“It was an amazing training ground,” Mr. Wakeford said.
At People, he oversaw 11 online offshoots, including Crime and Style, and expanded the magazine’s human interest storytelling and coverage of the British royal family.
“We are so trusted with our readers,” Mr. Wakeford said. “And our subjects trust us. Whether we are approaching an A-lister for an interview or a crime victim, they open their doors to us.”
Bruce Gersh, the president of People, Entertainment Weekly and People en Espanol, said in a statement, “Dan has an impeccable track record for shaping the editorial direction and content strategy for some of the largest brands, and that makes him the ideal choice to lead Meredith’s most profitable brand.”
In recent years, Mr. Wakeford spearheaded the publication’s forays into other media, developing “People Magazine Investigates,” a crime series on the Investigation Discovery channel, among other projects.
“I’m really focused on taking our brand off the printed page and into other places,” he said.
After acquiring Time Inc. last year, Meredith announced that it was looking to sell Time, Fortune and Sports Illustrated. After a six-month search, it sold Time to the software titan Marc Benioff for $190 million. The Thai businessman Chatchaval Jiaravanon later bought Fortune for $150 million. Sports Illustrated is still on the market.
The prospect of owning People, as well as its siblings Entertainment Weekly and InStyle, was one of the reasons behind Meredith’s decision to acquire Time Inc. It fits in snugly with the Iowa-based publisher’s other magazines, which include Better Homes and Gardens and Family Circle.
Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/14/business/media/people-editor-dan-wakeford.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
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