MAGAZINES FAR FROM DEAD - PEARLSTINE

“Magazine's will be around for many years yet,” says Norman Pearlstine, the Chief Content Cfficer of Bloomberg and Chairman of Bloomberg Businessweek.
Pearlstine (pictured right with Ensign Media Publishing Director Andrew Batt), a journalist for more than 42 years and whose past positions included Managing Editor of The Wall Street Journal and Editor-in-Chief for Time Inc. where we responsible for contact in more than 150 magazines – was in Bangkok last week to take part in a series of events to promote Bloomberg Businessweek Thailand – the local Thai language edition published by White Knight Media Co. Limited.
Magazine are far less timely, Pearlstine explained, and as such will continue to command readers, while newspapers and other media that relies on speed are likely to struggle.
During his whirlwind visit Pearlstine met the staff of White Knight Media and Ensign Media at its new Sukhumvit Soi 39 headquarters. He spoke about the history and Bloomberg, the reason why Businessweek purchased in December 2009. With the “dedicated and dynamic' team responsible for Bloomberg Businessweek Thailand under White Knight Media he shared plans on how the company expects to develop the 81 year-old magazine which boasts more than 1,700 journalists around the world – and discussed plans to further intergrate the local edition into the global Bloomberg family.
During a lunchtime talk at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand moderated by Tim Johnston of The Financial Times, Pearlstine spoke about the Wikilieaks incdicents, agruing the main story which many have missed is how a Private in the U.S. Army in Baghdad was able to download 250,000 classifield cables without being notice. “In today's digital age anyone can be a journalist,” said Pearlstine.
Later he spoke to a focused group of students, journalists and journalism lecturers in an event hosted by Sasin. Looking at the challenges facing tomorrow's journalists, Pearlstine spoke of his predication that journalists will been to me able to multi-skill – write for web, write long form, write for blogs, tweet, known how top operate a video can, podcast, etc. Pearlstine also enjoyed dinner with key contacts of Bloomberg Businessweek Thailand during his time in Bangkok, revealing more about Bloomberg's plans for Businessweek and how both brands are planning to work together to provide a better platform for business professionals in Thailand.

Disclosure: White Knigt Media took over the licensing responsibilities from the previous publisher on 1st November 2010, although Bloomberg Business Thailand (Businessweek Thailand as it was previously) has been publishing in Thailand since August 2007. Andrew Batt, publisher of The Bangkok Bugle, is Publishing Director for Ensign Media who has signed a management agreement with White Knight Media.