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DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP), one of America's leading magazine publishers, has reached an agreement with Media Transasia India Ltd. to publish and market Better Homes and Gardens magazine in India.
Under terms of the licensing agreement, an English-language version of Better Homes and Gardens magazine is expected to be available in India by early 2007. Better Homes and Gardens is one of the largest titles in the U.S., where it has a circulation of 7.6 million and reaches 40 million readers each month. Outside the U.S., it is published locally in China and Australia and distributed throughout Southeast Asia.
"This agreement is another example of the universal importance of home and family to magazine readers around the world, and Better Homes and Gardens is the natural brand to reach them," said John Zieser, Vice President of Corporate Development for Meredith Corporation. "We're excited to partner with Media Transasia to develop a market-leading service magazine providing ideas and inspiration for women in the world's second-most populous nation." Media Transasia India Ltd. is a subsidiary of Media Transasia Ltd., which was founded in 1977 and today publishes and distributes more than 30 magazine titles in nine languages in India, Thailand and Hong Kong.
"As the leading authority on home and family in the United States, Better Homes and Gardens will provide unique and compelling content for families in India," said Rasina Uberoi, Publishing Director of Media Transasia. "And we're confident that the magazine will attract strong interest from the advertising community that wants to reach that audience."
Founded in 1922, Better Homes and Gardens magazine is dedicated to improving the lives of its readers through inspiring, informative and educational articles. Beyond the magazine, the Better Homes and Gardens brand extends to multiple platforms including books, special interest magazines, video and consumer products. Its Web site - http://www.bhg.com/ - reaches more than 4.5 million unique visitors each month.
Earlier this year, Meredith launched the premiere issue of a Chinese- language edition of Better Homes and Gardens magazine with SEEC Media Group Limited, a leading print media company in China. In Australia, Better Homes and Gardens is published by Pacific Magazines and received the 2005 award for General Excellence in the Home and Food category at the annual Magazine Publishers of Australia's Magazine of the Year Awards.
About Meredith Corporation
Meredith ( http://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 26 subscription magazines - including Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, Ladies' Home Journal, MORE, Parents, Fitness, and American Baby -- and approximately 200 special interest publications. Meredith owns 14 television stations, including properties in top-25 markets such as Atlanta, Phoenix and Portland.
Meredith has approximately 400 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 more than 85 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.
About Media Transasia India Ltd.
Media Transasia India Ltd., a subsidiary of Media Transasia Ltd., is based in New Delhi, India and publishes more than 30 magazines in nine languages for the India market, including Architecture + Design, Travel + Leisure and Maxim. Media Transasia Ltd. is based in Bangkok, Thailand. Its magazines are focused on a variety of interests, from fashion and lifestyle to interior design, architecture and computer and information technology. In addition to India, it has operations in Thailand and Hong Kong. The company was founded in 1977.
SOURCE: Meredith Corporation
CONTACT: Art Slusark, +1-515-284-3404, Art.Slusark@meredith.com , or,
Patrick Taylor, +1-212-551-6984, Patrick.Taylor@meredith.com , both of
Meredith Corporation