Nielsen, the fumbling audience measurement company notorious for snapping up the competition instead of building a better product for market, is doing the print industry a favor and promising not to get involved in measuring its audience. Even though its new "anywhere/anytime" initiative promised to be able to measure all media consumption, David Calhoun's band of incompetents won't be treading on FAS-FAX territory.

Not only that: Nielsen is looking to get out of print entirely.

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Nielsen Business Media, publisher of Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, and The Hollywood Reporter, is laying off an indeterminate number of editorial staffers; it's not clear how much bloodshed there will be. (Not that it stopped Nielsen from

But expect more. While Nielsen may be a publisher facing the same ad dollar restraints as anybody else in the print realm, it's long been rumored they've been looking to sell NBM, even though they deny it. And what's the one thing a seller will do to make its properties look more attractive to a potential buyer? Cut costs across the line to boost margins.

It's nice to see Mediaweek taking a stab at fueling gossip. Lucia Moses's profile on Kent Brownridge – Jann Wenner's former No. 2 and incoming chief of Maxim, Blender, and Stuff – is filled with anonymous sources, speculating, and mud slinging. It's pretty damn awesome.

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We're told that in just a few hours, the country's "top media agency executives" will descend upon the Hilton in Midtown for the 2006 Media All-Star Awards. Mediaweek and CBS are hosting a luncheon to give thanks to the folks responsible for rebanding AT&T (again .. again) and keeping Proctor & Gamble's billions in ad dollars flowing. But please, if the jackass who handled Chrysler's Dr. Z account shows up, spill you mimosa.

Last we checked, it was March. Not exactly the ideal time to release a media listicle, but Mediaweek insists on breaking through the Oscar ubiquity by naming People's Martha Nelson editor of the year, Martha Stewart Living as executive team of the year, Domino as start-up of the year, and Dwell as creative team of the year.

Lots of women readers represented here, natch. So how did the likes of FHM and, ahem, Giant miss the list?

To be considered for the Hot List, a consumer magazine’s advertising must be tracked by Publishers Information Bureau/TNS Media Intelligence. To qualify for the Hot List, a magazine must have been published for a minimum of three years, have published at least 10 issues during the last calendar year, and have $50 million or more in advertising revenue.

And have contributed to the demise of Budget Living.

Hot List: People Tops List; Nelson Named Editor of the Year [Mediaweek]

Personally, we are getting really sick of reading "predictions lists," but because we are the only ones blogging today, there is nothing else to read. And don't you even say Drudge, we're bitchy enough in our hung over state as it is.

Somehow, Mediaweek's prediction list managed to float above the rest. Maybe it's because, unlike TV Newser, Mediaweek doesn't feel the need to explain that predications are guesses, and not events which are actually going to happen.

So, what might happen to mags in 2006? Men's Vogue might actually launch, a celeb weekly could fold, ad sales will likely plummet, and circulation is expected to continue declining.

Well, Happy New Year, anyway to Hachette Fillipache and Hearst, who are upping their on-line content and might actually stand a chance.

Forecast 2006: Magazines [Stephanie D. Smith, Mediaweek]