It's official: Norman Pearlstine will step down as EIC of Time Inc. on January 1, 2006, to be succeeded by his lieutenant and current editorial director John Huey, who will be the sixth editor-in-chief of Time Inc. since scion Henry Luce headed it up. Pearlstine and Huey have worked together for 17 years, and seem to have a shared outlook and perspective; the transition will, by all accounts, be a smooth one. For the record, Huey would indeed have decided to turn Cooper's notes over to the Grand Jury. Also for the record, he asks, casting a look at Judith Miller and the NYT, would he have been so wrong?

Indeed. We'll let history figure that one out. In the meantime, Time Inc. chairwoman Ann Moore has already figured out that Huey will be peachy-keen, and "couldn't be better suited for the climate of change our industry is in today." Her memo to staffers to that effect follows after the jump.

The Torch Is Passed at the House of Luce [NYT]

October 16, 2005

To: Time Inc. Employees
From: Ann Moore
Re: Staff Announcement

At Time Inc. we stand for the highest standards in journalism. Trusted editing is what sets our brands apart.

For the past 11 years, our editorial integrity has rested in the capable hands of my partner, Norman Pearlstine, who has told me he plans to step down on December 31 to become a senior advisor at Time Warner, and to work on his new book, OFF THE RECORD: The Use and Misuse of Anonymous Sources, to be published in 2007.

I am pleased to announce that editorial director John Huey will take over as Time Inc.'s new editor in chief - only the sixth in our company's history (see attached press release).

Norm presided over the single most dynamic journalistic period in Time Inc.'s history. In his time here, he has helped reinvigorate every single one of our core titles, while launching and assimilating a steady stream of new ones.

Norm has enabled our remarkably diverse collection of editorial cultures to each speak with its own voice and connect with its readers. He's had to make many tough decisions over the years, not the least of which was turning over TIME's files to the special prosecutor earlier this year, but through it all, he's been the standard bearer for the larger ideals of this company by keeping our editors focused on their duty to report all sides of every story -- fairly, objectively and accurately.

As much as I will miss everything Norm has brought to the table at Time Inc., I am energized by the prospect of John taking the editorial helm of our company. In his 17 years here, he has been an unflagging champion of quality magazine making. He is highly focused on keeping all our readers engaged. And he has a strong track record of choosing winning editorial talent to lead our magazines. What's more, he couldn't be better suited for the climate of change our industry is in today. He thrives on change.

Please join me in thanking Norm for his indelible imprint on Time Inc. and in wishing him all the best in the next exciting chapter of his life.

And congratulations to John - I know this is going to be great fun for him, for me and for Time Inc.

A.M.