• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, September 30, 2010

Total ad pages at the 39 weeklies and biweeklies tracked by Media Industry Newsletter increased just over 2% to about 30,781, according to MIN Online, which posted some of the top-line data from the newsletter. Roughly half the titles (20) have seen total ad pages increase in the first nine months of 2010 compared to the same period last year.

This included even bigger gains at some noteworthy titles, including Entertainment Weekly, up 26.7% with an additional 170 ad pages in the first nine months; ESPN: The Magazine, up 22.2% with an additional 176 ad pages in the same period; and People, up 10.7% (no ad pages for People were included in this release). Starincreased 21.5% to 1,014 ad pages, while Golf Week increased 43.7% to 929 ad pages.

The third-quarter improvement in ad pages for weeklies and biweeklies may hold out hope for a broader recovery in consumer magazines, which have continued to suffer from a weak advertising environment in the first half of the year, according to separate figures from the Publishers Information Bureau.

Per PIB, total ad pages (including both monthly and weekly magazines) slipped 4% in the first half of 2010, to 78,218. In the second quarter, they posted a slight 0.8% gain to 43,427 -- a modest increase, but certainly better than the 9.4% decrease in the first quarter.

Lindgren Named Editor, New York Times Magazine

Dark horse Hugo Lindgren, executive editor at Bloomberg BusinessWeek, will become the new editor of The New York Times Magazine. Before his seven-month tenure at BusinessWeek, he was the editorial director at New York magazine and an editor at the Times Magazine. NYTM has been searching for a replacement since Gerald Marzorati steped down in July. 

  Newsweek Hires Rhona Murphy as Global Publisher

Following several weeks of high-profile departures on both the editorial and business sides, including Editor Jon Meacham and International Editor Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek announced the appointment of Rhona Murphy as global publisher as its new owner, Sidney Harman, prepares to take over the publication. In this role, Murphy -- who has worked for Newsweek since 2002 and most recently held the position of international publisher and managing director -- will oversee advertising sales and marketing units across the U.S., Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Elle Décor Adds 3 Editors

Leading shelter title Elle Décor has appointed three new editors, according to owner Hachette Filipacchi. Ingrid Abramovitch, previously senior editor at Workman Publishing's Artisan Book, is joining the magazine as editor at large. Allison M. Mezzafonte, previously senior editor of Home & Garden for ShelterPop.com and DIYLife.com, is joining as executive editor, online. And Caryn M. Prime, previously assistant managing editor at MSLO's Whole Living, is joining as managing editor.

Murcko to EVP, Group Publisher at Rodale

Mary Murcko has been appointed executive vice president and group publisher at Rodale, which publishes Men's Health, Women's Health, and Prevention, among other health and fitness-oriented titles. Murcko previously served as senior vice president and publisher of Prevention. In her new role, Murcko will be responsible for overseeing ad sales and marketing for all of Rodale's various print and digital platforms. Laura Petasnick is taking over the role of Prevention publisher, vacated by Murcko.

Toyota sponsored this year's Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day on Sept. 25, when the venerable Smithsonian Institution (sometimes called "the nation's attic") offered free admission to visitors and encouraged other museums to do the same. A total of 1,300 museums participated this year. Toyota is using its sponsorship of Smithsonian's Museum Day to promote the new, redesigned Avalon, including docent tours, interactive trivia contests and giveaways at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, The Autry National Center in Los Angeles, the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Mass., and the Tampa Museum of Art. The campaign also includes ads in Smithsonian and online. Supporting sponsors include Microsoft and CITGO.