Photo Chief MaryAnne Golon Runs Out of Time

Time photo director MaryAnne Golon is stepping down as chief of the newsweekly's photography, and will leave the magazine -- at least for a while.

According to a memo from managing editor Rick Stengel, Golon will take the summer off and return in the fall as "an ambassador for the magazine to the international photo community."

Golon began her tenure at Time as a summer intern in 1982 and rose to serve as a photo editor during such critical world events as the Gulf War, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina.

Golon cast her departure, which is immediate, as "all good" in an interview with Photo District News. "It's amicable," she was quoted as saying. "There's no rancor. I wish I had a good story for you. The headline is, I'm happy and the magazine is happy."

Stengel opened today's memo by saying that his announcement came "with mixed feelings," apparently referring to the fact that although Golon will be leaving her prominent position she will stay with Time in some capacity.

Her former deputy, Alice Gabriner, has been promoted to the new role of chief picture editor and will be a candidate when Golon's vacated position is filled in coming months.

Amid speculation that Time, like so many other publications, is focusing more on the Web and cutting costs on the magazine end--perhaps in the form of well-established, well-paid senior editors--a spokesman stressed, "It has nothing to do with that. In fact, the magazine is hiring aggressively."

by Marisa Rindone
(This story was edited after its initial posting.)