Entertainment Weekly Will Go Monthly

By Brian Steinberg

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Entertainment Weekly is going monthly – at least in print.

Publisher Meredith Corp. said it intends to boost the outlet’s social video, events and digital platforms while scaling back its magazine publication schedule to once a month. The first monthly issue, slated to debut in August, will focus on Comic-Con. The magazine will continue to produce special interest magazines to coincide with big entertainment industry moments, the company said.

JD Heyman (above, pictured), who has been deputy editor at People, will become the new editor in chief of , while the current editorial chief, Henry Goldblatt, will step down after 17 years with the publication.

The moves show Meredith still working to weave the magazines it acquired from Time Inc. for $2.8 billion in January of last year into its operations. The Des Moines, Iowa, company has sold publications Time and Fortune to entrepreneurs and recently struck a deal with Authentic Brands for $110 million to take on the business of developing Sports Illustrated while Meredith continues to publish it for the next two years. The company has kept People, once the crown business jewel of Time Inc., and the publication to which EW was most closely affiliated.

Under the new plan, EW will produce more digital-only feature reporting and in-depth guides for tentpole events – as well as digital-only covers featuring A-list stars of a major movie franchise. The first is slated for release in the first week of July. The company also plans to produce podcasts and a new schedule of video offerings along with more exclusive screenings, panels, curated events and festival partnerships.

The last issue of Entertainment Weekly in its current print form will be the July 5 issue, which goes on sale June 25.