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PRIMEDIA Acquires Modified

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  • PRIMEDIA Acquires Modified

    News to some maybe not to all...

    http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070208/20070208005719.html?.v=1

    Press Release Source: PRIMEDIA Inc.


    PRIMEDIA Acquires Modified Automotive Group
    Thursday February 8, 10:47 am ET


    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE: PRM - News), America's leading targeted media company, today announced that its Enthusiast Media Segment acquired Toronto-based VerticalScope Inc.'s Modified Automotive Group (MAG), publisher of Modified Magazine, Modified Luxury & Exotics Magazine, Modified Mustangs Magazine, and their related event partnerships and websites. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
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    "The Modified Automotive Group has been an outstanding growth company. PRIMEDIA, as a strategic buyer, is ideally positioned to leverage Modified's assets for growth into the future primarily by cross-selling with PRIMEDIA's existing brands, and realizing numerous economies of scale, particularly in the areas of sales, production, distribution, and direct mail," said Steve Parr, President of PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Media.

    MAG was founded in July 2002, with the premiere issue of Modified Magazine, a performance magazine for sport compact and import car enthusiasts. MAG has delivered strong revenue growth in each year of its existence. The Modified brand is well known and highly respected by both marketers and enthusiasts.

    Modified Luxury & Exotics Magazine was launched in November, 2004, and caters primarily to the high-end market. Modified Mustangs, launched in October 2005, skews toward a younger demographic. All three MAG publications complement PRIMEDIA's existing assets and broaden PRIMEDIA's addressable market.

    "In addition to the synergies we expect to realize, we intend to expand Modified's online presence, begin to generate licensing revenue using Modified's strong brands, and benefit from Modified's event partnerships," Parr added.

    VerticalScope was represented in the sale by DeSilva & Phillips, LLC.

    About PRIMEDIA

    PRIMEDIA is the leading targeted media company in the United States. With 2005 revenue from continuing operations of $822 million, its properties comprise over 100 brands that connect buyers and sellers through print publications, Internet, events, merchandise and video programs in two market segments:

    Enthusiast Media is America's #1 special interest media company, with more than 75 magazines, 100 websites, 70 events, two television programs, 400 branded products, and such well-known brands as Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive.com, Equine.com, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile, Surfer, and Wavewatch.com.
    Consumer Source, Inc. is the #1 publisher and distributor of free consumer guides in the U.S. with Apartment Guide, Auto Guide, and New Home Guide, distributing free consumer publications through its proprietary distribution network, DistribuTech, in more than 60,000 locations. The Group owns and operates leading websites including ApartmentGuide.com, AutoGuide.com, NewHomeGuide.com, Rentals.com, RentClicks.com, and RentalHouses.com.
    This release contains forward-looking statements as that term is used under the Private Securities Litigation Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on the current assumptions, expectations and projections of the Company's management about future events. Although the assumptions, expectations and projections reflected in these forward-looking statements represent management's best judgment at the time of this release, the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Numerous factors, including those related to market conditions and those detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause results of the Company to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Many of the factors that will determine the Company's future results are beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and, therefore, actual results may differ materially. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. All references to "Company" and "PRIMEDIA" as used throughout this release refer to PRIMEDIA Inc. and its subsidiaries.

  • #2
    I found out about it this morning.

    That was the last line of the resistance folks. The Empire is officially solidified now!

    *star wars empire theme* Dun-Dun-Dun Dum-Dun-Dun Dum-Dun-Dunnnnnn.

    Comment


    • #3
      all I can say is...


      ... wow.

      Comment


      • #4
        Yeah - same reaction - wow.

        Wonder if Primedia will keep it alive or bury it into the ground ?

        Move the offices to SoCal, dump all the Canuks ?

        I haven't been that much a fan of Modified since they photoshopped the Automotiveforums logo off the side of the R34.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by tyndago View Post
          Yeah - same reaction - wow.

          Wonder if Primedia will keep it alive or bury it into the ground ?

          Move the offices to SoCal, dump all the Canuks ?

          I haven't been that much a fan of Modified since they photoshopped the Automotiveforums logo off the side of the R34.
          From what i've heard, the immediate plan is not to move the offices at all.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Slapshotnerd View Post
            From what i've heard, the immediate plan is not to move the offices at all.
            Seriously though, the advantages of having an office in Canada vs moving the whole operation to SoCal ?

            Prop up a couple more cubicles. Dump the sales and marketing staff because Primedia already has their own.

            I give them maybe a max of 6 months before you see some big move.

            Comment


            • #7
              We are still in Toronto. Same building different floor. Business as usual.....

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by tyndago View Post
                Seriously though, the advantages of having an office in Canada vs moving the whole operation to SoCal ?

                Prop up a couple more cubicles. Dump the sales and marketing staff because Primedia already has their own.

                I give them maybe a max of 6 months before you see some big move.
                damn Sean, sounds like you've worked at Primedia before

                I think Modified's approach to the magazine business is VERY VERY different from Primedia's. I think there will be a huge clash of culture as the companies begin to integrate. We'll see what that translates into in coming months....

                Comment


                • #9
                  Primedia plans to sell magazine division
                  LA TIMES
                  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...ck=1&cset=true

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    You have to be logged in to look at that one -

                    http://gtrusa.blogspot.com/2007/02/p...n-to-sell.html

                    Or

                    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE: PRM - News) today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the Company to explore the sale of its Enthusiast Media segment (PEM). PRIMEDIA has retained Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers to manage this process.

                    PEM is the number one special interest media company in the U.S. with over 70 publications, 90 leading websites and over 65 events, with revenues of over $500 million in 2006, excluding the recently divested Outdoors Group. Some of PEM's best known assets include Motor Trend, Automobile, Hot Rod, Automotive.com, Power and Motoryacht and Surfer.

                    Dean Nelson, Chairman, President and CEO of PRIMEDIA, said, "The Board believes the market environment is extremely favorable for the sale of PEM. We have spent considerable time reviewing strategic options for the Company and have been exploring, at the Board's direction, a possible spin off of our Consumer Source division, creating two distinct publicly traded companies. We have received a favorable IRS ruling and virtually completed complying with the Securities and Exchange Commission regulations. Therefore, spinning off the Consumer Source business remains an option.

                    "However, given the multiples PRIMEDIA received from the sale of the Outdoors Group and the particularly strong investment and debt markets, the Board believes the best course of action for PRIMEDIA shareholders is exploring the complete sale of PEM," Mr. Nelson said. "In addition, we are seeing positive results from our online and product investments, which we believe will be valued by potential acquirers. We believe there will be strong appetite for our leading brands." Mr. Nelson added, "The Company will apply the proceeds from the sale to pay down debt."

                    About PRIMEDIA

                    PRIMEDIA is the leading targeted media company in the United States. With 2005 revenue from continuing operations of $822 million, its properties comprise over 100 brands that connect buyers and sellers through print publications, Internet, events, merchandise and video programs in two market segments:

                    * PEM is America's #1 special interest media company, with more than 70 magazines, 90 websites, over 65 events, two television programs, 400 branded products, and such well-known brands as Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive.com, Equine.com, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile, Surfer, and Wavewatch.com.
                    * Consumer Source, Inc. is the #1 publisher and distributor of free consumer guides in the U.S. with Apartment Guide, Auto Guide, and New Home Guide, distributing free consumer publications through its proprietary distribution network, DistribuTech, in more than 60,000 locations. The Group owns and operates leading websites including ApartmentGuide.com, AutoGuide.com, NewHomeGuide.com, RentClicks.com and RentalHouses.com.

                    Source -http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070209/20070209005319.html?.v=1

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Man when I read this I wanted to bang my head against a wall! Man our industry is in dire trouble. Some one who has a *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* pile of money and is in the industry needs to step up and buy the automotive group - Modified, Superstreet, Import Tuner, turbo Etc.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by ModifiedGuy View Post
                        Man when I read this I wanted to bang my head against a wall! Man our industry is in dire trouble. Some one who has a *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* pile of money and is in the industry needs to step up and buy the automotive group - Modified, Superstreet, Import Tuner, turbo Etc.

                        Yes potentially. Now my 6 month thing about Modified may not be true, but hard to say what could happen.

                        But with the whole enthusiast group up for sale, its hard to say what will really happen. Someone could just dump a couple of books to trim some fat.

                        The industry isn't in dire trouble, but in for a shake up. A lot of the business is driven by media, but if the magazines go away theres still this little thing called the internet.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Sean,

                          true buddy there is the internet, but the internet is not a product that you can hold in your hand. The Modified's, Superstreet's, and other related titles are extremely important to the industry and its continued success and growth.

                          As far as the fat being trimmed when someone finally decides to purchase the group that goes without question. The Modified Automotive Group was a very unique brand and a very unique group of people. I'm going to miss those days. You know what they say though. Change can be good, right?

                          Originally posted by tyndago View Post
                          Yes potentially. Now my 6 month thing about Modified may not be true, but hard to say what could happen.

                          But with the whole enthusiast group up for sale, its hard to say what will really happen. Someone could just dump a couple of books to trim some fat.

                          The industry isn't in dire trouble, but in for a shake up. A lot of the business is driven by media, but if the magazines go away theres still this little thing called the internet.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Primedia and MAG had so many people working for them.

                            I bet if each person put in like 200 bucks you guys could buy the division yourselves!...ok maybe not..

                            But one does wonder how this could potentially change the industry.

                            My biggest fear is that some investment or equity firm is going to buy it out and totally have no idea how to run it.

                            We need a very very VERY rich automotive enthusiast to pick this up.

                            I wonder if Bill Gates is into cars...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by MonkeySlide View Post
                              I wonder if Bill Gates is into cars...
                              Yes, as a matter of fact he owns a 959.

                              Comment

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