Media Business - July 2010

Photos by DougGoodman.com

Bob Felsenthal (l.), publisher of Media Business, and Sean Callahan (r.), executive editor of Media Business, present Don Pazour, CEO of Access Intelligence, with his Top Innovator award in the CEO category.

Tom Kemp, chairman-CEO of Northstar Travel Media and a Media Business Top Innovator in the CEO category, addresses the awards luncheon in New York last month.

‘Media Business’ Innovator honorees see opportunities

BY CHRISTOPHER HOSFORD

B-to-b publishing executives honored at last month’s Media Business Innovators in Business Publishing Awards luncheon expressed confidence that industry challenges breed innovation and opportunity.

“Despite the perceptions, there has never been a more exciting time or opportunity for b-to-b media growth,” said Tom Kemp, chairman-CEO of Northstar Travel Media, named a Top Innovator in the CEO category.

“Media companies over the past few years have been challenged by the shift from legacy brands to digital formats; the last 18 months have been the most difficult time of my career,” Kemp acknowledged in accepting his award.

“But we need to differentiate the impact
of secular change from economic, cyclical
impact,” he said. “We need to think of these
times in context and not think that there is
no future for b-to-b media.”
Don Pazour, CEO of Access Intelligence,
who was also honored in the CEO category,
said: “Innovation has to come from a point
closest to the customer. We need to move
from content to context. We need to lever-
age the medium in new ways.”
Pazour stressed that business media com-
panies must determine which content will be
free and which will be offered for a fee.

“We don’t need to pick between free and
paid; we need both,” he said. “We need some
content to attract visitors but with added intel-
ligence and insight behind pay walls.”
Pazour also expressed confidence in
trade shows, noting that customers “can
only interact via social media so much, and
at some point they need to touch the flesh.”
Gordon T. Hughes II, outgoing presi-
dent-CEO of American Business Media, was
presented with Media Business’ first Life-
time Media Innovator award.

Carine Roman, senior VP-online operations at Ziff Davis Enterprise, was honored as a Top Innovator in the online category.

Also receiving awards at last month’s ceremony were:

■ Publishing executives: Matt Yorke, president-strategic marketing services, International Data Group; Pete May, president-publisher, Greener World Media; and Michael Rooney, senior VP-chief revenue officer, The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Co.