Peter Bart moves aside at Variety

With a headline that conjures an image of Pixar’s cloud-bound summer movie, The Wrap reports, “Peter Bart Up and Out at Variety.” Editor Tim Gray takes over complete control of Variety’s news operation as Bart steps aside.

The move is the end of an era for the daily and weekly trade publication, which has been struggling to adapt to the rapid-fire pace of news-gathering while seeing advertising decline sharply in the wake of a weak economy and entertainment industry cutbacks. The trade went through severe cutbacks in January and has continued to lose web traffic and ad revenue, mirroring the troubles facing many other traditional newsprint companies across the country.

At age 76, Bart has presided over a generation of prosperity for the industry’s main trade, during which it had dominated its main rival, The Hollywood Reporter. But Bart may well have been regarded as being of the wrong generation to transform Variety for the digital age.

The Wrap says Bart will continue to write for his blog and serve as Variety’s “ambassador” at industry events.