Magazines: Hearst Regroups Titles

Black Divvies Up Responsibility For Most Books Between 2 Top Execs
Hearst Magazines president Cathleen Black delivered two of her top lieutenants a belated Christmas gift last week. Michael Clinton, senior vp/chief marketing officer, and Anne Fuchs, senior vp/group publisher of Marie Claire, Harper's Bazaar and Town & Country, were handed the group publishing responsibilities of executive vp Robert Brink, who retired from Hearst last month.
In the new world order, Clinton will oversee Esquire; the new home/lifestyle group, which includes House Beautiful, Gardener and Country Living; and corporate marketing responsibilities for Hearst-Dow Jones' SmartMoney. Clinton will also continue to direct group ad sales, marketing and brand-building. Fuchs will run the new women's group, expanding her purview to include Redbook, Victoria and Healthy Living.
"This is like a double win," Black said of the new structure. "In no way does it change the publishers' responsibility. It's value-added, with stronger, larger groups that are very targeted."
The publishers of Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping will continue to report to Black. VP/group publisher Jay McGill will continue to direct the men's active team, whose titles include Popular Mechanics and Sports Afield.
"Organizationally, it does give some structure that wasn't there before," one Hearst executive observed. "It's a management structure that can help us run our business more efficiently. It's not necessarily going to change the way we approach the marketplace."
Martin Walker, chairman of Walker Communications, said it may be significant that Redbook was placed in the women's group and not teamed alongside Good Housekeeping. "It may mean that they're positioning Redbook as more of a women's magazine with Cosmo and Glamour, and not as a service book," Walker said.
While Black will remain heavily involved with all aspects of the magazines, including the occasional sales call, the realignment will ease her load and allow her to focus on other areas. "We're expanding as we continue to launch internationally," Black said. "And all the changes in the marketplace--the wholesalers, distributors and retailers--need my thinking and my time."