Time Inc. Appoints VPs of Communications at People, Entertainment Weekly

Journalists who cover matters related to People and Entertainment Weekly know Marnie Perez and Beth Jacobson well. The PR pros have been capably spinning plates in the air for years as, respectively, director of communications and senior director of communications for their brands. This week, it was announced that Perez and Jacobson (pictured, left to right) has each been promoted to vice president of communications. Here's the memo from Greg Giangrande, a Time Inc. executive vice president as well as the chief human resources officer and chief communications officer: I am pleased to announce that Marnie Perez and Beth Jacobson have been named vice presidents, communications for People and Entertainment Weekly, respectively. Both have been key players in growing the brands’ audiences and building out new extensions, such as the People-Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). Marnie and Beth continue to report to me. Given I’ve only been their boss for seven weeks, I’m relying heavily on the unanimous praise I hear about Beth and Marnie from their colleagues throughout the building and the brands they serve rather than from deep first-hand experience since they’ve spent more time walking and working red carpets than with me! But I’m a quick study and recognize what everyone else already knows, that they are talented communications executives. Marnie began her career at NBC, where she worked on Dateline and on the launch of the Rosie O’Donnell and Conan O’Brien shows. She came to People 17 years ago. As director of communications she has been enormously effective in maintaining and expanding People’s reputation as the most trusted source for celebrity news and incomparable human interest stories. She has also helped forge and facilitate numerous partnerships, including People specials on ABC, the annual Beauty Awards with the Today show and People’s annual Screen Actors Guild Awards gala with the Entertainment Industry Foundation. She has a particular knack for finding new and exciting ways to unveil People’s Sexiest Man Alive issue (notable stunts include Adam Levine’s acceptance speech on Jimmy Kimmel Live and getting James Van Der Beek to pose naked on a horse for a special Sexiest Man Alive episode of Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23). Beth joined Entertainment Weekly in 2011 after sharpening her PR skills at Lucky magazine and Rolling Stone, and before that she worked in the music business for 10+ years as a publicist at Atlantic, Capitol, Tommy Boy and Elektra Records. As EW’s senior director of communications (and self-identified pop culture junkie) she has been a ferocious champion for the brand, keeping EW front and center as the go-to source for pop culture news and commentary. She has also played a crucial role in making EW’s red-carpet events—like the annual Comic-Con party in San Diego and the annual fête for the Screen Actors Guild nominees at L.A.’s Chateau Marmont—huge successes for the entertainment industry and our advertising partners. Her many valuable contributions include helping to make EW's Reunions one of the brand's most stellar franchises (in part through innovative partnerships with Today and Good Morning America), and she was instrumental in facilitating EW's partnerships with the TV Land Awards and Critics' Choice Awards. Please join me in congratulating Marnie and Beth on their promotions. The week ending Feb. 26 was Entertainment Weekly's biggest ever for online video views. After averaging around 3.5 million video views per week in 2016, they hit 19.3 million, thanks in no small part to Sunday's Best Picture snafu. Addendum (March 3): There was another big PR staffer promotion shared internally this week by Time Inc. Dana Baxter was similarly promoted to vice president of communications for Essence, InStyle, People en Español and StyleWatch. She also reports to Giangrande, who in a separate memo wrote: Over her decade-long career at Time Inc., Dana has been an outstanding strategic partner and collaborator in elevating our brands’ reputation and influence. Each year, from awards season to Upfronts to Fashion Week, she has created new opportunities for visibility and has forged critical media partnerships that push past the boundaries of traditional PR to deliver results. Dana’s many contributions have played a critical role in the success of key franchises, such as the Essence Festival, which annually hosts more than 300 press outlets and garners over 2 billion media impressions, and the birth of Festival People en Español and the Essence Street Style Awards. Photos courtesy: Time Inc., LinkedIn

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Time Inc. Appoints VPs of Communications at People, Entertainment Weekly

Longtime, talented vets Marnie Perez and Beth Jacobson have been promoted

Richard Horgan

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Richard Horgan