Mr. Magazine

A brief, but interesting report on the current changes at Reader’s Digest is in today’s mediabistro.com: FishbowlNY. The headline and the opening paragraph follows:

Big Changes at Reader’s Digest
Since February’s takeover of Reader’s Digest Association by the private equity firm Ripplewood Holdings, the 85-year old company has undergone many changes. Mary Berner was named President and CEO. In March, Eva Dillon was named President. Jeff Wellington was named publisher at the end of September. And last month, Bill Beaman left as Reader’s Digest Washington Bureau Chief to become EIC of Campaigns and Elections.

To read the entire article click here.

As a side bar for the article mediabistro.com: FishbowlNY interviewed me via e mail on my take on the changes at Reader’s Digest. The headline and the opening paragraph follows:

“Mr. Magazine” on the New Reader’s Digest
”Mr. Magazine” Samir Husni is the Chair of the Journalism Department at the University of Mississippi, and, in his spare time, a dedicated blogger on the subject of magazines. Dr. Husni has been critical of the direction Reader’s Digest has been veering in under the leadership of Jacqueline Leo. This past July, after sinus surgery, Dr. Husni — stirred by the connection with DeWitt Wallace, who conceived of RD in a hospital — blogged a critique of the new magazine.

To read the entire interview click here.