Independent magazines are faced with the challenge of passing the torch and keeping it lit

Succession planning in independent magazines is an under-discussed issue. That's why the recent Facebook post by Wendy Priesnitz is both apt (for her and husband/partner Rolf) and thought-provoking about how titles are to carry on when their hard working founders, visionaries and champions decide to kick back and move on.

Life Media publishes a family of digital magazines about natural family living, homeschooling/unschooling/life learning, and home/micro business, including digital bimonthly Natural Life magazine, Natural Child, Life Learning and Child's Play as well as a range of books (traditional and e- ) on similar themes. 

"Rolf and I have decided that we need to retire," said Priesnitz. "I turn 65 in two weeks (yikes); Rolf turns 68 in July and has had three strokes. So we're starting to look for people to take over some or all of what we do."

On the Life Media page the message was similar:

"We have been publishing magazines since 1976 and it is time for us to retire. But we would like to see the business continue. So we are entertaining proposals to purchase or otherwise take over one or all of the Life Media publications."

It seems most likely that successors will come from within their loyal readership, people who subscribe not only to the publications, but to their principles. The trick will be finding someone who has the editorial and publishing skills to carry on the work of almost 40 years.

Geist magazine announces that there has been a coup by the younger generation

After 25 years as one of Canada's most successful  literary and cultural magazines, the reins of Geist have been taken over by a younger generation; the change was announced in a typically idiosyncratic Geistian way as "a bloodless coup" that displaced founders Stephen Osborne and Mary Schendlinger. Apparently Michal Koslowski becomes editor-in-chief, and AnnMarie McKinnon associate publisher of the Vancouver-based magazine.

Rather than try to paraphrase the announcement, here it is as distributed (there was a lot of boldface flourishes in the original, but they has been removed as unnecessary ornamentation):

GEIST FOUNDERS USURPED AFTER 95 ISSUES
April 2015, Vancouver, BC

A bloodless coup to usurp Geist’s founders, Stephen Osborne and Mary Schendlinger, was carried out by members of the magazine’s long-standing staff this April.

Resistance leader Michał Kozłowski, a writer originally hired by Geist in 2006 to change lightbulbs and stuff envelopes, succeeds Stephen Osborne in the roles of publisher and editor-in-chief. Osborne and Schendlinger, unfazed by the coup, were keen to recognize the new regime. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” remarked Osborne. “Oh, I thought they had already taken over,” Schendlinger added. 

After 25 years at the top of the Geist masthead, Osborne and Schendlinger have been relegated to Brain Trust and will provide publishing expertise and editorial support to the new regime. 

Geist began publishing in 1990 as a newsprint magazine in the founders’ living room. In the quarter-century since, Geist has published more than 1500 Canadian writers and artists, has won some two dozen awards, including (three times) Magazine of the Year for Western Canada, has published writers who have gone on to win the Writers’ Trust and Giller awards, and has grown into the largest-circulation literary periodical in Canada’s history. 

Kozłowski and his co-conspirators thank Osborne and Schendlinger for their capitulation and vow to carry on the Geist mission to combat miserablism, eradicate boredom and brutally repress mediocrity. 

Before changing lightbulbs for Geist, Kozłowski painted fire hydrants for the city of Winnipeg. His co-conspirators include AnnMarie MacKinnon, associate publisher, a seasoned editor and formerly a private waitress to Alexander Graham Bell’s granddaughter in Cape Breton; Dylan Gyles, reader services, a former pin monkey at a Winnipeg bowling alley; and Roni Simunovic, digital publishing coordinator, who worked at the largest Tim Horton’s in Kamloops for about 11 months.

The usurpers’ first issue is Geist 96, out on newsstands this week.

Father Rémi steps down and Isabelle Marcoux becomes chair of TC Transcontinental

Rémi Marcoux steps down as chair of Transcon

The orderly transition at the top of TC Transcontinental Inc.took its next step today at the company's annual general meeting in Montreal with the retirement of Rémi Marcoux as chair of the company -- the largest publisher of consumer magazines in Canada -- and the succession by his daughter, Isabelle. M. Marcoux will remain on the board as a director.

Isabelle Marcoux steps up

“My dream was to found a company that was built on my values and that would last for a long time," said Marcoux . "Every day I have had the great pleasure of realizing this dream. In addition to enjoying seeing Transcontinental grow, I also have a great feeling of pride. We are members of the select group that has been in business for 35 years or more, and this is a wonderful achievement. It shows our ability to weather storms and change. We had to adapt, anticipate trends, transform ourselves and take calculated risks. In this period when the print, media and marketing communications industries are in a state of transformation, I am certain that Transcontinental will continue to find excellent opportunities for growth.”

Francois Olivier, the president and chief executive officer of TC Transcontinental, which makes most of its money from the printing side, told the AGM

“I would describe 2011 as a year of major change at Transcontinental. We have redefined the basis of our future development. Whether this involved modernizing our values, positioning and our new branding; or setting up programs to promote innovation; or markedly improving the performance of our print network; or announcing the acquisition of Quad/Graphics Canada; or amalgamating our Media and Interactive sectors, we have had a single aim throughout: to serve our customers better.”

He emphasized the continuing high effectiveness of print, with 46% of advertising spending going into print. He also reported that TC's more than 1,000 websites now reach more than half of all Canadian web users and that digital and interactive marketing now accounts for 10%, or about $200 million, of TC Transcontinental's consolidated revenue. 

Related posts:

• Isabel Marcoux to succeed father Remi as chair of Transcontinental Inc. 
• Transcon a family business once again
• Transcon Vice-chair Isabelle Marcoux named to board of Rogers

Isabelle Marcoux to succeed father Remi as chair of Transcontinental Inc.

Remi Marcoux, the chair of Transcontinental Inc., will be stepping down effective with the company's annual general meeting in February, to be succeeded by his daughter Isabelle, who is at present vice-chair and vice-president of corporate development. The retirement is consistent with a number of steps that have been taken in recent years to ensure succession in the family-dominated company. A story in the Montreal Gazette says

Marcoux, 71, has been gradually handing the reins to Isabelle and husband and CEO François Olivier in recent years. Transcontinental will remain very much a family-run publishing, printing and media and communications marketing group with 10,500 employees.

Isabelle Marcoux, who studied law at the Université de Montréal and later joined McCarthy Tetrault LLP, switched to the family firm in 1997 and has been vice-chair since 2007 while continuing as vice-president of strategic development.

Marcoux said Isabelle “will lead the board with energy, vision and discipline,” but added that while he wants to slow down, he’ll “continue to monitor the business.” He will remain a director.

Ms Marcoux was named vice-chair of Transcon in April of 2007.  Her husband, Francois Olivier was appointed president and CEO in February 2008. Her brother, Pierre, was named senior vice-president business and consumer solutions group in 2009, responsible for the consumer publishing operations of Transcontinental Media.

It's not known if assuming the chair at Transcon will affect Isabelle Marcoux's membership on the board of Rogers Communications Inc.  Transcon is Rogers ' principal printer for its consumer magazines, which rank second only behind the consumer magazine operation of Transcontinental Media. 

The company has done a good deal of rationalization in the past few years, particularly in the printing sector which represents three quarters of Transcontinental's activity. 

Revenues in the third quarter ended July 31 were slightly below analysts' forecasts, but rose two per cent year-over-year to $493 million and adjusted earnings (excluding one-time items) were $32.8 million, or 40 cents a share, down two per cent from $33.4 million, or 41 cents a share, a year earlier. Magazine advertising (Transcontinental is Canada's largest consumer magazine publisher) fell 10 to 15 per cent, but digital media improved and the company said it will continue to invest in it. 

Related posts

• Hearst assumes partnership share with Transcon in ELLE Canada and ELLE Quebec
• Transcontinental closes Madame magazine, French counterpart to Homemakers
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• Pierre Marcoux steps up to head Transcon's consumer magazine publishing
• Transcon vice-chair Isabelle Marcoux named to board of Rogers
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John Macfarlane stepping down as Editor at Toronto Life; Sarah Fulford to succeed him

John Macfarlane, the editor of Toronto Life, will be stepping down at the end of 2007. He will be succeeded by Senior Editor Sarah Fulford, an eight year veteran of the magazine. The announcement was made today, an indication of some orderly succession planning at St. Joseph Media.

Macfarlane, 65 (shown at left), has actually been editor of the magazine twice and can rightly, and without hyperbole, be called the dean of Canadian magazine editors. He has been editor since 1992 and also edited the magazine in 1972-73. During his 15-year tenure the magazine won an unprecedented 53 gold and 58 silver National Magazine Awards. He served as President of the awards for two years and last year the awards foundation honoured him with the Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement.

"Known in the industry for nurturing writing talent and mentoring the next generation of editors, he played a key role in the search for his successor," said the company release.

“I recognized an editor-in-chief in Sarah a long time ago. And I am completely confident that she and the team she inherits will take Toronto Life to new highs. I look forward to seeing that happen, knowing that I played a part in making it possible,” said Macfarlane.

Prior to joining Toronto Life in 1999 as associate editor, Fulford (shown at left; photo by Nigel Dickson) was an assistant editor at Elm Street. The 33-year-old is married to novelist Stephen Marche and has a 19-month-old son.

“I’m thrilled to be taking on this new challenge,” said Fulford. “Toronto Life has a tradition of featuring great writing and superb photography. I hope to build on that tradition by encouraging the growth of new talent and broadening the magazine's readership.”

Macfarlane, who also serves as Vice-President for Strategic Development at St. Joseph, said he will have an on-going relationship with the company.

"But I'm ready for a change. I've been an editor for 40 years. I'm looking forward to contributing what I've learned as a journalist and on volunteer boards to other organizations in the private and public sectors."

Toronto Life Vice-president and group publisher Sharon McAuley said Macfarlane was leaving at the top of his game and the magazine has never been stronger.

“Our readers will love what Sarah brings to the magazine — she’s extraordinarily talented, smart, curious, and has a great instinct for the big, juicy story. Under her leadership, Toronto Life will continue to do what we do best — entertain and engage our readers and help them to get the most out of living in this city.”

The magazine and its companion website torontolife.com have an audience of 765,000 readers and 220,000 unique visitors each month. Its parent company publishes, in addition to Toronto Life, FASHION Magazine, Wish, Gardening Life, Canadian Family, Weddingbells, Mariage Québec, WHERE Canada magazines, Quill & Quire, Ottawa Magazine and a variety of custom publications. St. Joseph Media is a division of St. Joseph Communications, Canada’s largest privately owned communications company, with four business platforms in content, print, documents and media.

[UPDATE]James Adams in the Globe and Mail reports that Fulford has big plans to expand TorontoLife.com.

[FURTHER UPDATE] Masthead magazine (sub req'd) has published a brief online interview with Fulford and Macfarlane. Asked what he would miss most, Macfarlane characteristically said "the power", by which he means the ability to see an interesting situation and to get something done about it.