Mag Bag: Donaton Exits 'EW'

Scott Donaton formerly of
Entertainment WeeklyDonaton Exits Entertainment Weekly

The magazine industry's executive shakeup continued this week with the news that Scott Donaton is leaving his position as publisher of Entertainment Weekly. This comes about three months after EW switched editors, with Jess Cagle replacing Rick Tetzeli. Donaton's sudden departure, effective May 8, may foreshadow further changes or cutbacks at the celebrity glossy, once a cash cow for Time Inc. but now fallen on hard times.

Donaton held the top spot at EW for about a year and a half --something of a departure from his previous post as publisher of Ad Age, where he had also served as editor. In the memo to staffers announcing Donaton's departure, Scott Caine, the president of Time Inc.'s entertainment group, said that Donaton is leaving to begin a brand-consulting firm.

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Time Inc. made no mention of other changes, but the timing of Tetzeli's and Donaton's exits about three months apart could be evidence of a major changes implemented each quarter. In the midst of a sharp economic downturn, Time Inc. executives are scrutinizing EW -- along with all their other titles -- in a search for more cost savings.

EW, which pioneered the celebrity weekly category in 1990, suffered in recent years as younger competitors saturated (or over-saturated) the market. According to the Publishers Information Bureau, in comparison to previous years, total ad pages fell 5.3% in 2005, 7.6% in 2006, 12.7% in 2007, and 20.4% in 2008. Actual ad pages fell from 1,998 in 2004 to 1,215 in 2008, for a total drop of 39% in four years. And the losses aren't letting up.

In the first quarter of 2009, ad pages fell 37.5% compared to the same period in 2008, per PIB. Meanwhile, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, newsstand sales declined 13% between the second half of 2007 and the second half of 2008, from 48,213 to 42,073, as paid subscriptions dipped from 561,552 to 539,487 -- a drop of about 4% .

Rodale Says "Eat This" on TV

Rodale is planning another reality TV series, this time based on the book "Eat This, Not That!," a diet guide by Men's Health editor David Zinczenko. To produce the series, Rodale has partnered with Reveille, the independent studio that helped Rodale create "Biggest Loser," a popular reality series on NBC about weight loss. The project expands on an earlier product placement for Men's Health in "Biggest Loser." Zinczenko will work with Reveille's Mark Koops as co-executive producers on the new show.

Men's Journal Cuts Frequency to 10 Times/Year

Men's Journal, the men's health and lifestyle title published by Wenner Media, which also publishes Rolling Stone, is cutting its frequency from 12 to 10 times per year. The magazine will accomplish this by putting up double issues for July-August and December-January. The news comes amid widespread drops in newsstand sales and ad pages at men's titles in general. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, in the second half of 2008 newsstand sales fell 14% at Men's Journal, 6% at Men's Health, and 15% at Men's Fitness. Per the Publishers Information Bureau, in the first quarter of 2009, ad pages at these titles dropped 33.9%, 24.4%, and 16%, respectively. In early March, Rodale, the publisher of Men's Health, announced it was closing Best Life, a relatively new men's lifestyle magazine.

Penton Cuts Workweek, Pay

Penton Media, a leading business-to-business publisher, is cutting its workweek from five days to four, and is also cutting pay, according to Folio:. The changes, effective the week before Labor Day, were announced by CEO Sharon Rowlands in a memo to staff. She also said company is "a long way behind the industry in terms of percent of revenue that is digital, and we are not showing growth."

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