Welcome to Technology for Publishing’s roundup of news highlighting women’s roles, contributions, and achievements in the evolving media business. This latest installment covers the work ahead for BuzzFeed UK general manager Kate Burns, the role of international news illustrator Marta Monteiro, how Salon CEO and CTO Cindy Jeffers’ dual role is helping her build the business, EIC Sarah Gray Miller’s strategy to grow the relaunched Modern Farmer, and more.
- Buzzworthy achievements. Recruited former Guardian deputy editor Janine Gibson for UK editor-in-chief role. Reached 1 billion monthly video views. Raised $200 million investment from NBCUniversal. Struck a multimillion-dollar deal with top ad agency WPP. Those are just some of the wins BuzzFeed UK general manager Kate Burns has seen since signing on with the online publisher in April. Big stuff, but in Europe, Burns says she still has her work cut out for her, telling Business Insider that her focus will be on changing the lingering perception that BuzzFeed is just about “cats and kids.” Starting with a new business and marketing plan, she says she’ll be pulling out all the stops to “educate” European audiences about the brand, including industry conferences, partnerships, social events, and more. “There’s much more diversification in our product than people think,” Burns says, “and the more we talk about that the better.”
- Coloring the world. On the International Journalists’ Network
site, there’s an interesting Q&A with Portuguese illustrator Marta Monteiro, who discusses her role as an illustrator of global news stories for publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Vogue, and some of the challenges involved in her work. Monteiro, winner of the Society of Illustrators gold medal in 2013, says she got her start when a fellow illustrator shared her work on his Facebook page, and although she did pitch her work to publishers early on, she’s found competitions to be more effective in getting the attention of art directors. As all journalists working in news know, it’s all about deadlines—and the same goes for Monteiro. She says she typically has a day (two if she’s lucky) to come up with an idea and deliver an illustration to the news organization, and that can get pretty stressful when the article is about a situation or place she isn’t familiar with. “I have to rely on the piece (usually an opinion article) and my limited experience to come up with the best idea possible,” Monteiro explains. She also discusses why illustrations can sometimes add more to a story than a photo, and offers some resources for both working and would-be illustrators. Check it out. - Wearing two hats. Online pioneer Salon turns 20 this year, yet in today’s ever-shifting digital media landscape, it remains largely unprofitable—something CEO and CTO Cindy Jeffers intends to turn around. In a Digiday podcast, she explains how she plans to do that and the benefit of her dual role in tying product and engineering teams into the business side of publishing, with a focus on audience growth and, importantly, profitability. “Tech has been a key part of building the business over the past few years,” Jeffers says in the interview, noting that, not surprisingly, mobile is now the fastest growing platform and a top priority for the publisher. Other efforts include expanding the types of editorial products it offers and working more directly with advertisers on custom content, including video.
- Power of print. “There’s just no substitute for sitting down with a magazine and a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, whatever your poison is, and flipping through it,” says Modern Farmer EIC Sarah Gray Miller in a recent Mr. Magazine interview. Miller, who took the reins of the agricultural journal following a shutdown last winter amid financial issues, says she made some changes with its relaunch this summer, including more service to readers and more in-depth reporting. One thing she hasn’t changed is its look: “The design is gorgeous; the cover identity remains the same.” Advertising will, of course, play an important part in the magazine’s success, but she says her strategy is also focused on “catching this wave in the culture” where audiences are very interested in food and where and how it’s grown. Providing the highest quality paper, design, and content is what makes Modern Farmer look and feel luxurious, Miller says, adding, “At the end of the day, the print is the legitimizer of everything that flows from it.”
Hiring news roundup
- Erika Allen has joined Vice as senior editor.
- Josina Anderson was promoted to National NFL Insider at ESPN, the first women appointed to that role.
- Maria (Humara) Blondeaux was promoted to chief operating officer at Niche Media.
- Rebekah Brooks returned to News Corp. as CEO of it UK division.
- Elisabeth Bumiller was promoted to Washington bureau chief at The New York Times, succeeding Carolyn Ryan, who has been named the Times senior politics editor.
- Marianne Civiletto rejoined Hearst to take on the role of associate publisher, marketing, at Redbook.
- Leslie Farrand was appointed chief revenue officer at DuJour.
- Patty Hirsch joined Time Inc.’s sports group as vice president and general manager of digital.
- Erin Sumwalt is the new fashion director at StyleWatch.
Let us know in the comments if there are any other recent stories or career moves you’d like us to include in our next Women in Media roundup.
Illustration: Marta Monteiro
Technology for Publishing’s Women in Media blog highlights the news and achievements of female leaders and role models in the publishing and media industry. Look for our in-depth profiles and interviews of top women to watch. Is there someone you’d like to nominate for an upcoming Q&A? Drop us a note!
Posted by: Monica Sambataro
