• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, December 14, 2007

BusinessWeek Announces Layoffs

BusinessWeek is laying off a dozen employees from both business and editorial departments, as part of an ongoing restructuring of the publication. The changes aim to further integrate its online and print editorial content, according to Editor in Chief Stephen J. Adler, who announced the layoffs in a staff memo: "For the past three years, we've been moving progressively toward integrating our print and digital operations--by increasing reporters' contributions to BusinessWeek.com, combining our overseas bureaus and copy-desk teams and seating together everyone within a given coverage area."

In the new organization, the entire editorial staff will work under the direction of eight chief editors reporting to Adler. As before, content areas will include major business topics, like corporate deals, markets, small business and breaking news. The Web site and print edition will both have managing editors to facilitate the flow of content across platforms.

The reorganization has been accompanied by an aggressive Web strategy focusing on social network-style functions, video and user-generated content. Earlier this week, the publication announced a partnership with LinkedIn. In one feature, LinkedIn will create links in the text of BusinessWeek editorial content for the proper names of businesses and people. By mousing over the links, the reader can determine how they are connected to the individual or entity in question, including how many of their own contacts are connected.

In May, the publication announced it is partnering with Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's, to launch a Company Insight Center hosted on the magazine's Web site. The new online content area triples the size of the BusinessWeek site. Information and analysis will cover companies, industries, markets and leaders.

Latina Gets a New Look

Latina magazine wants to snare more upscale readers with a makeover that will focus the magazine more on fashion and beauty topics, hoping for commensurate interest from advertisers. Set to debut with the March 2008 issue, the new direction is being charted by Editorial Director Mimi Valdés Ryan, who joined the company in November. The magazine will feature more luxury content and advertising, less food and entertainment.

PC Magazine Leads In Computer Category

PC Magazine is holding its own in the beleaguered computer magazine category, which has seen numerous titles fold amidst fierce competition from the Internet. According to MRI's fall 2007 report, PC Magazine has a total 4.45 million readers, including the largest number of people currently employed in IT positions. Within its category, it also has the highest number of readers per copy (6.6) and reaches more small business owners than competitors.

Smithsonian Holds 5th Annual Photo Contest

Smithsonian is holding its fifth annual photo contest, inviting readers to submit photos online at photocontest.smithsonianmag.com. The entries must be submitted by 2 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 8. Fifty finalists will have their work published online and in the magazine, and five category winners will get a $500 cash prize. One grand-prize winner will get a paid trip to the Grand Canyon.