The world of print journalism continues to stumble: Saveur Editor-in-Chief James Oseland — who had been involved with the title for 16 years — has resigned. Oseland today confirmed via phone that he is leaving Saveur to start a new brand with Rodale's magazine division.
David Ritchie, Chief Content Officer of Bonnier Corp., Saveur's parent company, released a statement:
We are beginning to implement some structural changes at Saveur to reposition the brand for success in the future. With regret, James Oseland has decided to leave the company. We'd like to thank Jim for his hard work and many years of service. We will announce a new Editorial Director soon. This person will oversee the brand and will help establish a new foundation for success as we leverage Saveur in the food & travel category by building new franchises, new content experiences, and new ways of engaging with audiences.
Oseland was named Editor-in-Chief of Saveur in 2006; prior to that move he was the magazine's Executive Editor. He has served as a judge and recurring guest judge on Bravo's kitchen competition show Top Chef Masters, and oversaw and authored several of Saveur's cookbooks. In 2012, Ecco announced that it would publish James Oseland's memoir titled Jimmy Neurosis. Described as a tell-all of Oseland's experiences during the 1970s punk rock scene, Ecco noted that the book will delve into "the confluence of art, drugs, and gay sexual adventure" and also "the story of a mother and a son forced to redefine their relationship under extreme circumstances."
Though it's likely that Oseland will not be straying far from food media, he has not revealed any details about his forthcoming new project with Rodale. In 2010, Eater interviewed Oseland and asked him what he thought of the future of magazines: "You know it's funny, I don't know if I'm just like the Doubting Thomas but I don't fear too much about the death of media and magazines, if they're going to be around in 10 years. Maybe it's a kind of narcissism but I wonder what do you do with a very print specific topic? Even Kindles aren't the same as reading actual pages. Not to sound corny, but there really is something about the medium that is irreplaceable..."
Oseland is the latest in a string of departures from the magazine in the past six months that include senior editor Tejal Rao (who is now with Bloomberg Pursuits), copy chief Greg Robertson (who landed at Bon Appétit), and executive digital editor Helen Rosner, who has found a home right here at Eater.
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