Rogers Publishing merges consumer and business/professional divisions into one

In what has become a cascade of inevitabilities, with Ken Whyte soon to succeed Brian Segal as CEO of Rogers Publishing, now the two previously separate divisions -- consumer and business & professional -- are being merged. Still more inevitable outcomes are the departure of John Milne, senior vice-president of the business and professional group and Paul Williams, vice-president, brand extension and online development. 

A story in Marketing (which, as part of the business and professional group is directly affected) quotes Segal as saying that the company's overall strategy is to "“work in a more integrated manner to better serve our customers and markets."

Magazine publishers formerly reporting to Milne will now report to Patrick Renard, whose responsibilities have been expanded beyond vice-president of finance.

The operational change comes as Segal himself prepares to leave the company. In September, Kenneth Whyte, currently executive vice-president of the consumer publishing group, will assume Segal’s role overseeing the newly merged operation.

Rogers Publishing also recently sold 15 trade magazines to Vancouver’s Glacier Media.

Segal to CBP board: the merger train is leaving, time to get aboard

In an article published today on Mastheadonline about his company's wish to have its trade titles served by Magazines Canada, Rogers Media CEO was blunt about his views of the trade association Canadian Business Press (CBP).

“I don’t think the CBP has anything effective to offer its members,” Segal said. “We don’t know what it does. What programs does it have? What events does it have? Besides the Kenneth R. Wilson awards, which is nice....

“[The board members] would have to have an interest in [a merger] it and some sort of structure would have to be created to meet everyone’s objectives.”

“But if you aren’t interested, there’s no point trying to figure out how to get you interested. Either make up your mind and try to figure out how to do it, like we did when we integrated the old Magazines Canada into the new Magazines Canada. But, you know, some people have their view of the future, and some people have their view of the past.”

Rogers left CBP late last year and has been in negotiations with Magazines Canada to have its members accepted. The Masthead interviews (including clashing views from proponents and opponents) follows on a story first published here about the Magazines Canada board recommending to the association's June AGM that the restriction of trade publisher memberships be dropped.