Monday, March 2, 2009

HFM U.S. Creates Brand-Centric Structure for Leading Women's Titles, to Maximize Brand Equity, Integration, Strategic and Revenue Opportunities

New Chief Brand Officer Positions Created Naming:

Carol Smith, SVP, Chief Brand Officer, ELLE Group

Deborah Burns, SVP, Chief Brand Officer, Luxury Design Group (ELLE DECOR and Metropolitan Home)

Carlos Lamadrid, SVP, Chief Brand Officer, Woman's Day Group

NEW YORK, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Alain Lemarchand, President & CEO, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (HFM U.S.) today announced a dynamic new structure to promote growth for the future by creating brand groups centered around the women's titles, each led by Chief Brand Officers. The Chief Brand Officers will have responsibility for their respective business units, including developing new revenue streams, setting brand direction across platforms, and integrating print and digital advertising sales. Lemarchand named Carol Smith SVP, Chief Brand Officer, ELLE Group; Deborah Burns SVP, Chief Brand Officer, Luxury Design Group which includes ELLE DECOR and Metropolitan Home; and Carlos Lamadrid SVP, Chief Brand Officer, Woman's Day Group. They will report to Lemarchand and will serve on the company's Executive Committee.

"HFM U.S. has evolved from a print magazine publisher into a diverse media company with an updated structure to match," said Lemarchand. "Our respected magazines have grown into full fledged brands with successful extensions on the internet and mobile, as well as on television, radio, books, branded events and licensed products. The key to that continued success is the brand quality and continuity across platforms that the new structure facilitates. By aligning each group's powerful assets under one champion, we are creating nimble, cohesive, strategic and focused units that will propel these successful brands even further ahead. Carol, Deborah and Carlos are exceptional professionals each possessing talent and deep experience. I am confident that they will be excellent brand leaders."

Lemarchand added that, "We want to stay ahead of the marketplace and give our business partners what they are looking for -- strong brands that reach magazine readers, web and mobile users, radio listeners, television viewers and shoppers. Consumers expect brand quality on all platforms all the time, and advertisers demand multiplatform integrated packages that reach targeted consumers. It's a new day, and we have embraced the challenge to better serve our customers and business partners in the future by giving them what they need."

Each brand group will be comprised of three primary areas reporting to the Chief Brand Officer: content development led by the VP, Brand Content, advertising sales across all platforms overseen by the VP, Brand Publisher and new business extensions under the VP, Brand Development.

The following Editors In Chief of the women's titles have been named VP, Brand Content: Roberta Myers, VP, Brand Content, ELLE Group; Margaret Russell, VP, Brand Content, ELLE DECOR; Donna Warner, VP, Brand Content, Metropolitan Home and Jane Chesnutt, SVP, Brand Content, Woman's Day Group. They will remain as Editors In Chief of their magazines and are additionally responsible for brand consistency and contributing content across platforms. Preserving editorial integrity is key, and the Editors In Chief will be part of an Editorial Committee which Lemarchand will chair. The brand content editors will work closely with digital editors on the development of content through joint project groups; the Digital Media group will remain responsible for digital platforms.

The ELLE Group will name a VP, Brand Publisher and VP, Brand Development. For the Luxury Design Group, Barbara Friedmann will assume the role of VP, Brand Publisher for both ELLE DECOR and Metropolitan Home, and Christie Boyle will become VP, Brand Development, Luxury Design Group. For the Woman's Day Group, Claire Marin has been named VP, Brand Publisher and Renee Ifill has been appointed VP, Brand Development.

ELLE

ELLE is the largest fashion magazine in the world, with 42 editions on five continents. It is also the foundation of numerous brand extensions, including ELLE DECOR (25 editions), ELLE A Table (five editions), ELLE Accessories (seven editions) and ELLE.com (20 websites). The U.S. edition reaches an audience of 5.1 million readers, who find in ELLE style and substance with an independent point of view.

Woman's Day

Woman's Day is the trusted resource for more than 22 million women, helping them to Live Well Every Day. From looking and feeling their best, to cooking a great meal or creating a loving home, Woman's Day meets the essential needs of its readers with both substance and style. Publishing 17 issues each year, the magazine inspires women with information they can use to enhance the quality of their days, and ultimately, the quality of their lives. WomansDay.com launched a new redesign this Fall making it easier for users to find and navigate through information.

Luxury Design Group (ELLE DECOR and Metropolitan Home)

ELLE DECOR

ELLE DECOR is a chic and sophisticated GPS (Global Positioning System) for the world of design. Founded in 1990 and published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., it is known for interiors that are as personal and idiosyncratic as they are luxurious and inspiring. What began as an off-shoot of ELLE nineteen years ago has grown to become part of an international network of 23 editions on six continents, wielding a global footprint second only to ELLE itself. In 2007, the magazine saw its best year ever, with 1,266 advertising pages, up 13% over the prior year and the #1 growth rate in the category.

Metropolitan Home

Metropolitan Home stands alone as the definitive guide to modern design and the ultimate authority on what's next. The magazine is the unparalleled champion of state-of-the-art style. Each page of Metropolitan Home informs and inspires its 2.7 million readers to decorate, renovate, garden and cook as they create a modern haven for themselves and their families. Metropolitan Home's distinctive voice elevates personal style and celebrates the effect that quality design has on today's world.

Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. www.hfmus.com enthusiast brands and targeted media products reach nearly 60 million consumers through magazines, online and mobile content. The company's editorial hallmarks are trusted expert content along with independent product testing. Our prestigious brands fall into five sectors and include: Fashion (ELLE, ELLEgirl); Automotive (Car and Driver, Road & Track, Jumpstart Automotive Media); The Luxury Design Group (ELLE DECOR, Metropolitan Home, PointClickHome); Women & Health (Woman's Day and Woman's Day Special Interest Group) and Enthusiasts (American Photo, Boating, Cycle World, Flying, Popular Photography, Premiere and Sound & Vision). HFM U.S. Total Solutions marketing initiative packages these assets across brands and platforms with customized marketing programs. HFM U.S. is part of Lagardere's (www.lagardere.com ) media division Lagardere Active, a producer of special interest content in over 40 countries.

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]

Liza Zimmerman Named Chief Editor of Cheers Magazine

SAN FRANCISCO, March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Beverage Information Group announced today that Liza Zimmerman, former managing editor of Market Watch -- the trade arm of the company that publishes Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficionado -- has been named chief editor of Cheers magazine. In her new post, Zimmerman will be overseeing Cheers' editorial content and conference planning as well as developing new online, print, and face-to-face products for the Beverage Information Group and www.CheersOnline.com.

Zimmerman has been writing, educating and consulting about cocktails, wine and food for more than 15 years. Seven of her career years were spent at New York-based M. Shanken Communications, revitalizing Market Watch magazine. She has also published hundreds of stories in the United States and abroad in publications such as Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirits, Time Out New York, Fodor's and La Cucina Italiana. Her cocktail column, In Good Spirits, appeared in the Seattle Weekly for a year. Her wine and spirits blog by the same name, found on her website, www.LizaTheWineChick.com, covers the drink world's latest news, personalities and brands. She is the exclusive wine and spirits columnist for the San Francisco edition of www.Examiner.com and her wine and cocktail columns are currently featured in Wine Business Monthly, Caviar Affair and In the Mix.

"In a relatively short period of time, Liza has had an exceptional career as a journalist covering the drinks business and the hospitality industry for both consumer and business publications," says Charles Forman, senior vice president and group publisher of the Beverage Information Group, a division of M2MEDIA360. "We expect her expertise and love of the business to have both an immediate and lasting impact on both Cheers and the Cheers Beverage Conference, in which she will play a major role."

Zimmerman is also one of approximately 100 people in the United States to hold the Diploma of Wine & Spirits, a precursor to Master of Wine recognition. She has taught at both Copia, The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa, Calif., and at The Culinary Institute of America's Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies in St. Helena, Calif.Liza Zimmerman can be contacted at (415) 839-5062 or lzimmerman@m2media360.com.

For questions about the Beverage Information Group and its parent company M2MEDIA360 or for interview information, contact Sue Gillerlain at (630) 326-9012 or sgillerlain@m2media360.com.

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]

Denon Classics' Andre Rieu #1 Top Selling Classical Artist & #8 Pollstar Touring Act in 2008!

Andre Rieu's New 'Greatest Hits' on CD and DVD set for release March 3rd

Longest North American Tour Ever Beginning in April '09

SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Denon Classics, once again the U.S.'s #1 independent Classical label is celebrating the announcement of Andre Rieu as the #1 selling Classical artist for 2008 according to Billboard Magazine as well as attaining the #8 spot in Pollstar Magazine among all the touring acts of 2008 in the U.S.! Rieu landed atop this year's sales tally as the nation's top selling classical artist according to Billboard Magazine. He returns to the United States in the Spring of 2009 for an unprecedented "Greatest Hits Tour" celebrating his 30th anniversary as a performer with more consecutive U.S. dates than he has ever scheduled before, spanning April, May and June. To commemorate his artistic achievement and to honor his upcoming 30-year milestone, Denon Classics will release "Andre Rieu's Greatest Hits" as chosen by his fans and collected from all of his Denon releases on CD, DVD and a deluxe CD/DVD set on March 3rd.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081217/LA52981LOGO)

Andre Rieu has already earned the distinction as the #1 pledge drive artist for PBS and now the #1 Classical artist according to Billboard Magazine. Firmly established as one of the top performing artists according to Pollstar Magazine who ranked him as the #8 top touring draw of the year on ticket sales approaching $77 million (placing him in good company amongst the likes of Madonna, The Eagles, Bon Jovi and Coldplay), Rieu has won legions of fans worldwide and his success continues to grow with each new release and tour. Combining unparalleled showmanship with shrewd marketing, Rieu has built a world class musical career with sold out tours and increasing sales of his specials and recordings despite the ever changing dynamics of the industry.

Born in 1949 in the Dutch Province of Maasticht, Andre Rieu began his classical music training at the age of five encouraged by his father, a professional conductor. Focusing on the violin throughout, Rieu immersed himself in his musical studies attending the conservatoire in Liege, Maastrich and finally in Brussels where he concluded his musical training with distinction (Premier Prix). It did not take long before Rieu founded his first ensemble, the Maastrich Salon Orchestra performing throughout the world even as he is engaged as a violinist in the Limburg Symphony Orchestra. In 1987, Rieu recruited the 12 member Johann Strauss Orchestra. It was from this foundation that he soon catapulted to success performing concerts throughout Europe in support of his first album, "From Holland With Love," which included the piece "Second Waltz" -- a beautiful version of a Dmitri Shostakovich composition that captured the imagination of ever-larger audiences triggering a wave of affection for the waltz and earning him the fond nickname, Waltz King! With each subsequent project, Rieu gradually built a juggernaut musical enterprise of world tours (with an expanded 50 member orchestra), recording studios and TV specials -- all of which were produced, designed and marketed in house. It's an incredible endeavor matched only by the likes of similar enterprises such as Cirque du Soleil.

2009 is certain to be another banner year for Rieu with the 30-city arena tour, select repeat airings of his specials on PBS beginning in March and the release of his hand-picked greatest hits collections. Denon Classics' "Greatest Hits" collections include songs and performances taken from all of his hit releases on the label such as "Live in Dublin," "At Radio City," "Live in Vienna," "At The Movies," "Wonderland," "New Years in Vienna," "Tuscany," "Homecoming" and more. "Andre Rieu's Greatest Hits" will be released as a 15-track CD, a 20-performance DVD and a two-disc limited edition CD with bonus tracks which will also include a bonus DVD with five exclusive performances.

A platinum selling artist around the world, Rieu's worldwide appeal is as strong as ever having recently earned his 4th Platinum certification from Canada's CRIA for the DVD "CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD" bringing his total awards to 15 to date (including 11 Gold Sales certifications).

Rieu recently completed a record-breaking tour of Australia in 2008 selling out his eleven city World Stadium Tour (which included traveling with a full sized replica of Vienna's spectacular Schonnbrun Palace) which only added to his already multi-platinum sales. Rieu's specials dominated the music DVD charts in Australia capturing the top 6 spots on the charts (with 21 of his specials landing in the top 50 overall!).

Confirmed U.S. dates for Rieu's "Greatest Hits" tour are:

    4/23  New York             Hammerstein Ballroom
    4/24  Bridgeport           Arena @ Harbor Yard
    4/25  Nassau, NY           Nassau Coliseum
    4/26  New Jersey           Prudential Center
    4/27  Reading              Sovereign Center
    4/28  Philadelphia         Susquehanna Bank Center
    5/14  Baltimore            1st Mariner Arena
    5/15  Wilkes-Barre         Wachovia Centre
    5/16  Cleveland            Quicken Loans
    5/17  Pittsburgh           Mellon Arena
    5/18  Columbus             Nationwide Arena
    5/19  Detroit              Fox Theatre
    5/21  Chicago              Allstate Arena
    5/22  Milwaukee            Milwaukee Theatre
    5/23  Minneapolis          Target Center
    5/24  Des Moines           Iowa Events Center
    5/25  Omaha                Qwest Center
    5/26  Denver               Pepsi Center
    6/12  Vancouver            GM Place
    6/13  Seattle/Tacoma       Tacoma Dome
    6/14  Portland             Rose Garden Arena
    6/16  Oakland              Oracle Arena
    6/17  Sacramento           Arco Arena
    6/18  Fresno               SaveMart Arena
    6/19  Los Angeles          Nokia Theatre
    6/20  San Bernardino       Citizens Business Bank Arena
    6/22  San Diego            Cricket Wireless Pavilion
    6/23  Phoenix              Jobing.com Arena
    6/24  Las Vegas            Orleans Arena
    6/25  Salt Lake City       Usana Amphitheatre

The Savoy Label Group (SLG) features not only the historic Savoy Jazz label but also the Denon, Denon Classics, SLG and 429 Records labels. Savoy Label Group is the North American unit of Columbia Music Entertainment (formerly Nippon Columbia), the oldest music company in Japan. SLG is lead by Steve Vining and CME is headed by Chairman Strauss Zelnick, founder of Zelnick Media which owns interests in and manages an array of media companies.

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]

Sunday, March 1, 2009

NEWSWEEK International Editions: Highlights and Exclusives, March 9, 2009 Issue

COVER: Radical Islam Is a Fact of Life. How to Live With It. (All overseas editions). Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria argues that in order to prevail, the West must learn to distinguish between those Islamic groups who have nihilistic philosophies and expansionist aims and those looking to apply their values at home. "Anything that emphasizes the variety of groups, movements and motives within that world strengthens the case that this is not a battle between Islam and the West," Zakaria writes. "[Osama] Bin Laden constantly argues that all these different groups are part of the same global movement. We should not play into his hands, and emphasize instead that many of these forces are local, have specific grievances and don't have much in common." Zakaria, however, stresses that this "does not mean we should accept the burning of girls' schools, or the stoning of criminals. Recognizing the reality of radical Islam is entirely different from accepting its ideas."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/187093

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090301/NYSU003 )

COVER: Losing Hand. (Japan only). Tokyo Bureau Chief Christian Caryl reports on Japan's dramatic leadership deficit. Despite the embarrassment caused by Shoichi Nakagawa, Japan's finance minister who resigned last month, Prime Minister Taro Aso, the man responsible for appointing Nakagawa, is still on the job--despite approval ratings in the single digits and an apparent lack of any coherent plan for rescuing the world's second-largest economy. Aso's propensity for gaffes and his failure to find a modus vivendi with the emboldened opposition have condemned Japan to paralysis at just the moment when it's in dire need of strong leadership. Many blame Aso's failings on his predecessors and Japanese traditions that value seniority over performance. But pretty much everyone agrees the biggest problem is the LDP itself, which has singlehandedly ruled Japan since the party's founding in 1955.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186965

Politics Takes a Right Turn in Jerusalem. In his first foreign media interview since being asked by Israeli President Shimon Peres to form Israel's next government, Prime Minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu tells Special Diplomatic Correspondent Lally Weymouth that he believes it is possible to halt Iran's nuclear program without having to resort to military action, but it shouldn't be ruled out. "I think this regime is vulnerable to pressure that ought to be intensified. But none of these sanctions and other measures that are contemplated would have much of an effect if the Iranians believe that a military option is off the table," he says.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/187077

Avigdor Lieberman. Weymouth also interviewed Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beytenu party was a surprise winner in Israel's recent election. Last week Lieberman sat down for his first foreign interview and discussed his proposal of a loyalty oath for all Israelis. "The dividing line for Yisrael Beytenu is who supports terror and who fights terror. We cannot accept that there are people in Israel that even during even the war openly supported Hamas," he says. This proposal, he adds, is not only meant for Israeli Arabs but Jews as well. "[I propose] to outlaw these parties and these political leaders [who supported Hamas]," Lieberman says. "Secondly, there must be some kind of national or military service for all Israelis. We take all our examples from Europe or the United States."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186953

Anti-Semitism in Araby. Josef Joffe, a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Abramowitz fellow at the Hoover Institution, examines Hillary Clinton's peacemaking trip to Israel and the West Bank this week, another chapter in "the longest-running show in American diplomacy." The reasons for the slow pace are familiar: the status of Jerusalem, problems with security, Jewish settlements, civil war among the Palestinians, etc. But one other key problem is stubbornly ignored: "the fact that no Arab regime has shown itself willing to truly prepare its people for peace with Israel, which would mean accepting the lasting presence of Jews in their midst." Anti-Semitism is a very real part of Arab life today. "Whereas this darkest of creeds is no longer tolerated in polite society in the West, in the Arab world, Jew hatred remains culturally endemic."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186974

Waiting for Barack. Denis MacShane, a Labour M.P. and Britain's minister for Europe under Tony Blair, writes that "all of Europe looks anxiously to Washington for answers to the world's intractable problems: a banking freeze-up, a job meltdown, a Middle East with no solution in sight, an Iran racing for nuclear arms, a quagmire in Afghanistan, a Russia that treats the European Union as a playpen for the Kremlin's divide-and-rule diplomatic games." Yet Barack Obama is the first president in decades with no experience or knowledge of Europe, and this is a time when Europe is disunited and quarrelsome on economic, security and foreign-policy issues.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186966

What Hillary Didn't Do in Asia. Kishore Mahbubani, dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (National University of Singapore), writes that Hillary Clinton's recent trip to Asia provides some early clues on how she'll manage the task of engaging in long-term strategic thinking on major geopolitical challenges. "There's no doubt she did a competent job. Clinton followed the advice of her briefing books, making Japan her first stop to reassure this nervous and insecure ally. Then she went to Indonesia, probably at Obama's instigation, to rebuild America's image in the world's most populous Islamic country. South Korea was an essential stop to send the usual tough signals to North Korea. And then came China, her most important destination." Yet, there's little evidence Clinton has engaged in any serious strategic thinking about U.S.-China relations. During her trip, she refrained from asking any big questions.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186967

How to End a Genocide Debate. Contributor Grenville Byfordreports on the 1915 massacre of Armenians in what is now Eastern Turkey, and the ongoing debate over whether it was "genocide." "In all probability, Turkey and Armenia can only resolve the genocide dispute if they recognize that 'was it a genocide?' may be the ultimate question, but it is not the most important one today," he writes. Two questions outrank it: what common facts can Turks and Armenians be brought to accept, and is the common ground sufficient for both sides to start binding up the wounds? As important as the final answer, however, is the development of empathy across the divide.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186973

WORLD VIEW: A Deal With Syria Is Possible. Contributor Richard N. Haass writes that there may be an opportunity now to make peace between Israel and Syria. Damascus is signaling that it's ready to negotiate a separate peace with Israel and it needs America's help to do it. "Any accord between Israel and Syria would require a push from the outside. Turkey has been hosting talks between the two countries, but it cannot succeed on its own. The United States needs to become a participant ... President Obama correctly views dialogue as a tool, not a reward. It is time to put the tool to use, and to see what can be built."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186954

THE LAST WORD: Alexander Medvedev, deputy chief executive of energy giant Gazprom. Senior Editor Michael Freedmanmet with Medvedev to discuss the economic crisis, foreign investment in the Russian energy sector and the Ukraine gas dispute. "We value our reputation very highly. That's why we have done everything possible to prevent the crisis. Unfortunately we became hostages of the political situation in Ukraine and a commercial dispute went out of the commercial terms."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186975

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]

NEWSWEEK: Media Lead Sheet/March 9, 2009 Issue (on newsstands Monday, March 2).

COVER: "Radical Islam is A Fact of Life. How To Live With It." (p. 24). Newsweek international Editor Fareed Zakaria argues that radical Islam is a fact of life, which we must learn to deal with. In order to prevail, the West must learn to distinguish between those who have nihilistic philosophies and expansionist aims and those looking to apply their values at home. "Anything that emphasizes the variety of groups, movements and motives within that world strengthens the case that this is not a battle between Islam and the West," Zakaria writes. "[Osama] Bin Laden constantly argues that all these different groups are part of the same global movement. We should not play into his hands, and emphasize instead that many of these forces are local, have specific grievances and don't have much in common." Zakaria, however, stresses that this "does not mean we should accept the burning of girls' schools, or the stoning of criminals. Recognizing the reality of radical Islam is entirely different from accepting its ideas. We should mount a spirited defense of our views and values. We should pursue aggressively policies that will make these values succeed. Such efforts are often difficult and take time--rebuilding state structures, providing secular education, reducing corruption--but we should help societies making these efforts. The mere fact that we are working in these countries on these issues--and not simply bombing, killing and capturing--might change the atmosphere surrounding the U.S. involvement in this struggle."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/187093

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090301/NYSU003 )

INTERVIEW: "Politics Takes a Right Turn in Jerusalem" (p. 30). In his first foreign media interview since being asked by Israeli President Shimon Peres to form Israel's next government, Prime Minister- elect Benjamin Netanyahu tells Special Diplomatic Correspondent Lally Weymouth that he believes it is possible to halt Iran's nuclear program without having to resort to military action, but it shouldn't be ruled out. "I think this regime is vulnerable to pressure that ought to be intensified. But none of these sanctions and other measures that are contemplated would have much of an effect if the Iranians believe that a military option is off the table," he says.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/187077

"Avigdor Lieberman" (p. 31). Weymouth also interviewed Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beytenu party was a surprise winner in Israel's recent election. Last week Lieberman sat down for his first foreign interview and discussed his proposal of a loyalty oath for all Israelis. "The dividing line for Yisrael Beytenu is who supports terror and who fights terror. We cannot accept that there are people in Israel that even during even the war openly supported Hamas," he says. This proposal, he adds, is not only meant for Israeli Arabs but Jews as well. "[I propose] to outlaw these parties and these political leaders [who supported Hamas]," Lieberman says. "Secondly, there must be some kind of national or military service for all Israelis. We take all our examples from Europe or the United States." A video of this interview is also available on Newsweek.com.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186953?tid=relatedcl

POLITICS: "Obama's Pelosi Problem" (p. 34). White House Correspondent Holly Bailey reports on the friction between the White House and Congress over courting support for the stimulus package. While President Barack Obama worked to win over Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was going in the opposite direction. Pelosi didn't share the president's dream of brotherly love breaking out in the Capitol. To the ire of Republicans, and some Democrats, Pelosi maneuvered to put the stimulus package on the fast track, cutting short debate on the bill and cutting Republicans out of the discussion.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186961

THE WHITE HOUSE: "The Busiest Woman in Washington" (p. 38) Editor-At-Large Evan Thomas and Political Correspondent Katie Connolly profile Desiree Rogers, the First Family's social secretary, gatekeeper and imagemaker, whose top job is to cast the Obamas as occupants of a "People's House." A New Orleans native, Rogers describes her job as "one cornerstone of building the Obama presidency brand."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186963

DANIEL GROSS: "Reining In Bubbles So They Won't Pop" (p. 44). In an adaptation of Senior Editor Daniel Gross'snew book, "Dumb Money: How Our Greatest Financial Minds Bankrupted the Nation," Gross breaks down some of the reasons why our advanced financial system suffered such a catastrophic failure and looks at whether it's possible to keep this from happening again. "There's plenty of blame to go around: poor regulation, eight years of a failed Republican economic philosophy, Wall Street-friendly Democrats who helped stymie reform, misguided bipartisan efforts to promote home ownership, Wall Street greed, corrupt CEOs, a botched rescue effort, painfully fallible central bankers," Gross writes. "Everybody--individuals, companies, institutions, and governments--got caught up in the stupidity."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186949

SHARON BEGLEY: "Why Doctors Hate Science" (p. 49). Senior Editor Sharon Begley writes about why doctors are reluctant allow science to guide their practices and to listen to scientists conducting "comparative-effectiveness research" that determines which treatments, including drugs, are more medically and cost-effective for a given ailment than others. "The power of medical culture explains only part of the resistance to following practices that have been shown scientifically to be superior to others. Some doctors insist that results of such studies do not apply to their patients, since every patient is different," Begley writes. Money, however, also matters. "In one infamous case in the mid-1990s, a federal agency concluded that spinal fusion doesn't help back pain, a decision that threatened insurance coverage for it. Surgeons, who stood to lose piles of money, got Congress to decimate the agency's budget, forcing it to pull back from making recommendations."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/187006

EDUCATION: "Rethinking Race In the Classroom" (p. 52). National Correspondent Allison Samuels writes about why in the age of Obama, the call to banish "Huck Finn" and abolish Black History Month is wrong. "There's a case to be made that, in the age of Obama, it is more important than ever to study works like 'Huck Finn,'" Samuels writes. "As adamant as some African-American teachers and professors are about keeping the books in the classroom, some black parents feel very differently," she writes. "Parents, teachers and mentors are all responsible for arming students with the right tools for the future. And when our children end up learning only half the story, no one wins."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/187009

MOVIES: "Till Death Do Us Part" (p. 60). Senior Editor Devin Gordon reviews the long-awaited, "Watchmen" movie. Zack Snyder's film adaptation of the graphic novel is meticulous, even slavish, in its recreation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's imagery. "'Watchmen' loyalists are already rejoicing. But is that a good thing?" writes Gordon. "Speaking as an admirer, but not an apostle, of the graphic novel, I thought the 'Watchmen' movie was confusing, maddeningly inconsistent and fighting a long, losing battle to establish an identity of its own."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/186958

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]

NEWSWEEK Cover: Radical Islam Is A Fact Of Life. How To Live With It.

Fareed Zakaria Writes, "It is crucial that we adopt a more sophisticated strategy toward radical Islam"

Not All Islamic Fundamentalists Support Jihad or are Potential Terrorists

NEW YORK, March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- In the March 9 Newsweek cover, "Radical Islam Is a Fact of Life. How to Live With It" (on newsstands Monday, March 2), Newsweek International Editor Fareed Zakaria argues that radical Islam is a fact of life, which we must learn to deal with. He emphatically does not say that we should accept the medieval values of the Islamists, or that we should not continue trying to destroy Al Qaeda. But to prevail in a generational cultural struggle, the West must learn to distinguish between those who have nihilistic philosophies and expansionist aims and those looking to apply their values at home.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090301/NYSU003 )

Reports from Nigeria to Bosnia to Indonesia show that Islamic fundamentalists are finding support within their communities for their agenda, which usually involves the introduction of some form of Sharia-Islamic law--reflecting a puritanical interpretation of Islam. No music, no liquor, no smoking, no female emancipation. "The groups that advocate these policies are ugly, reactionary forces that will stunt their countries and bring dishonor to their religion. But not all these Islamists advocate global jihad, host terrorists or launch operations against the outside world--in fact, most do not," Zakaria writes. "Consider, for example, the most difficult example, the Taliban. The Taliban have done all kinds of terrible things in Afghanistan. But so far, no Afghan Taliban has participated at any significant level in a global terrorist attack over the past 10 years--including 9/11." Zakaria also points out that while some elements of the Taliban are closely associated with Al Qaeda, "the Taliban is large, and many factions have little connection to Osama bin Laden. Most Taliban want Islamic rule locally, not violent jihad globally," he writes.

This is why "it is crucial that we adopt a more sophisticated strategy toward radical Islam," Zakaria writes. "This should come naturally to President Obama, who spoke often on the campaign trail of the need for just such a differentiated approach toward Muslim countries." The Washington Institute, a think tank often associated with conservatives, also agrees with this view. Its report due to be released this week recommends that the United States use more "nuanced, noncombative rhetoric" that avoids sweeping declarations like "war on terror," "global insurgency," even "the Muslim world."

"Anything that emphasizes the variety of groups, movements and motives within that world strengthens the case that this is not a battle between Islam and the West," Zakaria writes. "Bin Laden constantly argues that all these different groups are part of the same global movement. We should not play into his hands, and emphasize instead that many of these forces are local, have specific grievances and don't have much in common. That does not mean we should accept the burning of girls' schools, or the stoning of criminals. Recognizing the reality of radical Islam is entirely different from accepting its ideas. We should mount a spirited defense of our views and values. We should pursue aggressively policies that will make these values succeed. Such efforts are often difficult and take time--rebuilding state structures, providing secular education, reducing corruption--but we should help societies making these efforts. The mere fact that we are working in these countries on these issues--and not simply bombing, killing and capturing--might change the atmosphere surrounding the U.S. involvement in this struggle."

(Read cover article at www.Newsweek.com)

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]

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