Billboard Exodus

Several media sources have reported that some top brass at Billboard have cleaned out their desks.

Editor-in-chief Danyel Smith and deputy editor Lou Hau have resigned, with most reports citing pay, or better pastures, as incentive.

More prominent is the departure of publisher Lisa Ryan Howard who was characterized as “pushed out” – and a source told Deadline Hollywood her exodus could be especially difficult on morale considering she was considered the buffer between the boots on the ground and a dysfunctional environment.

Although these reports have surfaced in the past 48 hours, it is Pollstar’s understanding the migration began a few weeks ago and filling the editing positions could be difficult, considering Billboard’s writing talent is based on the West Coast and the positions are in New York.