Fairchild Media Group, a division of Penske Media Corp., on Monday announced the elevation of Michael Atmore to editor in chief of Women’s Wear Daily, in addition to his role as chief brand officer of FMG.
In this expanded capacity, Atmore will lead the WWD editorial team in delivering its award-winning breaking news and business coverage, while guiding the brand’s continued evolution across digital, print, social, video and e-commerce platforms. Footwear News editorial will continue to report into Atmore, as will the expanding team responsible for FMG’s live events, summits and experiences.
Atmore will report directly to Amanda Smith, chief executive officer of FMG, and James Fallon, chief content officer of FMG.
“Michael’s leadership and vision have been instrumental in shaping Fairchild Media’s decades of innovation and success. His dedication to the Fairchild company, its brands and its people have been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Jay Penske, chairman and CEO of Penske Media Corp. “I am confident that he will uphold excellence across FMG, and under his guidance WWD will continue to set the benchmark in fashion, beauty and business media.”
“Michael is an exceptional leader. This achievement recognizes his hard work, talent and the successes he has earned. He has a clear vision on how we can build and expand our brands at Fairchild, and I am delighted to recognize him with this well-deserved promotion,” Smith said. “WWD is on fire with a growing audience, thriving live events business and unparalleled journalism. As we celebrate 115 years, Michael’s vision will be key to growing and shaping our future.”
“As editorial director of Footwear News and head of Live Events, Michael has brought remarkable insight and expertise to those roles, helping them innovate and evolve while always staying true to the editorial excellence in our DNA. We are excited to now have him take on a greater role at WWD as editor in chief,” Fallon said. “His storied tenure and vision continue to elevate every facet of our work.”
“I am honored to lead the incredible WWD team, the undeniable voices of authority, and to guide the legendary title into the next chapter with forward-looking content that amplifies our reach across multiple platforms in an ever-evolving fashion landscape,” Atmore said. “The future of WWD, and the industry it serves, has never been more vibrant and it’s exciting to take the brand to the next level on a global scale.”
Fairchild Media Group recently revealed key milestones in its digital and experiential transformation, including the re-platforming of FN onto the WWD digital platform and the expansion of its global live events portfolio, all as WWD celebrates its 115th anniversary this year. The digital move is complemented by the growth of FMG’s renowned live programming across its brands. This past June underscored FMG’s unmatched momentum, with FN marking its 80th anniversary alongside industry luminaries in New York City, and WWD launching its new Culture Club franchise in London, spotlighting the intersection of business, culture and creativity in fashion capitals worldwide.
These milestones build on the success of FMG’s marquee programming, from the annual FN Achievement Awards, or FNAAs, often called the “Shoe Oscars,” to WWD’s first red-carpet livestream from the Golden Globes and Style Awards earlier this year, which together generated more than 8 billion media and press impressions.
Prior to joining Fairchild in 1997, Michael was founding editorial director and publisher of Footwear Plus. He has an extensive background in retail, having served as editorial director for a group of retail-based publications at International Thomson. He has also held top editorial positions at U.S. Business Press and Harcourt Brace.
WWD provides a balance of timely, credible business news and key fashion trends for leading retailers, designers, manufacturers, marketers, financiers, Wall Street analysts, international moguls, media executives, ad agencies, trend-makers and global consumers. Founded in 1910 by Edmund Fairchild and helmed for more than two decades by legendary publisher John B. Fairchild, WWD has been the daily media of record and the industry voice of authority for more than 115 years. Operated and published by Penske Media Corp. under Fairchild Media Group, WWD reaches a global audience of nearly 16 million-plus every month across print, digital, mobile, video, social and events, including the annual WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit and Global Summits in three international markets. As an increasingly complex marketplace heightens the need for information and competitive intelligence, WWD delivers spirited coverage with frequency, integrity and a legacy of getting it right and getting it first.
FMG is the leading source of fashion news and analysis for industry leaders and the global fashion community. Established in 1892 by Edmund Fairchild, Fairchild Media Group’s brands include WWD, FN, Beauty Inc and Sourcing Journal. FMG further includes Fairchild Live, the global live events division producing 30-plus global thought leader and consumer experiences, and Fairchild Studio, a multiplatform content production team, executing more than 250-plus brand partner programs annually.
FMG content reaches a 17.5 million-plus international audience of industry executives and highly engaged consumers across all media platforms.
PMC is a leading global media and information services company whose award-winning content attracts a passionate monthly audience of more than 350 million. Since 2004, PMC has been a pioneer in digital media and live events, reaching viewers on all screens across its ever-growing constellation of iconic brands, which includes Variety, Rolling Stone, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Dick Clark Productions, WWD, SHE Media, Robb Report, Deadline, Sportico, BGR, ARTnews, Fairchild Media, Vibe, IndieWire, Artforum, Gold Derby and Luminate, the premier data and analytics company.
In addition, PMC owns several of the most iconic and vital cultural events such as The Golden Globes, Country Music Awards (ACMs), Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, SXSW, American Music Awards (AMAs), LA3C, Life Is Beautiful, Latin Music Week and ATX Television Festival.
PMC is headquartered in New York and Los Angeles with additional offices in 14 countries worldwide.