Eric Mika Picking up the Slack at The Hollywood Reporter?

When Tony Uphoff left The Hollywood Reporter to be president of CMP Technology’s business technology group, the late Bob Krakoff was left with a bit of a power vacuum. He promoted John Kilcullen, already publisher of Billboard (and a min Magazine Most Intriguing of 2006, I might add—score one for the intriguings), to head both the film and performing arts groups. Kilcullen packed his bags and moved to LA, where THR is based.

Now Eric Mika, who had been SVP and managing director of the group and in charge of much of THR’s international sales efforts, has been named SVP/publishing director of THR. Basically, publisher.

I give Kilcullen all of the credit in the world. Just read his profile in the 2006 issue of min Magazine. He invented the “For Dummies” series. He’s got some real cred. However, to me, this move shows that he couldn’t handle THR and Billboard entirely on his own—and who could? I imagine that Kilcullen will now be able to concentrate more on Billboard and also on larger issues of selling across the film and performing arts groups.