|
|
writenews.com
|
Wednesday, September 16th, 1998 Media Cynic | Forum | Advertising | Classifieds | Jobs Reader's Digest to Acquire Rodale's Woodworking Group The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Rodale Press, Inc.'s Woodworking Group, which includes American Woodworker magazine, a special interest books division and consumer trade show operations. "American Woodworker is a natural companion to The Family Handyman magazine and the do-it-yourself books we publish under the Reader's Digest and Family Handyman brands. By integrating these two editorial teams, we will better leverage our assets and gain a blockbuster home improvement franchise. We also have a chance to learn a new business -- consumer trade shows, which are highly popular," Ryder said. American Woodworker, which has a rate base of 325,000 and is published seven times a year, is geared toward the serious to advanced woodworker. It is one of the nation's three leading publications for professional and amateur woodworkers. The magazine was started in 1985 by JM Publishing and sold to Rodale in 1988. The woodworking book division publishes approximately three new titles a year, has a very successful continuity series in the woodworking market, and a fast-growing trade book business. In addition, there is a backlist of 80 titles, including those in the best-selling Workshop Companion series, which has sold over 2.3 million units since it was launched in 1991. The consumer trade group -- American Woodworker Shows -- offers three major shows a year with presentations focusing on woodworking tips, techniques and tools. The three-day events feature more than 375 exhibitors, including leading manufacturers of power and hand-working tools and equipment and fine wood dealers. An estimated 30,000 consumers are expected to attend the trade shows this year. Imagine Media Launches Games Business Imagine Media has announced it will extend its dedicated Games Division with the launch of Games Business -- a trade biweekly for leaders and decision-makers in the interactive entertainment arena. "For years the game industry has yearned for a reliable and effective resource that reports on issues directed at the industry's influential elite," said Jonathan Simpson-Bint, President of Imagine Games Division. "Games Business will be that powerful bible, and its unequalled reporting can only be surpassed by its ability to reach those who matter in the games space." Bill Kelchner, former advertising director of GameWeek, will join Imagine Media as publisher of Games Business, and will report directly to Jonathan Simpson-Bint. Industry veteran Colin Campbell will lead Games Business' editorial Powerhouse as editor-in-chief. Colin has served as editor-in-chief of Next Generation Online, publisher of the UK's EDGE magazine, and is a long-standing senior contributor to the highly respected European trade paper CTW. Colin and Bill are joined by executive editor Frank O'Connor, former editor-in-chief of Ultra Game Players magazine. The team is rounded out by the art director, Debbie Wells, former art director of Ultra Game Players magazine, and marketing manager Jason Michaels, who served as an editor and later the marketing manager of Next Generation magazine. The New York Times Launches National Education Website The New York Times Electronic Media Company has announced the launch of the Learning Network, a new education website and on-line resource for educators, parents, and students in grades 6 through 12. The New York Times Learning Network provides, free of charge, a daily lesson plan and comprehensive interactive resources based on the content of the newspaper. "Each and every day The New York Times publishes a wealth of information that cuts across the many different curricula used in our secondary schools," said Martin Nisenholtz, president of The New York Times Electronic Media Company. "Whether it's science news, world history or vocabulary-building, students, teachers and parents across the country can now enhance the learning experience through this interactive and engaging site." In addition to new lesson plans appearing daily, teachers will also benefit from an archived database of past lesson plans categorized by subject, and the ability to submit and share lesson plans of their own with their peers nationwide. "The Internet is the ultimate knowledge-sharing medium," said Mr. Nisenholtz. "In using the Learning Network, teachers will find a trusted home on the Internet where they can be confident in the quality and credibility of the site's content." In addition to lesson plans, teachers will find education news from the pages of The New York Times, information about The New York Times's Newspaper In Education program, and links to other quality education-oriented Websites. Students will have access to news summaries with built-in vocabulary and geography builders, a "daily news quiz," which is graded on-line, and a monthly themed crossword puzzles edited by Will Shortz, editor of The New York Times Crossword Puzzle. In addition, students will be able to submit "letters to the editor" for possible publication on the site, and ask questions to various New York Times reporters through the "Ask a Reporter" feature. Students can also use "Navigator" to find links to other valuable websites, including sites to help them with homework and school research. Community Web Publisher KOZ Launches SoccerOnline Soccer players from twelve states and the U.S. Amateur Soccer Association will now have an online community of their own: SoccerOnline. The KOZ-hosted program is designed to help soccer organizations create their own interactive websites with online publishing areas for participating leagues, clubs, teams, and participants. KOZ has publically unveiled its new SoccerOnline site at http://www.socceronline.com. Mike Moran, the Chief Executive Officer of KOZ, said, "We're thrilled with the broad acceptance of the SoccerOnline program. These youth and adult players will be using SoccerOnline to share sports and community news in ways that previously required special Internet skills and access, not to mention the training and resources of media professionals. With SoccerOnline, players and families can share scores and photos within minutes of a game, well before delivery of the newspaper the next morning." Centropolis Interactive's EON Magazine Regenerates Centropolis Interactive has announced the debut of the redesigned EON Magazine, a comprehensive source for science-fiction and action/adventure news and features. The free weekly online magazine features in-depth coverage of current and classic science-fiction, fantasy and horror movies, television, games, books and events. The redesign will be implemented on October 1, to coincide with the launch of the 9th issue of the magazine. Available exclusively on the Internet, EON features monthly interviews with important sci-fi genre filmmakers, writers and personalities, celebrity photographs from high-profile events and premieres, and the latest news and reviews of movies, books, games, videos, music and weekly genre television episodes. "EON was created with the idea of broadening the scope of the science fiction and action/adventure genres," said Anthony C. Ferrante, editor-in-chief of EON Magazine. "Our goal is to present the most comprehensive science-fiction news and information to enthusiasts in a unique format on the Internet." Ladies' Home Journal and Seventeen Join Forces to Explore Mother-Daughter Relationship Ladies' Home Journal and Seventeen are joining forces to explore the relationship between baby boomer mothers and their teenage daughters. A comprehensive survey probing the mother-daughter relationship appears in the October issues of both magazines. The results will be published simultaneously in a 1999 issue of their magazines. The two magazines plan to collaborate on similar surveys in the future to explore other issues of concern to their readers, it was announced by Myrna Blyth, editor-in-chief of Ladies' Home Journal, and Meredith Berlin, editor-in-chief of Seventeen. The October surveys cover attitudes on many topics including birth control, working moms, weight, body image and food, privacy (including spying on each other) and no-holds barred communication. Seventeen is a Primedia consumer publication. Ladies' Home Journal is published by Meredith Corporation. PBS Launches English/Spanish Website About "The U.S.-Mexican War" On Sept. 15, The U.S.-Mexican War website, a companion resource to KERA-TV's documentary series about the defining moment in the relations between two countries, will debut in Spanish and English on PBS Online. The site will feature original content in English and Spanish, and is the first adult bilingual PBS Web site. The U.S.-Mexican War (1846-1848), a four-hour documentary series produced for PBS, aired Sunday, Sept. 13 and Monday, Sept. 14, 1998, from 9 -11 p.m. each night. The Web site will reveal the historical, social and cultural forces that shaped this pivotal period during which two neighboring countries struggled for land, national identity and power. It will feature the following: - Conversations with U.S.-Mexican War experts and writings of scholars and other experts, all of whom address a variety of war-related, cultural and period topics. - Public discussion for Web users to share their own viewpoints, stories, pictures and prose. - Essays contributed by historians, scholars and experts that present multiple perspectives and address the legacy of the U.S.-Mexican War -- its meaning and impact today. - Chronological timelines that outline the U.S.-Mexican War milestone events. - Bibliographies, a site index and educational resources. Around the Web New York Times Website Hacked Editor & Publisher PW'/BEA Survey Finds Some Good News About Reading Habits BookWire S&S.Com: Stephen King, Hunter Thompson, Kids BookWire Small Publishers Writing Their Own Success Stories Boston Business Journal Starr Report: Print Follows the Web News.com Click here to return to the homepage of The Write NewsTM Click here to subscribe to our free weekly email newsletter.  www.writenews.com Copyright © 1997-2007 by Writers Write, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
