Veteran TV Exec Rich Battista Poised to Become People Magazine President
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Time Inc., the nation’s largest magazine publisher, is close to naming former TV executive Rich Battista to lead the company’s largest brand, People magazine, as well as its sibling publication Entertainment Weekly, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The position — president of People and Entertainment Weekly — is new to Time Inc. and critical to the company’s future. People represents nearly 20% of Time Inc.’s revenue, according to the company’s SEC filings. But print advertising — where the magazine gets most of its revenue — has declined as marketers shift budgets toward digital from print.
Mr. Battista spent nearly 20 years with Fox and its then-parent company News Corp., climbing to president of National Cable Networks, which included national sports and entertainment channels like Fox Soccer Channel, FX and National Geographic Channel. He left News Corp. in 2010 and most recently served as CEO of Mandalay Sports Media.
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