• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, August 4, 2006

Popular Science announced Wednesday that the four-month search for a replacement for Publisher Gregg Hano has finally ended, with owner Time Inc. settling on him as the most qualified candidate to take his place. Hano will succeed himself effective immediately, Popular Science said.

Hano left his position at Popular Science in March to become publisher of Time Inc.'s doomed Teen People print edition, which folded in mid-July after a year of declining ad pages and circulation. In the interim, Popular Science launched a search for a new publisher, but hadn't announced any picks as of late July. Hano was thus the logical pick to succeed himself, according to Tom Beusse, president of Time4Media--the division of Time Inc. that handles Popular Science

In a memo to Popular Science staffers, Beusse noted that Hano had presided over "three consecutive years of double digit, record breaking advertising revenue growth," and also credited him with having "reinvigorated a storied brand." During Hano's tenure, Popular Science got a slick new look and a more accessible editorial voice.

Time4Media hopes Hano will get the magazine on track after a "challenging second quarter," said a spokesperson--troubles due in part to Hano's intended departure. Early indications are good, as the October issue shows an 11 percent jump in ad pages compared to the same month last year, and online revenue is up 211 percent between the two periods.

New Mags Launching

The Magazine Yellow Pages announced this week the launch of a host of new magazines in July and August, again demonstrating publishers and advertisers' sustained interest in the print medium. Selected new titles of interest include the following:

ShopSmart, premiering in August, may well be the first women's shopping magazine with no advertisements of any kind. The title, featured in an earlier article in MediaDailyNews, is the first sally into women's shopping by the Consumers' Union, publisher of Consumer Reports. With an initial national distribution of 800,000 copies, ShopSmart will be available at retailers like Wal-Mart, Borders, Safeway, Kroger, Public, and Barnes & Noble, selling for $4.99 an issue.

Movmnt, premiering this summer, describes itself as "the lifestyle magazine of a new generation of urban citizens." The title will cover dance, music, society, and fashion--blending online and print editorial in a unique hybrid to attract readers from the "fashion-forward, arts-oriented, and socially conscious MySpace generation."

Missbehave, premiering in July, has also been featured in a previous edition of MediaDailyNews. It's a provocative consumer magazine from the publishers of Mass Appeal targeting women ages 18-32 with fashion, beauty tips, and cultural lowdown appropriate to "more edgy, street-savvy women," according to editor Samantha Moeller. The magazine moves in a milieu that marries hip-hop street culture and a cultivated hipster sensibility. Moeller emphasized that Missbehave is very much a lifestyle magazine as well, with "documentary" articles exploring the myriad female American subcultures.

Kiwi, premiering in August, is a parenting mag targeting mothers and fathers who want to raise children in a way that's healthy and also environmentally friendly. The child models featured are all fresh-scrubbed and clean-cut, and the title has a definite crunchy vibe, with the first issue featuring articles like "Yoga for Kids," "Kids Room Feng Shui," and "Omega-3: What You Should Know." Each issue will also have a healthy serving of recipes aiming to make healthy food palatable to young tastebuds.

Beckett Massive Online Gamer, whose July issue went on sale in May, covers the burgeoning world of Massive Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG), with articles on everything from new games to new features within existing games, to strategies and hidden features, including reviews and exclusives. The magazine sells for $5.99 with distribution through 50,000 retail outlets, including Wal-Mart, Target, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Blockbuster, Toys R Us, grocery chains, and comic and gaming shops.

Ladies' Home Journal Honors Six Medical Pioneers

At an awards luncheon on Wednesday, Ladies' Home Journal announced the winners of its Health Breakthrough Awards, a new competition honoring medical professionals whose contributions to medical knowledge or treatment have bettered the health of women and families. Selected from a candidate list of 100 professionals, the honorees are: Dr. Deborah K. Armstrong, associate professor of oncology, gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who innovated in the treatment of ovarian cancer; Dr. Susan Cu-Uvin, professor of obstetrics/gynecology and medicine at Brown Medical School and director of the Immunology Center at Miriam Hospital, who established America's first clinic for menopausal women with HIV/AIDS; Dr. Mary Ann E. Keenan, chief of the neuro-orthopedics program at the University of Pennsylvania, who pioneered surgeries to relieve deformities caused by strokes; Dr. Etta D. Pisano, director of the Biomedical Research Imaging Center at the University of North Carolina, who proved the efficacy of digital versus film mammograms for certain populations; and finally, a team--Dr. Frank E. Speizer, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Walter C. Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health--for their pioneering Nurses' Health Study, which in its 30th year is the largest ongoing women's health study. All the winners will be featured in the September issue of Ladies' Home Journal.

Trudy Bell Explains High-Energy Astrophysics, Gets Award

Trudy E. Bell, a contributor to Air & Space magazine, has won the David N. Schramm Award for her article, "When Stars Collide," featured in the August-September 2005 issue of Air & Space. The prestigious award recognizes journalists who succeed in the daunting task of making high-energy astrophysics comprehensible to the lay reader. Her article dealt with the distorting effects of gravity from giant objects on space and time. The award is handed down by the High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) of the American Astronomical Society.

Declan Moore Becomes Intl. Publisher, National Geographic

National Geographic magazine announced this week that Declan Moore has been named international publisher of the magazine, effective immediately. Since 2004, Moore had served as general manager of National Geographic International. As international publisher, Moore will head strategic planning, advertising sales and marketing of the English-language edition, with an international circulation of over 1 million. Moore has also worked for National Geographic Television.

Meredith Names John Riha Editorial Director of Special Interest Media

Meredith Corporation announced Monday that John Riha was assuming the role of editorial director for the company's special interest media division, which includes 230 issues covering interest areas like building, remodeling, decorating, gardening, food and diet, and crafts. Riha will begin his new responsibilities on August 15th. Riha previously served as executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens.