MediaWeek reports that Boodro did not have another job lined up prior to his departure. He had worked in his role as editor-in-chief at MSL for two years, after he left Culture & Travel magazine in 2006.
I have a soft spot for Michael Boodro since he graciously replied to a letter I had written to him in December. It was handwritten on MSLO stationery (above) and personally signed by him. He thanked me for my kind words and actually mentioned Martha Moments! I was very pleased. He will be missed and I certainly wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors!
MSLO did not say why he stepped down.
I have a soft spot for Michael Boodro since he graciously replied to a letter I had written to him in December. It was handwritten on MSLO stationery (above) and personally signed by him. He thanked me for my kind words and actually mentioned Martha Moments! I was very pleased. He will be missed and I certainly wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors! 
9 comments:
So what's your take on this then? It sounds little funny. Are they trying to shake things up at the magazine and go in another direction? I thought it was really interesting that Martha said she thought the subscription rate for Living should be higher than it is.
My personal take on it is that the corporate culture at MSLO at the moment is not particularly endearing and that many people are looking to leave the company because of this. I feel the new co-CEOs are not particularly effective at their jobs, especially on the human resources front, and that this soon come back to haunt them.
I, too, thought it was interesting when Martha said she thought the subscription rate for Living should be higher. Do you think Martha's statement was a "telling tale"?
I think Martha's comments about the subscription rates were simply an indication of how much she loves the magazine and should be read by as many people as possible, not so much an accusation of the people in charge of marketing the magazine. The editor in chief is responsible for the content production, not the marketing. I think Boodro left of his own free will and to me it's yet another signal that the company is bleeding talent. Something is not right at MSLO. And I fear for the magazine and the company if this situation is not rectified.
I had enjoyed the magazine more since he took over as editor - the photos seemed clearer and the magazine had taken on a bit of a younger approach. I think you are right, something at the company is not as it should be, and if things don't get sorted out soon they will lose good staff.
I thought it very interesting that Martha mentioned on her show and blogged about the office arrangements, such a strange thing to do. They need to get on with keeping their loyal fans happy and showing a united front to the world. I pity the poor person who leaked the story about the offices, I bet their desk didn't take long to clear!
Pru
Yes, Pru, I'm sure reaction was swift. I just think it's sad that the environment at MSLO at the moment is less than enticing. Everything I've heard about the corporate culture there at the moments is that it's gone a bit sour. It's sad.
If I'm not mistaken, the ink on the note that you posted has a slight tinge of blue ink.
I think we now know what happened to Michael.
I must echo Pru's sentiments - I found that the quality and content of the magazine had improved since Michael had taken over. I don't know how the economy is there in Canada, Andrew, I hear it's not so bad. But here in the U.S. it is horrific, and getting worse by the day. Many have lost their jobs, or feel that they might,and a lot of people have lost money in through their investments. The point is that Martha and the CEO's there should realize that lagging magazine sales or lack of advertizers is about the economy, not the magazine itself. Subscriptions are things that people are cutting back on to save money.
Canada's economy is not sensational at the moment, but we've been told by our economists that it's faring better than the US economy and that our recession will be much shorter in duration. Still, it's rough here. Lots of layoffs in the auto sector and small companies are going under. I was laid off before Christmas, in fact. But, brighter days ahead! Magazines here are doing okay. None of them have folded in recent months. Not yet, anyway...
Post a Comment