• by January 5, 2006

Time Inc. formally established a new unit dubbed the People Group on Wednesday, and named People Managing Editor Martha Nelson as the group's first editor.

At the same time, the company named Larry Hackett to replace Nelson as the top editor for People, one of Time's biggest titles and most consistent money-makers. Hackett, who joined the magazine as a senior editor in 1998, moves up from his current post of deputy managing editor.

As head of the People Group, Nelson will oversee editorial operations at a range of line extensions connected to the main title, among them Teen People, People en Espanol, People.com, and television shows. The company said Nelson will continue to work with Hackett on strategic issues for the weekly, but that Hackett will be in charge of the magazine's day-to-day operations.

A Time spokesperson said that as editor of the People Group, Nelson will focus on the future of the growing People franchise and work to develop new projects for the title--one of which may include a form of wireless communication for readers of Teen People.

"It's very difficult to think larger, strategic thoughts when you are running a hands-on, weekly magazine," the spokesperson said. "Now Martha will hopefully have the time to do all those other, 'big-picture' things."

Although the People Group existed informally in the past, it was more of a loose coalition than a clearly defined group. With Nelson's promotion, the group will now establish its own identity within the organization, the spokesperson said. She added that the formalization of the group is expected to benefit advertisers because it will provide an improved, more consistent flow of information and availabilities between the various properties.

Nelson was named People's managing editor in April 2002, after leaving the magazine in 1993 to become the founding managing editor of another Time title, In Style.