S&S Creates Chief Digital Officer Spot  

-- Publishers Weekly, 2/4/2008 7:00:00 AM

Reflecting the growing importance of digital publishing to traditional publishers, Simon & Schuster has created the position of Chief Digital Officer and named Elinor Hirschhorn to fill the spot. Hirschhorn, who will start February 11, is joining S&S from College Sports Television Networks where she was executive v-p, corporate development and strategy. Like S&S, CSTA is owned by CBS.

In her new position, Hirshhorn will oversee all of S&S digital projects. Kate Tentler, senior v-p of S&S Digital, and Sue Fleming, v-p and executive director, online and consumer marketing, will report to Hirshhorn. “Digital initiatives are a top priority for Simon & Schuster, and we are determined to avail ourselves to the maximum extent of the digital era opportunities to find, interact, and deliver content instantaneously and around the clock to readers worldwide,” said S&S CEO Carolyn Reidy. According to Reidy, Hirshhorn and her staff will help S&S “develop new businesses, partnerships and publishing paradigms.” Reidy explained that while single title online marketing will remain the responsibility of S&S’s different imprints, the new digital unit “will act as a support and resource for our divisions, developing cross marketing platforms that the entire company can avail itself of.”