Variety Expands TV Team With Hire Of Maureen Ryan

PMC-Owned Publication Amplifies Its Leading TV Coverage With Hire of Additional Chief TV Critic

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Sep 24, 2015, 01:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- PMC-owned Variety today announced it is boosting its award-winning television coverage with the hiring of acclaimed critic Maureen Ryan.

Ryan, a widely respected voice in the industry, will work alongside Variety's longtime TV critic Brian Lowry, to cover the ever-expanding slate of programming now offered. Along with reviews, Ryan will also contribute to Variety's television analysis with columns and features, reporting to executive editor, TV, Debra Birnbaum. Lowry and Ryan will share the title of Chief TV Critic.

"Maureen is one of the sharpest writers in television today, with an incredibly insightful perspective on all aspects of the business," said Birnbaum. "She has a penetrating voice and a keen ability to cut through all the chatter. Brian and I couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Maureen aboard."

Ryan joins Variety from the Huffington Post, where she has served as TV Critic since 2010. She was also the TV critic at the Chicago Tribune from 2003-2010, where Variety named her a critic to watch in 2007.

"I am very excited to be joining the team at Variety, which is packed with people whose work I've long admired and respected," Ryan said. "Not only is Variety a legendary publication, it is meeting the challenges of the current media landscape with resolve, perspective and intelligence. The prospect of contributing to the coverage and criticism of television as part of this group fills me with joy."

"I'm thrilled to have Maureen joining us. There's more TV now than any one person can reasonably handle, and she'll bring a welcome voice and perspective to our coverage," Lowry said.

Ryan currently serves as a juror on the annual Peabody Awards and is a member of the board of the Television Critics Association. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and holds a Masters degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

About Variety
Variety and Variety.com provide the industry with the most comprehensive coverage of motion pictures, television and the digital space. With respected and experienced news reporters in Los Angeles, New York and around the world, Variety marries its historic coverage of entertainment business with technologically advanced website and new weekly print edition, offering readers the in-depth news coverage needed to remain competitive in the ever-changing entertainment industry. The Variety Group – Variety, Variety.com, Variety Insight, LA 411, NY 411 – is owned by Variety Media, LLC, a division of Penske Media Corporation.

About PMC
Penske Media Corporation (PMC) is a leading digital media, publishing, and information services company founded in 2003. PMC engages with thriving audiences across the web, television, mobile, print and social media – reaching more than 168 million audience members monthly (comScore, 2015), and was recently named one of the Top 100 Private Companies in the United States & North America. With the preeminence of its brands, PMC is one of the largest digital media companies in the world, publishing more than 22 digital brands, including an extensive joint venture in India with ZEE TV, as well as more than 50 annual events/conferences and a dynamic research and emerging data business. PMC brands include PMC Studios, WWD, Footwear News, M, Deadline.com, Variety magazine, Variety.com, CricketCountry.com, HollywoodLife, Beauty Inc, ENTV, India.com, Movieline, TVLine, BGR, AwardsLine, @hollywood, LA411, NY411, Young Hollywood Awards, The Style Awards, and Breakthrough of the Year Awards. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and 11 offices around the world. For more information, please visit www.pmc.com or follow @PenskeMedia on Twitter.

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SOURCE Variety