Hearst Poaches Todd Haskell From New York Times to Lead Digital Revenue

Hearst Magazines has hired Todd Haskell away from The New York Times, where he had been group VP-advertising since 2007, to become senior VP and chief revenue officer of Hearst Magazines Digital Media, a new position. Mr. Haskell will oversee sales and marketing for Hearst's 24 websites, including both magazine and pure-play digital sites. "Hearst Magazines Digital Media is in growth mode, and Todd's leadership and expertise in digital advertising, publishing and business development will continue the forward momentum," said Michael Clinton, president-marketing and publishing director at Hearst Magazines, in a statement. Mr. Haskell will report to Mr. Clinton. Hearst earlier bolstered its digital talent when in May it hired Troy Young, the former president of Say Media, for the newly created post of president at Hearst Magazines Digital Media. "I'm looking forward to partnering with Todd as we continue to evolve our portfolio and develop elegant solutions that resonate with users and drive business for marketers," said Mr. Young, who reports to Hearst Magazines President David Carey, in a statement. At The Times, Mr. Haskell been responsible for digital sales and strategy, helping to steer the IdeaLab, a 10-person unit that strives in part to turn editorial innovations into ad products. From 2004 to 2007, he managed advertising business development at The New York Times. He previously worked in a variety of roles at Meredith Corp., the publisher of magazines such as Family Circle and Better Homes and Gardens. The Times lost another digital exec last month when Mashable hired Seth Rogin, vp-advertising at The Times, to become the site's first chief revenue officer. But earlier this month The Times also hired Meredith Kopit Levien from Forbes, where she was group publisher and chief revenue officer, to fill the new position of exec VP-advertising, the company's top ad post. Mr. Haskell will now assume duties that had been handled by Kristine Welker as VP and chief revenue officer at Hearst Magazines Digital Media. She was named VP-publisher and chief revenue officer of the magazine test with Dr. Mehmet Oz that Hearst has planned for next year. "Kristine's entrepreneurial spirit makes her the perfect choice for this role," Mr. Clinton said in a separate statement. Before the post at Hearst Magazines Digital Media, Ms. Welker was founding publisher at CosmoGirl, which Hearst closed in 2008. From 1988 to 1999, she worked at Meredith Corp.'s Ladies Home Journal in a variety of ad-sales roles. Hearst said in June that it will publish two pilot issues of the still-untitled Dr. Oz magazine starting in the first quarter of 2014. The company plans to distribute 350,000 copies of the first issue to newsstands and another 450,000 to certain subscribers of other Hearst titles. The magazine could move to regular frequency in the second half of next year if the company deems the test successful. In rolling out the new magazine, Hearst is trying to repeat the recent success of Food Network Magazine and HGTV Magazine, both of which are joint ventures with Scripps cable TV networks and benefited from built-in audiences for their brands. Both Mr. Haskell and Ms. Welker start in their new roles on Sept. 3.

Hearst Poaches Todd Haskell From New York Times to Lead Digital Revenue

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