After 5 month search, THR's new editor hire underwhelms

By Tom Tapp

The Hollywood Reporter has finally scooped Variety...sort of.

The paper announced today that 18-year Variety veteran Elizabeth Guider moved down the street to become the editor of THR. On hearing the news, Hollywood breathed a collective sigh of, ďż˝So what?ďż˝

Now, I was also a candidate for the job. I also spoke with John Kilkullen, the Nielsen suit whoďż˝s publishing The Reporter these days.

But whatever my personal opinions are about the job, the company or Elizabeth (I like her), one has to think that, after nearly six months of searching, Guiderďż˝s hire is a bit anticlimactic.

After all, she is not the ďż˝big name hireďż˝ Kilkullen was rumored to be looking for (not that I am, either). Sheďż˝s an Industry trade veteran, the Queen of NATPE, but hardly the person to compete against Peter Bart, Anne Thompson, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and take the publication into The 21st Century.

Nikki Finke says it was Guider's international experience that got her the job.

Finke:

Sources tell me it was Guider's expertise in the international arena, especially overseas TV markets, that was the reason for her selection today. "THR wants to be the international paper," an insider told me. Indeed the PR announcement said she was hired to lead strategic editorial direction globally.

This would make sense, given she reports to Eric Mika, the paper's senior V-P and publishing director.

While at Variety, Mika was the business side brains behind the company's international operations. Thus, it follows he'd want to steer the company towards his strong suit.

Whether or not that's the right thing for THR is another question.