Scott Donaton

The fabled church-state wall, constructed to guard editorial integrity, somewhere along the way instead became a barrier to innovation.

Those who know how much I love Ad Age know how much it would take to get me out of here. An opportunity has come along that feels like the intersection of everything I'm passionate about, which is why I'm moving to Time Inc. as publisher of Entertainment Weekly.

Most of my career has been spent in business media, but has revolved around consumer media. As a journalist, I was an observer and critic. As a publisher, a marketing partner to consumer magazines, TV networks and web sites. And I've always been a passionate consumer of media and pop culture, a fan of great movies, books and music. Which could expl...

Preparing to attend this year's American Magazine Conference, which starts this Sunday in Boca, I analyzed the agenda. Despite a ridiculous theme -- the MagaBrand? Really? -- it's a pretty good lineup, recognizing publishers' awareness of how much their world has changed. In past meetings, it has somehow felt like TV or online execs were brought in so publishers could scrutinize the enemy up close or ponder tacking on a "new media" wing to their print castles.

Scott Donaton, the publisher of Advertising Age, was invited to speak on branded entertainment earlier this month at Maximidia, an annual media conference and trade show that draws 9,000 people in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Several years ago when he was editor of Advertising Age, Mr. Donaton wrote the book "Madison & Vine." In this excerpt from his remarks, Mr. Donaton gives a comprehensive overview of branded entertainment, from the initial intersection of Madison Avenue and Hollywood to the emerging digital and mobile pathways that are taking the discipline in a new direction.