Nielsen Business Media has shaken up the ranks at some of its prized trade magazines, naming former Variety group publisher Gerry Byrne as head of the company’s new entertainment group, which includes The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard.
Byrne will replace John Kilcullen, who had been senior editor of the film and performing arts group and the music and literary groups since 2006 and is exiting in March.
In his new post, Byrne reports to Gregg Farrar, president of Nielsen Business Media.
The move comes only days after Reed Elsevier, publisher of rivals Variety and Publisher’s Weekly, put its entire worldwide publishing empire on the block in a deal that is expected to fetch more than $2 billion.
It also comes amid rumors that Nielsen might be mulling a sale of its trade titles as well. A source close to the financial investment group that in 2006 took over the former VNU magazine empire in a $9 billion deal said that while no bankers have been retained to actively shop the Nielsen titles, magazines were considered “non-core assets” and could be sold if the right offer materialized.
“That’s more rumor and conjecture than anything else,” said Byrne, who has been consulting with Nielsen since January 2007.
Indeed, the arrival of Byrne, an industry veteran, could quell rumblings that Nielsen is considering selling the titles.
The Hollywood Reporter began printing an East Coast edition three months ago, enabling the title to offer print editions to subscribers in New York and Europe on the date of publication.
Byrne said that his task is to build “integrated media platforms” across the print, digital and trade shows in the group, which also includes Film Journal International, and expos such as ShoWest and ShoEast.