Frith To Step Down As Heat Editor

Heat editor-in-chief Mark Frith is leaving Bauer Consumer Media in mid-May, having recently signed a deal with Ebury Press to write a book.

Frith’s departure comes after Bauer acquired Emap’s consumer magazine and radio divisions for £1.14 billion (see H Bauer Buys Emap’s Magazine And Radio Divisions).

Frith became Heat editor in 2000 and reinvented it as a celebrity focused title, immediately gaining readers.

At the latest ABCs, Heat reported a circulation decline of 11% year on year, and 4.5% period on period, leaving its total at around 533,000 copies (see ABC Results Jul-Dec 2007: Women’s Weeklies See Sizeable Declines With Few Bucking The Trend).

MediaGuardian.co.uk quoted Frith as saying: “Taking Heat from sales of 65,000 a week to over half a million has been an exhilarating experience. The Heat team is truly exceptional and I wish them all the best for the future.

“I’m extremely excited about the book and look forward to a brand new challenge when I’ve finished it.”

Editor of heatworld.com and former deputy editor of Heat Julian Linley will become acting editor, although he has said he does not want the job permanently.

H Bauer Publishing: 020 7241 8000 www.bauer.co.uk