"In this newly-created position reporting to me, Jed will be responsible for all ad sales and marketing for TIME, TIME.com, FORTUNE, FORTUNE.com, Money and CNNMoney.com, allowing him to harness the collective power of these tremendous brands to provide smart, creative and scalable solutions for our advertising partners across every print and digital platform," Todd Larsen, Time Inc.'s executive vice president and group president, wrote in a staff memo.

Full staff memo below:

October 10, 2012

To:       News and Business Group Colleagues

From:   Todd Larsen

Re:       Group Publisher

The happy couple.

Touré, the author Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?, has been busy! Not only did he co-host Housingworks' Gin Mingle fundraiser this week, the annual gin-soaked bookstore party, but he also wrote a marriage column for Time magazine. It's called "How to Get and Stay Married" (even though there's not actually any advice about how to get married.)

"If a relationship is a nation, then it’s patriotic to do selfless things that will help the relationship," he offers. And: "It’s easy to fantasize that the sexy acquaintance with whom you have a buzzy rapport with would make a hot, fun, trouble-free girlfriend, but she’s just someone whose problems you don’t know yet."

It's not the first time Touré has offered a periodic update on his marriage to Rita Nakouzi, who works as a consultant on trends. In 2005, their Miami beach wedding was documented in the Style section of The New York Times. And in 2009, the couple starred in a "State of the Union" column.

Time Warner had been looking for a magazine chief since February,when Jack Griffin was fired after just five months on the job. Chairman Jeff Bewkes said that his management style "didn't mesh" with Time Inc. and Time Warner's corporate culture.

The media giant teamed up with Related over a decade ago to finally redevelop the old New York Coliseum on Columbus Circle, and The Journal now reports that Ross is trying to woo the company
away to be his anchor tenant at Hudson Yards.

Time Inc. and HBO, both divisions of Time Warner, lease more than two million square feet of space in Manhattan that expires in 2017 and 2018, according to research firm CoStar Group Inc. It is unclear if those divisions would be part of a move to Hudson Yards. But the timing of the lease expirations would allow for it. Related has said it could deliver the first phase of the development by 2017.

The paper points out that with rising rents in midtown, the 1 million-square-foot commercial condo Time Warner bought on the cheap at its eponymous development could be sold off for a nice profit. There is the fact, though, that the far West Side remains a veritable dead zone, though with Coach rumored to be interested in 600,000 square feet, as well, it could add a lot of cache to the project--or at least some cute neighbors.

And if that does not convince the suits at Columbus Circle, maybe a swanky new promo video will. Someone named MrSamuels posted this flythrough video of the planned project last week (Curbed spotted it Friday) with some downright awful midi music attached. It's like playing Sim City on your Super Nintendo. Silly soundtrack aside, it does offer the best  views yet of what Related has planned, and, with all those ghost buildings shown to the north and east, just what a big future the far West Side has in store.

mchaban [at] observer.com | @mc_nyo

The new initials come with a new logo from the design firm Pentagram. It sort of looks like a paperclip or maybe, in an abstract bird's-eye way, two platforms hovering on top of each other. In profile, the logo suggests (market) penetration. The symbol expresses the realities of what it means to be a "magazine media company," Mr. Griffin said.

From the release: "Magazine media companies are rapidly embracing cross-platform business models that incorporate print, digital and other ways of providing content to consumers," said Jack Griffin, incoming Chair of MPA, and CEO of Time Inc. "MPA's new identity expresses our strong belief that, together, all of these forms collectively express what it means to be a magazine media company."

Earlier this week, Jack Shafer wrote about a full-page advertisement placed by the Newspaper Association of America in the busines section of The Times. The ad's slogan was "Newspaper: The Multi-Medium," and Mr. Shafer compared it to similar advertising efforts from the MPA. "[T]hese two campaigns are so bumbling, so unpersuasive, so dull," Mr. Shafter wrote, "that you've got to wonder whether any advertising intelligence went into making them."

Rebranding is intrinsically cosmetic and, at the end of the day, the point is to get publicity. Earlier this summer Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S rebranded itself as HFMUS. Media Week explained comapnies new logo (left), which uses slanting letters to "associate its name with speed and innovation." W Magazine also relaunched this summer and opted to use an italic "W" on the cover. W editor Stefano Tonchi explained the decision: "It’s kind of skinny, it’s very vertical. It’s very elegant and it is italic, with a sense of movement, evolution."

Stuart Elliot notes in The New York Times that the last time the MPA changed its name was in 1987, one week before the Black Monday stock crash.

Magazines and newspapers have two major reasons to be anxious about the logistical details of e-subscription sales: Apple is used to taking a 30% sales commission on all the media that it sells; and if subscribers are buying through an Apple e-storefront then publishers won't have access to subscribers' demographic and contact information, which is an important piece of their offering to advertising partners.

On the upside for publishers, they will have access to 160 million Apple account holders who have already entered their credit card information and are just one click away from paying real money for digital news product, which costs nothing to duplicate.

There is a lot of trial and error going on, too. Hearst, Condé Nast and Time Inc. have all had different approaches to the question of whether or not an iPad edition of magazine should cost more or less than a print edition. Hearst was planning to charge more for Popular Mechanics on the iPad; Time Inc. has been charging the same for the paper and digital editions of Time; and Condé initially charged the same for Wired on the iPad as in print, but then discounted the e-edition for return subscribers.

Publishers will certainly have more leeway to determine how their digital subscriptions are sold once there is a legitimate competitior to the iPad, namely a device from Google. In a post yesterday about Sports Illustrated's decision to change its app so it only works in the iPad's landscape mode, Peter Kafka quoted from Josh Quittner, Time editor-at-large in San Francisco and Time Inc. iPad idea man. Mr. Quittner explained on his personal blog that producing for landscape view exclusively was cheaper than producing a magazine that supports both views on the iPad.

[D]oing away with the vertical view allows us to economize on resources. The brunt of the iPad issue falls on the shoulders of our designers—they’re the folks who, in one magazine after another here at Time Inc and elsewhere, are the people who suddenly added an extra day to their already busy weeks. (They’re also the ones, by the way, who continue to be most excited about the endless possibilities of designing in this medium.) This reduces their work load by a third, minimally.

Why not add more designers? Well, if we were able to build a real business, with subscriptions that offered our iPad versions to readers at a reasonable price, that would be a no brainer. But we can’t yet, so the best approach for us is to experiment with the format, marshal our (human) resources and start building products on other platforms that will allow us to scale up as our business grows.

The landscape view is better for the Sports Illustrated app anyway becuase it's mainly picutres. And "In the meantime," Mr. Quittner added, "if readers tell us they don’t like this, we can always go back to two views—that’s the beauty of the current, experimental period in new media. There are no fatal mistakes."

Apple Coaxes Publishers to Join It on iPad Subscriptions [WSJ]

Sports Illustrated Tells iPad Readers to Turn Around [Peter Kafka]

From Footnoted:

[T]he Separation Agreement reveals that the company paid him $125,000 “in full and final satisfaction” for any claims he had that related to his FY2011 compensation. Griffin’s base salary was $725,000 a year, which means that Meredith gave him more than two months’ worth of extra pay.

Maybe Mr. Griffin didn't leave on his own accord? Or maybe he got two months of extra salary for being nice?

A spokesman for Meredith told the Media Mob: "Meredith Corporation paid Jack Griffin what was owed him per his employment agreement for the period he worked for the Company in our Fiscal 2010 (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010) and the portion he worked in our Fiscal 2011." 

Read: The Jack Griffin Dossier

Bring your lightweight objects inside! If you own a boat, moor it! If you go into your refrigerator, close the door quickly. "Consider developing a disaster plan." Also, continue with business as usual.

Here's the memo:

September 1, 2010
 
To:       Time Inc. New York Emploeyes
From:   Time Inc. Business Continuity Group
Re:       Hurricane Safety Tips
 
As you may be aware, Hurricane Earl is expected to pass along the east coast of the United States at the end of the week. Although forecasts do not predict a direct hit to New York City, the NYC area may experience some heavy rain and strong winds. Time Inc. is encouraging all employees in the NYC area especially in the coastal areas to be alert and prepared.  

Before the Storm:

Stay Informed
For the latest information about an approaching storm, stay tuned to TV and radio broadcasts, access NYC.gov, or call 311. Before a hurricane, residents should find out whether they live in one of New York City's hurricane evacuation zones. Those in an evacuation zone will have to follow special procedures if a hurricane seems likely to make landfall near the City. Learn more about hurricane evacuation.

Protect Yourself and Your Property
If a tropical storm or hurricane watch is issued, take steps to ensure your property is safe.

• Bring inside loose, lightweight objects, such as lawn furniture, garbage cans, garden tools, and toys.
• Anchor objects that will be unsafe to bring inside, like gas grills or propane tanks. Turn off propane tanks.
• Shutter windows securely and brace outside doors.
• Place valuables in waterproof containers or plastic bags.
• Prepare to be self-sufficient for at least three days without help or emergency services. Prepare a Go Bag  and an Emergency Supply Kit.
• Assume that many of the streets and stores in your neighborhood will be closed. A watch may be followed by disruptions to electricity, gas, water or telephone service.
• If you own a vehicle, fill your gas tank. If you own a boat, moor or move it to a safe place well before the storm causes maritime conditions to deteriorate. If you own a mobile home/trailer, tie it down securely.
• Take out extra cash

Help Others Prepare

• Check on friends, relatives and neighbors, especially those with disabilities or special needs and assist them with their preparation, if possible.
• Contact family members outside your household to coordinate and inform each other about preparations. Avoid separating your immediate family. Consider developing a disaster plan.

Prepare for Water and Sewer Disruptions

• To keep perishable food cold, freeze water in plastic jugs and use in freezer or coolers. Fill up other emergency water containers.
• Clean jugs, bottles and other containers. Scrub bathtubs thoroughly, sponge and swab with regular, unscented liquid chlorine bleach, then rinse. Let the tub and other containers dry. Fill with water.
• If you have a pool, do not drain it completely. Instead, drop the level by one or two feet. Submerge outdoor furniture and pool equipment in the pool. Turn off electricity to pool pump. Add extra chlorine to compensate for heavy rains.
• Keep five-gallon buckets with tight-fitting lids for use as emergency toilets. Line each bucket with a heavy-duty plastic trash bag
• Learn more about food supply preparation for an emergency.

Prepare for Power Disruptions

• Do not use candles or kerosene lamps as light sources, as they can pose a fire hazard. Instead, keep a supply of flashlights and extra batteries on hand.
• Turn your refrigerator and freezer to coldest settings. Open only when absolutely necessary, then close quickly.
• In the event that you need to evacuate your home, unplug appliances to prevent damage in case of an electrical power surge.

Most damning perhaps are interviews with actual children who claim to have already outgrown Time. "I mean, none of my friends want to read a bunch of out-of-touch trend pieces about virginity pledges," one explains.

Also revealed: "beloved children's character" Joe Klein is leaving the magazine.

TIME Announces New Version Of Magazine Aimed At Adults

In his most recent stint at stint at Meredith, Mr. Griffin doubled the size of Meredith's magazine business with the acquisition of Gruner + Jahr USA. In the 2009-2010 fiscal year — not an easy one for the magazine business by any stretch — Mr. Griffin raised Meredith's revenue from $181 million to $192, and actually increased ad pages in titles like Better Homes & Gardens and Ladies' Home Journal. 

Some further notes on Mr. Griffin's past.

Selected Titles Held at Meredith: President, Publishing Group; president, Magazine Group; general manager, Meredith Integrated Marketing; and vice president of marketing, Meredith Broadcasting Group.

Stints at Meredith: 1994-99, 2003-2010.

In Between: President of Parade Publications Inc. and publisher of PARADE magazine.

Meredith Marketing Slogan launched under Mr. Griffin: "We Inspire, She Makes It Happen."

On Keeping Secrets during the Gruner + Jahr deal: "The inner circle expanded very slowly, on a need-to-know basis, and all of us involved disciplined ourselves to think that if you tell anybody, you might as well tell everybody," Mr. Griffin told Ad Age. "Up until the very last day, I was the only person in New York who knew. The rest were executives in Des Moines. Now, what does that tell you?"

Compensation: $2.3 million in 2009, according to Forbes.

Awards: In 2005, under Mr. Griffin's watch, Proctor & Gamble Co. named Meredith an "agency of record." In the same year, Ad Age named Meredith its publishing company of the year.

On Expanding Meredith Beyond Shelter Titles: "It's still a pretty big business for us, but the growth had happened. There had to be a human element to this, not just rooftops but primarily women." [Ad Age]

Meredith Circulation Under Mr. Griffin: Near 30 million, making Meredith the second most-circulating publisher in the U.S.

Spanish Titles launched by Mr. Griffin at Meredith: Siempre Mujer

Education: Boston College, B.A., cum laude; Yale University, M.B.A. Former director of Yale Alumni Fund and chairman of Yale Alumni Association.

Philanthropy: Director of Catholic Relief Services, the official international relief and development agency of the United States Catholic Church.

Marathons completed: Boston, New York City, Chicago.

Age: 49

Sons: 2

Youth teams coached: Hockey.