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Most Intriguing: A Marquee Year for Richard Beckman in 2011?

By Steve Smith
11/22/2010

We can safely say that 2011 will be an "intriguing" year for Richard Beckman. The CEO of Prometheus Global Media (formerly e5 Global Media) will be focused on reigniting a full portfolio of brands that struggled through the economic and ad recessions. The company was formed in late 2009 to acquire The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Back Stage and the Adweek line of books and sites from Nielsen Business Media—that alone would have qualified the former Condé Nast executive (and charter member of min‘s Sales Executive Hall of Fame) for min’s Most Intriguing People in Media list. The company is planning to launch new systems to propel many of these brands to their next stage, and Prometheus is relaunching its own corporate site soon.

But most of all in 2011, Beckman will be managing some fiercely independent talent he has chosen to direct these new marquee brands. The Hollywood Reporter has already changed orientation and tone under the leadership of Janice Min, the former Us Weekly editor. Min is bringing THR in a more consumer-oriented direction with its move to a weekly print schedule with recent splash covers that give the entertainment business media brand the feel of a celebrity magazine. Likewise Beckman chose Vanity Fair columnist, Newser editor and provocateur Michael Wolff to run editorial for the Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek line.

Beckman left his role as president/CEO of Condé Nast’s Fairchild Fashion Group in order to take over e5 as it took shape early this year. His successful run as president of Condé Nast Media Group (2004-2009) included the creation of the Fashion Rocks event. He left the company in the hopes of reengaging his own entrepreneurial spirit. Reviving a full portfolio of media brands and managing two feisty editors surely will test the resilience of that spirit. We’ll be watching.

Richard Beckman is among
min’s Top 21 Most Intriguing People in Media, to be recognized on Dec. 9 in New York.