News Releases

Oct 25, 2005
MEDIA PUBLICATIONS RECOGNIZE MEREDITH'S SUCCESS AND SAVVY

DES MOINES, IA - (October 25, 2005) - Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP) is acquiring more than new magazines and new publishing clients. It's also accumulating accolades from industry experts.

Meredith's Chairman and CEO William Kerr says Meredith's success-including its recent acquisition of several well-known titles--relies on strategy, forward thinking, and choosing good people who know how to get the job done. "The recent accolades are a tribute to everyone at Meredith," he said. "In my opinion, we have the best employees in the media business - hands-down. We stress innovation and collaboration, and our success is an indication that our efforts are paying off." Following is a rundown of Meredith's recent honors:

  • For the second time in three years, Meredith executives have been named by Ad Age magazine (Oct. 17, 2005) as Publishing Executives of the Year. Steve Lacy, President and Chief Operating Officer, and Jack Griffin, President of Meredith's Publishing Group, were honored for "repositioning Meredith as the premier media company serving women." Lacy was previously accorded the Publishing Executive of the Year honor in 2003.
  • Meredith's More magazine was named to No. 4 on Ad Age's 2005 A List of magazines (Oct. 17, 2005) based on circulation, ad pages, editorial excellence and buzz in the buying community. It's the second time in three years More has made the A List.
  • Trade magazine Folio (October, 2005) chose Bill Kerr to grace its October cover as a leading representative of the "Folio Dream Team," a feature that introduces "the 14 people we'd hire if we could hire anybody." About Kerr the magazine says, "It's easy to cast Des Moines, Iowa-based Meredith as a buttoned-up but highly effective Midwestern company. It now owns three of the remaining 'Seven Sisters,' and it's a master at subscription marketing at a time when the newsstand is increasingly expensive and volatile…Meredith under Kerr is also a publishing heavyweight, innovator (in databases) and…a risk-taker."
  • Meredith's most well-known title, Better Homes and Gardens, topped Adweek magazine's Hit List of 2005 Magazine Industry Market Leaders (Oct. 17, 2005). The annual rankings are based on share of advertising in 12 Publishers Information Bureau categories. Better Homes and Gardens is No.1 in the biggest category, Food and Beverage; ranks at the top of Drugs and Remedies, as well as Household; and competes strongly in Automotive, Media and Advertising, Direct Response, Toiletries and Cosmetics, Retail, and Travel.
  • Meredith's Midwest Living, Traditional Home, and More have been named as three of the Hottest Magazine Launches of the Past 20 Years by Samir Husni, publisher of the Guide to New Magazines. Meredith ranked second in the number of magazines making the list, following only Time, Inc., which had four.
  • Another trade magazine, min, named Griffin as one of the publishing industry's 21 Most Intriguing People (Fall, 2005), citing his role in Meredith's acquisition of the Gruner + Jahr USA women's titles earlier this year.

The series of awards follow an Ad Age cover story (Aug. 1, 2005) that characterized Meredith's executive team as the "Sexiest Men in Publishing." The story focused on Meredith's surprising and quiet acquisition of Gruner + Jahr publications Parents, Child, Fitness, Family Circle and Ser Padres. "The deal catapulted the combined circulation of Meredith's titles to near 30 million, making it the second-largest publisher by that measure in the U.S. today," Ad Age reported.

About Meredith Corporation
Meredith (www.meredith.com) is one of the nation's leading media and marketing companies with businesses centering on magazine and book publishing, television broadcasting, integrated marketing and interactive media. The Meredith Publishing Group features 24 subscription magazines - including Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Parents, Child, Fitness, Family Circle and American Baby - and approximately 150 special interest publications. Meredith owns or operates 14 television stations, including properties in top-25 markets such as Atlanta, Phoenix and Portland, and an AM radio station.

Meredith has approximately 350 books in print and has established marketing relationships with some of America's leading companies including The Home Depot, DIRECTV, DaimlerChrysler, Wal-Mart and Carnival Cruise Lines. Meredith's consumer database, which contains approximately 80 million names, is one of the largest domestic databases among media companies and enables magazine and television advertisers to target marketing campaigns precisely. Additionally, Meredith has an extensive Internet presence that includes 32 Web sites and strategic alliances with leading Internet destinations. Meredith Hispanic Ventures publishes five Spanish-language titles, making Meredith the largest Hispanic publisher in the United States reaching women at every life stage.