UBM

Last month's layoffs at InformationWeek (UBM) and eWeek (Quinstreet) saddened PR with good reason. Who still writes 500-word articles about tech vendors -- the ones clients expect? Says UBM EVP Kelley Damore: "That's not the model we're in anymore. It has always been the written word, but now there's so much content out there... we need to rethink this."

Considering that IDG doesn't accept "one-off" contributed content and TechTarget doesn't accept it at all, PR should celebrate David Wagner's new role as gatekeeper of contributed content at InformationWeek. The executive editor says vendors are welcome to submit -- under certain conditions.

Constellation Research has hired former IDG senior correspondent Chris Kanaracus to oversee Insights, a new daily news service Constellation is set to launch next month. Although Insight content will be available primarily for Constellation's clients, Chris will edit a daily e-newsletter that will analyze breaking news announcements and trends in enterprise tech.

UBM yesterday reorganized InformationWeek and in the process laid off VP & EIC Rob Preston and IWK.com EIC Laurianne McLaughlin. Also departing: editors Kristin Burnham, Shane O'Neill, Alison Diana and David F. Carr, as well as Lorna Garey and Heather Vallis from InformationWeek Reports. Retained were editor Chris Murphy, executive editor Doug Henschen and editors-at-large Charlie Babcock and Tom Claburn.