Major shakeup at la revue Commerce

There are major changes underway at the venerable business title la revue Commerce as the editor of 7 years, Diane Bérard, is leaving her job at the end of the year and becoming a columnist for Commerce and lesaffairs.com. There is consideration of changing the name and perhaps publishing the magazine online only.

According to a story in La Presse, the issue that will appear in December will be the last with the current look and feel. Commerce, which started out as a newspaper, became a magazine in the '50s and was acquired by Transcontinental Media in 1982.

Berard is being replaced by Stephan Lavallée , head of the business publications group, who will be responsible for the redesign and repositioning of the publication.

"The repositioning will involve looking at the publishing formula from one end to the other," said Lavallée, who said that more attention will be paid to its target audience and to distinguishing the magazine from other publications in the marketplace. This undoubtedly inclues its sister title les affairs. Details of the redesign and repositioning will be announced in about a month. It will probably include a beefed-up web presence and possibly moving the magazine online-only.