberts' New Project is Great for Women

After overcoming a challenging past few years, it's no surprise that Robin Roberts would want to do something to celebrate her current good fortune. After all, she's doing well after a health setback, recently came out to the public, and is a key reason of why her show, Good Morning America, is the top-rated morning news program in the country. No one knew, though, just how the anchor would honor her luck, but it turns out she's had a plan all along: on Wednesday, Roberts announced that she's launching Rock'n Robin Productions, a company set on creating news specials, sports shows, and everything in-between — and it starts tomorrow.

As Roberts explained on Good Morning America's Wednesday show, Rock'n Robin is her way of "expanding her reach," a full service broadcast and digital production company that will produce "virtually every type of show." In addition to the news and sports shows, there'll be documentaries, entertainment specials, and even a pilot for a reality series.

“I've been in broadcasting for more than 30 years," said Roberts. "So I'm very, very excited about this."

While the company will cover all genres, it's the sports section that its creator seems most excited about, and it's no wonder; Rock'n Robin's first project premieres this Thursday, Aug. 4. "In the Game with Robin Roberts," an ESPNW series, will see the newscaster holding interviews with influential athletes, from Michael Sam (on Thursday) to Laila Ali.

Considering Roberts' background in sports — a college basketball player, she was a sportscaster before moving to news — the new series seems a fitting choice for her first production. Yet it's her company's website, RocknRobin.tv, that fans of Roberts will appreciate the most. Although part of the site simply details the studio's mission, much more of it is devoted to spreading the anchor's messages of hope and support.

"It's a place where we can inspire and encourage one another," Roberts explained on Wednesday.

Featuring a blog where readers can share their stories and spread motivation, the site will be a "meaningful" place for those looking for support, said Roberts. The company, too, will feature substantial inspirational programming, such as a Thanksgiving special focused on gratitude.

It all sounds a bit cheesy, but for those who, like Roberts, have suffered through terrifying ordeals, the creation of a site and studio dedicated to spreading hope is certainly a noble effort. The company should be a nice change of pace from the usual, cynical programming seen on TV each day, especially when, like in recent months, so many of the stories covered have been distressing. Having the option to view encouraging, heartwarming series and specials from Roberts' company should be a welcome addition to the TV landscape.

And the fact that it's a woman doing this all just makes it even better. Over the course of her career, Roberts has made huge strides for women on TV, as one of the first female sports anchors on ESPN, a GMA co-anchor, and one of the few out lesbian news anchors, not to mention all the barriers she's broken for black women on TV. Everything she's done already in her career has made her a feminist icon, and creating a production company — joining a small but growing class of women to do so — is just one more example of why Robin Roberts is one of the best role models a woman could want.

Watch the company's announcement below: