Time Inc. Shakeup: Jess Cagle to Head People and EW in Expanded Role

Larry Hackett out at People

In a major executive shake-up, Jess Cagle will become editor of People, as well as editorial director of Entertainment Weekly, Time Inc. said Friday.

His accession marks the end of Larry Hackett’s tenure at People. Hackett, who has been editor of the glossy magazine since 2006, will leave the company. It also broadens Cagle’s authority and portfolio substantially. He has been editor of Entertainment Weekly since 2009.

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The move comes as Time Inc. is preparing to spin itself off from parent company Time Warner. In addition to Entertainment Weekly and People, its magazine titles include Sports Illustrated and Fortune.

Cagle will report to David Geithner, Time Inc.’s executive vice president. Executive Vice President and Chief Content Officer Norman Pearlstine will have dotted line authority.

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“This new structure under Jess will bring seamless integration between our print and digital teams, help create a clear brand vision for the future and ensure we make the most of our opportunities for collaboration,” Pearlstine said in a statement.

In addition, Mark Golin will also step down as Time Inc.’s group editor for style and entertainment, the company said.  There have been a number of personnel changes at Time’s properties in recent months, including Bill Gannon’s departure as editor of EntertainmentWeekly.com and Geoff Boucher’s exit as a top film and entertainment columnist.

Cagle knows the People brand intimately. He began his 27-year career at Time Inc. in 1987 as a reporter for the gossip magazine, before helping to launch Entertainment Weekly in 1990. He returned briefly to the People fold from 2000 to 2002 as the magazine’s entertainment editor.

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Cagle’s career highlights include a stint as Time’s senior editor. He has also co-hosted the ABC Academy Awards red carpet show and has contributed to CBS News.

Capital New York first broke the news of Cagle’s promotion and Hackett’s departure.

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