Dowling, Hollywood Reporter editor in chief for 17 years, dies at 83

Robert Dowling, who ran The Hollywood Reporter for 17 years as publisher and editor in chief, died Friday from cancer at the age of 83.

Mike Barnes of The Hollywood Reporter writes, “The publication saw huge growth under Dowling amid an explosion in media coverage of Hollywood, and he helped reshape THR into a fierce, underdog rival to the industry’s other five-days-a-week trade, Daily Variety.

“THR’s Key Art Awards program (now known as the Clio Awards), its annual Women in Entertainment breakfast and its Next Generation initiative thrived under his leadership and remain an important part of today’s THR.

“Other innovations under his stewardship included bringing THR onto the internet in 1995 and launching the digital THR East, which served readership on the East Coast via a PDF edition; a daily Oscar Screening Guide; a production database to track the progress of films and TV shows; a focus on international news; and THR, Esq., a legal blog first led by Matthew Belloni.”

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