Parade magazine may be "highly profitable," but it's apparently considered so downscale within Si Newhouse's magazine empire that merely being considered for a job there is a bad omen.

Case in point: Richard Beckman, head of Condé Nast Media Group and once a hard-charging up-and-comer within the glossy Newhouse unit. But maybe not any more, now that his name has been tossed around to head up Parade, which has a circulation of 33 million and a Wal-Mart reputation. Writes Ad Age:

Even if Mr. Beckman is not moved to run Parade, the mere fact that he's being considered for the position gives credence to rumors building in Conde hallways that his time atop the Conde Nast Media Group is approaching its end.

Condé is centered at 4 Times Square. Parade is across town.

Plus it's inserted into newspapers, which are obviously dying. Condé's upscale magazines are still healthy enough, just barely, to imagine they can avoid that fate.