ROMANO RESIGNS AT TELEMUNDO

Emilio Romano, president of Telemundo Media, has submitted his resignation to parent company, NBCUniversal.

Joe Uva, chairman of NBCU’s Hispanic enterprises and content operation, wrote in a staff memo that a search has begun for Romano’s replacement to head the Spanish language broadcast unit, studio, production company and digital shop.

He praised Romano effort to gain share on arch-rival Univision and make inroads among millennial viewers.

During his two-year reign, Romano elevated the "perception" of Telemundo, according to Uva.

Prior to TM, Romano made his mark as VP-international and mergers/acquisitions director at Grupo Televisa.

In September, Uva hired former Univision Networks president Cesar Conde for the newly minted position of executive VP.

REUTERS PLANS 140 JOB CUTS

Thomson Reuters is laying off five percent of its Reuters staff of 2,800 journalists in a cost-cutting move. The cuts commence next month.

The move is part of a plan to "simplify and strengthen" the news operation, according to Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen Adler.

Meanwhile, TR CEO Jim Smith told staffers of a company-wide review of operations that could involve future cutbacks.

Neil Masterson, chief transformation office, is spearheading that process.

Earlier this year, TR cut 2,500 staffers from its financial and risk division.

MEDIA/MARKETING Q3 MERGER ACTIVITY SOARS

The total value of media/marketing company merger activity soared 98 percent to $44B during the third quarter as the number of deals rose six percent to 420 transactions, according to a survey by Berkery Noyes, a banking advisor to the communications sector.

Announced mega-deals by Publicis/Omnicom and Activision Blizzard’s management buyout swelled the value of the quarterly transactions. 

WPP, which ranks as BN’s deal champ for the year, chalked up 10 transactions in Q3, bringing the total to 19 for 2013.

On the newspaper deal front, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ move on the Washington Post and John Henry’s deal for the Boston Globe were highlights.

BN specializes in M&A counseling, debt and equity financing and consulting services.

CRAIN TO FOLD BtoB INTO AD AGE

Crain Communications plans to merge BtoB, the founding magazine of the Chicago-based publishing company, into Ad Age.

To be completed by yearend, CC said the move reflects the overlap of business-to-business and consumer marketing.

President Rance Crain noted in a statement that marketers "are increasingly using similar tools and wrestling with the same challenges, so it just made sense to have a single marketing publication."

He believes the company will do a more effective editorial job by coordinating its marketing magazines under a single brand and strategy.

BtoB’s daily digital news coverage and event franchises will become part of Ad Age’s overall product portfolio. Its six-times a year print magazine is being killed.

Louisville-based GD Crain, Jr. launched BtoM and Hospital Management, which was sold during the 1950s, in 1915.

Bob Felsenthal is BtoB publisher.

CBS UPS ORLANDO

CBS Corp. has named John Orlando executive VP-government affairs, succeeding the retired Martin Franks.

He assumes responsibility for oversight of the network’s Washington office and state/local government lobbying efforts.

Orlando rejoined CBS in 2006, becoming its lead lobbyist duties.

Earlier, he headed government relations for the National Assn. of Broadcasters, served as CBS VP-Washington and VP at Timmons & Co.

CBS CEO Leslie Mooves considers Orlando "one of the most respected and skilled lobbyist working in the media industry."