Gemstar-TV Guide to Integrate Birnbaum

Former Life & Style Editor in Chief Named Executive Editor of Cross-Platform Content Integration

By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 6/13/2007 1:57:00 PM

Gemstar-TV Guide International named Debra Birnbaum executive editor of cross-platform content integration.

In her newly created role, Birnbaum will be based in New York and report jointly to chief content officer Ian Birch and chief marketing officer Alan Cohen.

Birnbaum will work closely with both Birch and Cohen to enhance and maximize the creation and integration of content across the company’s various media platforms.

She will also be charged with helping to identify new content franchises that can be seamlessly integrated across TV Guide magazine, TV Guide Network, TVGuide.com and the company’s other products and platforms; and with assisting the sales department in packaging these franchises to offer advertisers unique marketing opportunities.

Birnbaum has been a consultant with TV Guide since January, overseeing special projects including the implementation of TVGuide.com’s new breaking-news initiative and the introduction and expansion of some of the company’s key cross-platform content franchises, including Finale Fever and TV’s Sexiest Stars.

Birnbaum is a creative executive who has more than 15 years’ experience as a lifestyle and entertainment reporter and editor. Prior to joining TV Guide, she served as editor in chief of Life & Style.

Birnbaum previously was executive editor of Inside TV, and she served as features editor for the New York Post, where she also oversaw special sections on the Academy Awards and the Tony Awards.

She covered issues ranging from politics to arts and entertainment for numerous publications including US Weekly, George and Redbook. She graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a bachelor’s of science in communication.