Rinehart out before she's in at Transcon

[UPDATE] Dianne Rinehart sent a message in response to the post below, so I thought I'd give her the first word. Here's what she said (objecting to the characterization of her tenure at Homemaker's as "stormy"):

I just read the blog you wrote on my decision not to accept Transcontinental’s offer. I hope you will consider rewriting it since it is totally off the mark. (I know that’s not your fault...but it is!) Clearly, if my relationship had been stormy they would never have hired me back!

It was in fact, professional and extremely good. So good that when the More opportunity arose, I was the first person they thought of. And I was very interested in such an incredible offer, as you can imagine. But as I’ve explained to friends:

For personal reasons – all of them good, all of them exciting – I am turning down the offer to edit the Canadian edition of More magazine. This was a positive, albeit tough, decision made by me to pursue other opportunities – including finally going after my MA – while continuing to do what I realized I love: writing my newspaper column and teaching university students.

I was sorry to resign from such an incredible assignment, but realized with so many other personal options opening up, that it was better to do so before I started — and while Transcontinental still had almost two months to select another candidate for this incredible magazine launch.

More is a fabulous magazine that Canadian women will love – and I’m proud to have been offered the top job. I know Transcontinental will find an incredible editor to take my place.

[And now, what the original post said] Given her stormy tenure at Homemaker's magazine (1999 - 2003), there were some eyebrows raised when Transcontinental Publishing announced that Dianne Rinehart was to rejoin them in July to edit the Canadian edition of More magazine, a co-publishing deal with Meredith Corporation. This was featured in an item on May 4.

Well, even before she was to start, Rinehart is out. A June 1 internal memo from Francine Tremblay, Senior Vice-President, Consumer Division says, in its entirety:

It is with regret that I inform you that, for personal reasons, Dianne Rinehart will not be joining the Media team as originally announced at the beginning of May. Ms. Rinehart was to start with us on July 17, 2006 as Editor-in-Chief of More magazine's Canadian version, which Media Transcontinental is launching in the spring of 2007.

As such, we will undertake recruitment for this position immediately, both internally and externally. In the meantime, kindly forward any external inquiries regarding this matter to Jake Brennan, Transcontinental's Media Relations Coordinator, at (514) 954-2809 or jake.brennan@transcontinental.ca.

No indication of what the personal reasons were.