Wednesday, April 15 2009. The National Magazine Company, Hearst's principal business in the UK, today announces the result of its cost reduction review for Hearst digital, the digital arm of the business.
As a result of the review, cosmopolitan.co.uk will return to the management of Cosmopolitan Magazine's Publishing Director, Justine Southall and Editor, Louise Court, while getlippy.com will become part of the responsibility of Company's Publishing Director, Meribeth Parker and Editor, Victoria White. The editors of each website, respectively Kate Creasey and Clare Gill, will continue in their roles.
Advertising across the websites will be sold alongside the print business by dedicated sales teams and as part of Hearst digital through the Central Sales department.
In addition, NatMag has created a new business group comprising Zest magazine and netdoctor.co.uk, the leading consumer health website. Steven Seaton, currently Publishing Director of Runner's World and Triathletes' World, has been appointed to the new role of Publishing Director for this unit. netdoctor.co.uk's current Publisher, Bal Singh, will assume the role of Editorial and Digital Development Director for netdoctor.co.uk and Mandie Gower will continue as Editor of Zest.
Technical, design and development support to Hearst digital will remain inhouse under the leadership of Digital Services Director, Julian Downing. The restructure of these departments, which was announced in November last year, was completed in February 2009 with the appointment of James Wood, as Head of Technology.
Handbag.com and allaboutyou.com will also continue to operate as standalone websites under Publisher, Sara Stephenson, Editorial Director, Debbie Djordjevic and Editor Bernadette Fallon.
As a result of these changes, Hearst digital will vacate its offices in Swallow Place and join the NatMag print business in its offices in Broadwick St. In addition, the Managing Director of Hearst digital, Alex Ballantyne, will be leaving the business.
Duncan Edwards, Chief Executive of National Magazine Company says, ‘Over the last few years we have tried a number of different structures for our magazine websites and we have reached the conclusion that they are best served by being managed closely with the print magazine business. Our new structure will allow us to do this whilst preserving the ability to buy advertising campaigns across the whole digital network through a single point of contact.
I am delighted that Steven Seaton has agreed to take on a new role as Publishing Director of Zest and netdoctor; he has done an outstanding job for us on Runner's World and will bring new ideas and energy to this part of the business.
Finally, I would like to thank Alex for his excellent work over the last few years and wish him well for the future.'
END
For more information, please contact
Jane Wynyard
Head of PR/Communications
National Magazine Company
0207 439 5211
Jane.wynyard@natmags.co.uk
About the National Magazine Company
The National Magazine Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst established by William Randolph Hearst in 1910.
The business comprises the core wholly owned business, also called the National Magazine Co and interests in two joint ventures. These are partnerships with some of the world's best publishers as follows:
NatMag Rodale:
A 50:50 joint venture with Rodale Inc. of the USA which focuses on health and wellbeing.
COMAG:
A 65:35 joint venture with Conde Nast, one of the UK's largest magazine distributors.
NatMag publishes 17 consumer titles in the UK: Best, Coast, Company, Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan Bride, Country Living, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Harper's Bazaar, House Beautiful, Prima, Prima Baby, Reveal, Real People, SHE, You & Your Wedding, and Zest. The group publishes a further three magazines, Men's Health, Triathlete's World and Runner's World, through NatMag Rodale.
NatMag division, Hearst digital, publishes a number of community websites for NatMag magazines and also includes the Handbag network and www.netdoctor.co.uk, the UK's leading consumer health site.
For more information please log on to www.natmags.co.uk
