Meredith PR Ace Harken Departs

Meredith's high-energy corporate communications manager Jen Harken is departing the company, taking on a similar role at the legal insurance provider ARAG.

Harken has been with Meredith for five years. Her roles included serving as public relations manager for the Meredith Local Media Group, which has 12 stations, including WGCL Atlanta and WFSB Hartford, out of its Des Moines headquarters.

"Jen's very creative. She pushes everyone in our group on how to merchandise all the great stuff we're doing," says Paul Karpowicz, president of Meredith Local Media. "She'll be very, very difficult to replace."

Harken is staying in Des Moines.

Meredith is searching for her successor.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.