EMAP plc Acquires Wagadon Titles
Posted on July 9, 1999
EMAP plc, EMAP Petersen's parent company, announced on July 1, 1999 that it has acquired Wagadon Limited, the specialist publisher of men's and fashion magazines including Arena, Arena Homme Plus, The Face and Frank.
The Wagadon titles complement the magazines published by EMAP Metro, in particular the men's titles FHM and FHM ollections, and are expected to benefit from becoming part of a larger publishing group.
Launched in 1980, The Face has a current monthly circulation of 71,000 and is a style and entertainment magazine read both by men and women in the 16-24 age bracket. Arena was launched in 1986 and has a circulation per issue of some 61,000 and, published 10 times a year, is read by men between the ages of 24-30. And Arena Homme Plus, launched more recently in 1994, is a twice-yearly fashion magazine.
Commenting on the acquisition, EMAP's Chief Executive Kevin Hand said, "The acquisition of the Wagadon titles strengthens our position in the men's and fashion publishing markets and complements our current magazines. It is also an excellent acquisition for several other reasons: the titles are internationally recognized magazines; we will offer a wider package of men's and fashion titles to advertisers; we will introduce electronic publishing to titles which are well-established brands; and the return on our investments should be rapid."
