15
Sep
2019
Tom Gaynor How can employers address mental wellness in the workplace
Tom Gaynor, employee benefits director at MetLife UK, discusses the ways in which employers can address mental wellbeing in the workplace and how they can support the diverse health requirements of today’s workforce demographic.In this five-minute video, Employee Benefits asks Gaynor:How can employers address mental wellness in the workplace?How can group risk benefits meet the needs of the widening age demographic in today’s workforce?How can employers ensure that employees are supported during periods of illness? Read more about group risk trends, communicating group risk benefits to staff and utilising support from providers and advisers to enhance employee wellbeing in the Group risk debate supplement 2015.
A look at some of the standout facts and figures relating to employee benefits in January 2016:34% of staff could not name a single occasion where they felt motivated at work in 2015 (Source: Red Letter Days for Business) bit.ly/1Odqire39% would like access to a 24/7 cancer nurse helpline (Source: Axa PPP Healthcare) bit.ly/1PZnUa127% do not find returning to work after the Christmas and New Year break stressful (Source: MetLife Employee Benefits) bit.ly/1P2jvOv 67% feel more motivated at work in the summer months (Source: Peldon Rose) bit.ly/1ncYhqU84% of employer respondents believe that eyecare can help to increase productivity at work (Source: Specsavers Corporate Eyecare) bit.ly/1OdnLxs US$15 is the new minimum hourly wage rate for New York city government employees, set to come into full effect by the end of 2018 bit.ly/1ScUua1
More than half (57%) of employee respondents would be open to wearing an employer-paid fitness band or similar device during working hours to help monitor their health and wellbeing, according to research by Axa PPP Healthcare.Its research, which is based on a survey of 1,249 working UK adults as part of its annual State of the nation report, also found that almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents would wear a fitness band during working hours if their employer provided the device and a financial bonus for wearing it at work.Among those respondents that are open to wearing a fitness band at work, 58% would be comfortable sharing the data generated with their employer if it helped with the organisation’s employee health and wellbeing programmes.The research also found that 5% of respondents are currently offered health technology by their employer.Dr Chris Tomkins (pictured), head of proactive health at Axa PPP Healthcare, said: “The increased use of health tech within the workplace could so easily be a win-win for both employer and employee. For the first time it is possible to support an individual throughout their journey from better understanding of their health to actual improvements through smart digital platforms.“Furthermore, there are often staff schemes with open platforms that enable individuals to use and share information from their own personal devices, ensuring their contribution is recognised.“Of course, some individuals are naturally concerned about how their data is used and employers are keen to have a clear separation between themselves and such personal data. Therefore, both employer and employee could benefit from the expertise of using an independent third-party provider who can ensure privacy.”
EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Armes, UK head of talent acquisition at Roche, Elizabeth Prochaska, legal director at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and Gina Martin, writer and upskirting campaigner, are to take part in a panel discussion around international sexual harassment and assault campaign #MeToo at Employee Benefits Live 2018.The session, titled ‘#MeToo: from a moment to a movement’, will form part of the diversity and inclusion conference stream on Wednesday 3 October 2018. The panel discussion will broadly cover the #MeToo campaign and its impact on the workplace and employers, and each panellist will bring a different angle and expertise on the topic, to provide a range of insights and practical takeaways for delegates.Prochaska plans to focus on sexual harassment laws, how to bring legal claims and what changes need to be made to both employers’ practices and the law itself. She will further highlight how sexual harassment and assault can impact on employees’ mental wellbeing, and how this can therefore be addressed within a workplace mental health strategy; for example, linking mental health initiatives with bullying and harassment processes.“It’s really important that we work out how to talk about [harassment] openly and how to take positive steps to address it, so that people don’t have to experience it anymore,” Prochaska said. “We need employers to take active steps to address it and come up with solutions.”These steps could include encouraging employees to report sexual harassment using mechanisms such as anonymous reporting, and making sure employees are not victimised if they do report an assault of this nature. Prochaska also recommends providing protection to those who want to raise a complaint and ensuring that policies employers have in place are actually implemented in practice.Martin, on the other hand, will approach the discussion from an activism and women’s rights perspective, demonstrating how individuals can harness their own talents and power to create change. Martin will highlight the importance of individual voices and their impact, and will discuss how the #MeToo movement of Hollywood fame can be applied to the average workplace. “There’s a real need for that to trickle down into everyday life and I think having these conversations and discussing how we can harness the learnings from that movement is really valuable,” she said.Martin will also emphasise the importance of listening, something Armes is also passionate about. “Every single instance is entirely different, so I think it’s a big opportunity for us to listen to individuals’ experiences instead of talking about them,” Martin explained. “[We need to listen] to get a wealth of real people’s experiences before we start talking about how to solve that. It’s essential because only by listening to these stories and hearing human experiences can we know how we can beat inequality in the workplace.”Armes agreed: “It’s all about the quality of listening at different levels, to ourselves as much as to others, and recognising when we are excluding or making somebody feel like they’re not being included. If the quality of listening goes up, [organisations are] going to harness the value of the diversity that [they] have in [their] organisation.”For Armes, #MeToo is one part of the diversity and inclusion puzzle, so he will be using the panel debate to raise awareness around exclusion in the workplace generally, for example to consider disabled individuals. “Yes, we’re addressing a fundamental issue and a key issue around diversity and inclusion [by discussing #MeToo]; at the same time, that is also raising difference as a whole and how we need to be more inclusive and aware of those differences,” he added.Armes is also keen to provide delegates with a nudge to look to their own behaviour regarding inclusion, as well as talk on interventions and practices that could be rolled out at organisations. This could include, for example, promoting learning and development programmes, leadership development programmes or personal development programmes, which could all help employees improve their listening skills.Employee Benefits Live 2018 will take place on Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 October 2018 at ExCeL London.For more information or to register for the show…
Approximately seven in 10 (69%) organisations view closing their gender pay gap as either a high or medium priority, an 8% increase on the previous year, according to research by the Government Equalities Office (GEO).The research took place from July to October 2018 and fed into two reports: Employers’ understanding of the gender pay gap and actions to tackle it – report on the 2018 survey, which interviewed more than 900 organisations with over 250 members of staff, and Employers’ gender pay hap action plans, which canvassed the views of 12 employers.The GEO’s surveys also found that 67% of organisations are engaging in discussions at board-level, to find ways of closing the pay gap between their male and female employees.Half (51%) of those treating their pay gap as a high priority stated that this was motivated by a desire to be fair and non-discriminatory. A fifth (20%) highlighted the potential impact on reputation as a motivating factor.The research found a relatively even split between those organisations that had developed a formalised strategy for reducing their pay gap (34%), those that intended to take action but had not yet developed specific action plans (33%) and those that did not intend to take any action (30%).Alongside this research, and in light of the fast approach of the reporting deadlines of 4 April for large private and voluntary sector organisations, and 30 March for those in the public sector, the GEO has released two pieces of guidance for employers.Victoria Atkins, minister for women, said: “The gender pay gap is at its lowest level on record, but that is still not good enough if we want to achieve real gender equality in the workplace.“Last year 100% of companies in scope reported their pay gap data, but they now need to take steps to put an end to this inequality. These steps include better engagement from senior leadership, more open conversation about why organisations have a gender pay gap and improving recruitment practices.“We want employers to understand the causes of their gender pay gap and create action plans that will close those gaps for good.”Eight ways to understand your gender pay gap, published in partnership with social purpose organisation The Behavioural Insights Team, provides advice on identifying potential areas for improvement. These might include discovering whether women tend to enter the business in lower paid positions, whether performance scores can be seen to differ in relation to gender, and whether part-time employees are given sufficient opportunity to advance.Four steps to developing a gender pay gap action plan, produced in partnership with OMB Research, which also conducted the two surveys, aims to help organisations develop an effective strategy to reduce their pay gaps. It encourages employers to understand the causes of any pay gap they might have, work together with staff to develop a plan, and to give the strategy time to make a proper impact.Dominie Moss, founder at executive return-to-work search organisation The Return Hub, said: “There’s no silver bullet when it comes to this issue, but it’s good to see the government coming up with practical advice. Helping [employers] identify the cause of the problem is a useful exercise, but closing the gap requires a three-pronged approach: hiring more women, promoting more women, and retaining more women. Rather than taking the necessary steps to address this, many employers are still tinkering around the edges.“Our own research has shown that more than half of female City workers returning from a career break believe the sector isn’t interested in creating a diverse workforce. If [organisations] are serious about closing the gap, they need to dramatically rethink their hiring strategies, and the support offered to women throughout their career, particularly those returning from a break.”
HOMESTEAD, FLA. (WSVN) – A police officer involved in a wild police chase with a trio of ATV riders said there wasn’t time to be scared. But Homestead K-9 officer Carlos Garcia sure kept up, and he only talked to 7News about this hot pursuit.Homestead Police officer Carlos Garcia said, “Maintaining visual making sure this guy doesn’t get away and doesn’t hurt anyone else.”Garcia stayed just feet away from an armed teenager for several minutes. “It’s a very dangerous job,” he said, “but we are the frontline to protect our community.”Police said it all started with an aggravated assault at South Dade Park, Wednesday. Two teens were detained at the scene, but 16-year-old old Oscar Miranda took off.Garcia was the first to spot him as he entered Homestead. “I see him. He’s actively fleeing from unmarked units,” he said. “At some point he crosses through a field where other officers can’t make it through.”But since he was in his SUV, he managed to make it through the rocky and dusty grounds. “I think, ‘I have to catch this man. He’s armed. He’s fleeing. He may want to hurt someone, and part of my job is making sure that doesn’t happen.’”The teen at one point stopped, but then took off again. “You don’t have time to be scared,” said the officer. “You have to be able to think and react.”What was on officer Garcia’s mind during all of this? “My family. My daughter tells me everyday to be safe. She tells me not be anyone’s hero, but somehow I always break that promise.”Garcia said it’s all about teamwork out there on the field. A Miami-Dade Police chopper was in the air while his fellow officers were on the ground.One of them put an end to this chase under pouring ran. “Your hear it on the radio that, yes, he is in custody. It’s a good feeling. You feel relieved and at peace. Everyone gets to go home safely.”The three teens involved are facing several charges including aggravated assault. The 16-year-old you saw from 7SkyForce, is still in secured detention, and all three will be back in court later this month, when a judge will determine whether or not they’ll be charged as adults.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) – A tractor-trailer caught on fire, killing the driver, Thursday morning, after he crashed into a tree and power lines.According to police, a large 18-wheeler collided with a tree and power lines on Miramar Boulevard near Red Road. Officials said this is a single-vehicle accident and confirmed the driver died on the scene.Miramar Fire-Rescue said they received the first call reporting the crash at around 8:29 a.m.Witnesses said they tried getting the driver out of the tractor-trailer but were unsuccessful. “It was an intense fireball,” said one witness, Darrell Jefferson. “They said it was a loud explosion when it reached the power lines, as well. I’m not sure exactly what happened. Did he fall asleep, or was it slippery roads? But it’s never good when you lose a life.”The cause of the crash remains unknown.“I noticed that the truck body was actually to the left of the axle, so you can tell the impact, and that Oak tree was real solid, and it’s kind of devastating, you know,” Jefferson said.Jefferson said people in a nearby complex could hear the impact. Ieashia Crawford, who lives nearby, said she heard a loud “pop.”“Suddenly I heard something pop, really loud, like a loud pop, and then the lights flickered,” Crawford said.I saw the tractor trailer had hit a tree. The cab was completely on fire,” another witness, Rich Bachman, said, “and I knew right away that he didn’t get out.”Miramar Police shutdown Red Road from Pembroke Road to Miramar Boulevard as crews worked to restore power in the area and clear the scene. The road was finally reopened at around 3:30 p.m., when the wreckage was moved to the side of the road.“It’s bad. It’s really bad, and I feel sorry for the driver,” Crawford said.Officials have not identified the driver.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The woman on surveillance video then reached into her blouse again, turned around and pretended that nothing was going on. That’s when she actually entered the vehicle. “Definitely neat, not something you see everyday,” said a Wynwood visitor.After searching the car, the woman then popped the trunk and took a bag that had a MacBook laptop inside. “It’s crazy to me because you always think your items are safe in your trunk because people can’t get in without breaking the glass, but she did exactly that,” Oshea said. “She got in without breaking the glass, so I should probably be more careful what I leave in my car.”Tourist Bailey Grim said she’s learning from someone else’s mistake. “Don’t leave anything in your car,” she said.If you recognize the woman in the surveillance video, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. MIAMI (WSVN) – A woman with concealed tools under her blouse broke into a car in Wynwood and managed to get away with the valuables inside.Miami Police released surveillance footage recorded outside of an art gallery that captured the scene, Tuesday night, as the criminal broke into the car.According to officials, the burglary took place along Northwest 22nd Street and First Place, around 11:30 p.m.The footage showed the woman reaching into her blouse for a unknown tool and concealed it with a napkin. Police said it is some kind of burglary device that allowed her to get inside the car without breaking the windows.Wynwood visitors who saw the video said they couldn’t believe their eyes.One visitor said she wouldn’t think a burglar would choose to hide their tools under their shirt. “I wouldn’t look there,” said Jenny Sterham. “I wouldn’t myself think to do that. I think that was very misleading. I don’t know, like sneaky.”Erin Oshea was also shocked by the video. “I mean, it was pretty sneaky. I don’t think that people would be staring at your central body area where you would hide a crowbar, or whatever she used to get in there,” she said. “I think that would be pretty obvious on me, like if I had a crowbar in my shirt.” 
HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) – Police are investigating after a headless body was discovered at a Hialeah garbage dump.Police responded to the scene at Waste Connections, located at 4250 NW 37th Court, Monday afternoon.According to police, an employee found the decapitated body at around 11:30 a.m.Police have only confirmed that the remains are human.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) – A lightning strike hit a Miami Springs home, sparking a fire in the attic and startling the family inside.Black soot could be seen near the roof of the home along the 400 block of Wren Avenue in Miami Springs, Thursday afternoon.Zoe Gonzalez, who lives nearby called 911.When asked to describe what she heard, Gonzalez said, “Oh, my God, like a bomb. Like a bomb went off.”Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded to the home after the lightning strike sparked the fire.“We had about 20 firefighters on scene,” said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Kirsten Miller. “They made an aggressive attack and went in and fought the fire. They pulled ceiling to be able to get into the attic and fight the fire through the inside. They were able to contain it in the attic without getting either through the roof or down into the home.”The homeowners were inside at the time of the fire and managed to get out safely. Gonzalez is still shocked by what she saw. “A ball of fire. A ball of fire. That’s what I saw,” she said. “I was very worried about the neighbors because they’re in there, and the cars are there, and I didn’t know how bad. I couldn’t get over because that’s hazardous, so I just called the police.”The home is OK. However, power is out along the block. A person who lives in the house is on dialysis and needs electricity.Florida Power and Light is currently working to repair the outage and restore power to the area.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – Crews came to the rescue of an elderly man who was found in a canal near Fort Lauderdale after he had gone missing.Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue crews responded to a medical emergency near North Gordon Drive, just after 7:30 p.m., Sunday.Officials said first responders found the man in the water confused and having trouble staying afloat. A paramedic managed to bring him safely to shore.Crews later discovered the man has dementia and had gone missing earlier in the evening.He was transported to an area hospital and is expected to be OK.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享The National Weather Service in Anchorage has issued a Dense Fog Advisory, which is in effect until noon Saturday, December 9th, including the cities of Kenai, Soldotna, Homer, and Cooper Landing.* LOCATION…North of Anchor Point.* VISIBILITY…One quarter mile or less at times.* TIMING…Areas of dense fog will remain over portions of the Western Kenai Peninsula through late Saturday morning, mainly near Cook Inlet north of Anchor Point. Fog will dissipate by early Saturday afternoon.* IMPACTS…Very low visibilities can cause very difficult driving conditions.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…A dense fog advisory means visibilities will frequently be reduced to less than one quarter mile. If driving, slow down, use your headlights, and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.
Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享The House Transportation Committee will be taking public testimony on the Alaska Marine Highway System from 1:30-3 p.m., and then again from 5:30-6:30 p.m., Tuesday. The LIO is located in Kenai at 145 Main Street Loop, #217 and for more information call 283-2030. For those wanting to testify go to your local Legislative Information Office (LIO) either between 1:30-3 p.m. or between 5:30 and 7 p.m., on Tuesday. As of now, no vessels in the entire system are scheduled to run starting October 2019 and going through June 2020, said Aurah Landau, a spokeswoman for the highway system.,
The Alaska Marine Highway System announced that they will not be scheduling sailings past October 1 following funding uncertainty after the release of the Governor’s budget proposal for FY2020. The Governor’s budget proposed a reduction of around $96 million from the ferry system’s budget. That makes up roughly 75 percent of the system’s annual budget.
Marine Highway System public information officer, Aurah Landau: “The Tustumena is 55-years old, and like all marine highway systems ships gets overhauled each year to make sure that it’s safe and in good operation. During that regular overhaul we found there was extensive steal wasting in engine room. So, it took awhile to replace that, and get it all fixed up.” Originally scheduled to return to service in mid-April, the Tustumena delay impacts communities in Southwest Alaska and along the Aleutian chain. Landau: “The extra time we spent on it this year should take us into next year, and beyond. It’s just in great shape right now.” It is anticipated that the Tustumena will return to service departing Homer for Kodiak on May 18, at 10:18am, according to a release from the AMHS.
AMHS staff is contacting affected passengers. For more information, call your local terminal or the AMHS central reservations office at 1-907-465-3941 or toll free at 1-800-642-0066. An updated schedule for the vessel is available online at FerryAlaska.com. Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享The M/V Tustumena will remain at the Ketchikan Shipyard longer than previously expected. The Tustumena delay is due to the discovery and necessary repair of additional extensive steel wastage in the car deck.
I’m not big on reading digital magazines, but why did no one think of this sooner? Pony up a reasonable monthly flat rate to gain access to a slew of digital magazines? That’s great.The music industry is grappling with this distribution model , too, as a number of record label are experimenting with subscription-based downloads, and Apple’s iTunes—which recently surpassed Wal-Mart as the largest music retailer in the U.S.—is rumored to be prepping one.Maybe this is another jab in the side of print publishing. There again, Time Inc. later this year is expected to launch a Netflix-like print sub service called Maghound. We’ll have to wait and see if/when this flat rate downloadable sub model makes its way to this side of the Atlantic. The French are taking the all-you-can-eat buffet gimmick to the digital newsstand.According to a post I read yesterday on PCWorld.com, a French distributor has launched a subscription offer that allows customers to pay a $28 monthly fee to be able to download any or all of its 400 magazine titles, including Glamour and Playboy. There’s no limit to the number of digital magazines one can download.U.S. digital magazine publisher Zinio offers individual subscriptions, but this appears to be the first to offer a flat rate all-you-can-read model. 
Hearst named Brent Williams Allen associate publisher of Marie Claire, replacing Kim Fasting Berg, who left the company. Allen most recently served as vice president of brand development at Elle.Ginger Sutton was promoted from associate publisher to vice president and publisher of the Woman’s Day Brand Group. Sutton replaces Claire Marin, who left the company.Essence appointed Real Simple executive editor Corynne L. Corbett as beauty director. Longtime Essence beauty and cover director, Mikki Taylor, retired in March.The New Republic promoted Jenna Golden to associate publisher. Most recently, Golden served as executive director of advertising sales.Town&Country appointed William Norwich as a special correspondent. Previously, Norwich served as a contributing editor and columnist for Vogue.Denise Gee was named food and wine editor at Rodale’s Organic Gardening. Previously, Gee has served as food editor and stylist at Southern Living and Coastal Living, and as a home design editor at Better Homes & Gardens. More than a year after launching events consultancy firm Morrissy + Vine LLC, Tom Morrissy has laned at global digital communications provider Synaptic Digital as executive vice president of North American sales. Previously, Morrissy served as publisher at OK!. Before that, he was publisher at Entertainment Weekly.Jolène Bouchon was named senior Web editor at Hearst Magazines Digital Media’s Delish.com. Most recently, Bouchon served as a Web editor at Self magazine.The Reader’s Digest Association named JoAnn Murray senior vice president of global human resources. A former senio HR executive at the company, Murray also will serve on RDA’s execuitive committee.
“The magazine world doesn’t have a consumer problem,” he added, “it has an advertising perception problem, among some advertisers.”It’s hard to argue with that. According to the Publishers Information Bureau, advertising pages were down 25.6 percent in 2009, marking the 10th reported quarterly decline out of 11 since PIB began reporting on a quarterly basis in mid-2007. Shockingly, a mere 18 titles posted ad page gains in 2009.Another problem some people I spoke with had about the “Power of Print” campaign was its seeming negative take on online/digital. In one ad, featuring Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, the page exclaims: “Magazines embrace you. The Internet is fleeting.” Clinton says the word “fleeting” is being misinterpreted. The campaign, he said, isn’t taking a shot at digital while propping up print.“We’ll continue to spend millions of dollars on Web sites, and mobile and e-readers. It’s important that our magazine content be everywhere,” said Clinton. “The purpose of this campaign is to punctuate the vibrancy of our print products while we continue to expand on other platforms.”For instance, he said, retailers “continue to invest millions in e-commerce and Web, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t opening new stores or that physical stores aren’t important to them anymore. It’s the same with magazines. Some people have said that the print product has lost its luster with consumers. The exact opposite is true.“At the end of the day,” Clinton continued, “we want to listen to where the consumer is. Everyone says the consumer is online, and they are, but they are also fully engaged in print magazines.” Some of the biggest players in consumer magazine publishing kicked up a lot of buzz earlier this week when they announced the launch of “Magazines, The Power of Print.” The seven-month campaign is expected to roll out with the May issues (April 5 for weeklies) of nearly 100 print magazines and their Web sites. The purpose? To remind readers, and especially advertisers, that the print magazine medium is still very much alive, and kicking.Since posting our news story about the campaign, I’ve heard a number of valid questions asked about it. First off, why now? To some, this sounds like an attempt (a few say a desperate one) to cling to a shrinking medium.That’s not so, says Hearst Corp. executive vice president and publishing director Michael Clinton. In addition to Hearst, the campagin was formed jointly by Time Inc., Condé Nast, Meredith Corp. and Wenner Media. “It is a misperception that print is a shrinking medium,” Clinton told me this morning. “It is a growing medium—audiences are growing, subscriptions are growing, etc. The magazine business, collectively, has said that we have this incredibly dynamic medium that consumers love and spend money on, and we need to tell that story in a bigger way. 
On the other, how much of this is blowhardery from people who haven’t learned a hard lesson? Let’s just hope it doesn’t spark another round of wheeling and dealing and dangerously unrealistic covenants if publishers start seeking private equity financing again (although who knows if it will be available-a recent report from media banker AdMedia Partners said just 48 percent of financial buyers are interested in b-to-media and even less–38 percent–are interested in traditional consumer media). Those feelings may be mutual–just 33 percent of content companies said they’re looking for investment funding, according to AdMedia. Isn’t this what got so many publishers in trouble in the first place? AMI, which just came out of bankruptcy last month, has $50 million in free cash primed for acquisitions, with Maxim at the top of the list, according to WWD.Penton Media CEO Sharon Rowlands, who brought the b-to-b publisher out of bankruptcy in March 2010, told FOLIO: that last month’s acquisition of Nation’s Restaurant News could be just the start of several new acquisitions, including print, events, digital and data assets across a variety of markets, particularly deals that help bolster Penton’s business in China.On the one hand, this is could be great news. A vibrant deal market (now that we seem to be moving away from distressed deals as the only game in town) speaks to the gradual recovery of the media industry. Publishers (and executives) emerging from Chapter 11 and crushing debt loads feel like they have a new lease on life and are eager to vindicate their brands with big moves and fast growth and execute on some of that much-needed change everyone always talks about. 
Less than a week after Jack Griffin’s ouster from Time Inc., Randall Rothenberg, who joined Time Inc. as chief digital officer in December, is leaving the company to return to his position as head of the Interactive Advertising Bureau. The resignation comes less than two weeks after Time Inc. announced an “all-access” digital subscription plan to offer its brands on any tablet or e-reader platform. Rothenberg’s position will not be replaced, according to a company spokesperson. A memo from the triumvirate of execs who replaced Griffin in the interim-including CFO Howard Averill, general counsel Maurice Edelson and editor-in-chief John Huey-went out to Time Inc. employees today. The memo reads: Randall Rothenberg informed us today that he has accepted an offer to return to the Interactive Advertising Bureau as its President and Chief Executive Officer.Randall joined us a month ago as our first Chief Digital Officer and moved quickly to develop relationships and coordinate opportunities across Time Inc. We considered him a valued and collegial member of our management team and hoped he would stay.Randall’s departure will be mitigated by his assurances that he will continue to work closely with Time Inc.”Time Inc. is a valued member of the IAB, and as I return to that industry leadership role, I look forward to helping the teams here as you continue your digital transformation,” Randall said today. “I was attracted to Time Inc. by its fantastic brands and terrific people, and believe that the company is well positioned to take advantage of the digital revolution in media and marketing.”Getting to know Randall better has been a great benefit to Time Inc., and partially as a result we are redoubling our commitment to the IAB. We are pleased to announce that Time Inc. will become a charter sponsor of the association’s new IAB Ad Lab and of the IAB’s important cross-industry measurement standardization initiative, where we will take an advisory board seat. We also will continue our participation on the IAB’s Board of Directors and on its Mobile Marketing Center of Excellence. These positions will give the company and our executives access to the best thinking in the industry.”
A new database known as comScore-MRI Fusion will now measure online media habits, print readership and other media consumption behavior data like product brand usage in a single unified system.“With media content proliferating across channels at an increasing rate, it is essential for media planners and publishers to understand how consumers engage with content across touch points in order to optimize their marketing mix,” Steve Dennen, vice president of comScore business development, says in a news release. This system, “bridges the gap between online and offline media consumption and helps provide a more holistic view of how audiences are reached in a multimedia environment.”The comScore-MRI Fusion is a partnership with German based company GfK MRI, which provides magazine audience ratings, multimedia research and consumer behavior and motivation insight. The European company conducts the national Survey of the American Consumer, where GfK MRI interviews about 26,000 U.S. adults in their homes each year, asking about their use of media and their consumption of more than 6,000 products in 550 categories.The combining of these two services is expected to provide marketing insight and cross-media audience reach that is will go unduplicated. Attitudinal and demographic audience profiles and product usage information will also be available in the new database. “Understanding the media consumption habits of our readers across touch points is critical to so many aspects of the experience we deliver them,” senior vice president of research and insights for Conde Nast, Scott McDonald, says in a news release. “The comScore-MRI Fusion product offers a promising new way of gaining intelligence into the demographic and behavioral attributes of our readers so that we can ensure we continue to provide the most relevant and engaging content experience.”The database will combine U.S. site visitation data from comScore Media Metric with GfK MRI’s traditional media consumption and product usage surveys.
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