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Apprise Media Acquires Y-Visionary, Publisher of Nine Automotive, Outdoor Sports and Shelter Magazines
Expands Apprise Enthusiast Media group
New York, NY (September 8, 2005) – Apprise Media LLC, a strategic management and investment company focused on niche media, today announced that it has acquired Y-Visionary LP, which publishes nine monthly and bi-monthly magazines focused on the automotive aftermarket, outdoor sports and shelter segments. The Y-Visionary publications will operate as part of the Action Pursuit Group (APG) of Apprise Enthusiast Media LLC, Apprise's platform in the enthusiast media sector whose other properties include Beckett Media LP. Apprise Media is backed by Spectrum Equity Investors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Charles G. McCurdy, Chairman and CEO of Apprise Media, said, "These publications are a great fit with APG's existing action-enthusiast titles. We plan to increase their value through reinvigoration of the magazines, as well as investment in line extensions and merchandise sales. At the same time, we are actively pursuing other follow-on acquisitions that will expand APG's footprint. We know the automotive aftermarket and outdoor sports segments very well. The breadth of experience of Craig Nickerson, APG's CEO, in building a major automotive enthusiast and action sports group for Primedia will add enormous value to the management of these assets."
"This acquisition dramatically increases critical mass for Apprise Enthusiast Media," McCurdy said. "We now have 25 magazines covering attractive niche markets with total circulation of 1.2 million. We have a vibrant and profitable online business in beckett.com. We'll have an integrated merchandising business supporting both Beckett's entertainment collectibles and APG's books, videos, and related materials. And we have a long-standing presence in specialty distribution channels and other non-traditional retail outlets."
Y-Visionary's publications include Street Trucks, Import Racer, and Drag Racer in the automotive segment; Bow & Arrow Hunting, Gun World, and Knives Illustrated in the outdoor sports segment; and Victorian Homes and Romantic Homes in the shelter segment.
Y-Visionary, based in Orange, California, is Apprise's fourth acquisition of a specialty media company this year. In January, Apprise acquired Beckett Media, the leading publisher of sports and entertainment market collectible guides. In April, Apprise acquired Canon Communications, a leading producer of print publications, trade shows and digital media for the high-growth $200 billion medical device manufacturing market and allied packaging, plastics and electronics markets. Canon provides the platform for Apprise's growth in the business-to-business media sector. In August, Apprise acquired CFW Enterprises, which dominates the fast-growing paintball enthusiast category while also covering martial arts and grappling, the fastest-growing segment of the martial arts category.
About Apprise Media, LLC
Established in 2004 by Charles G. McCurdy, co-founder and former President of Primedia, Inc., Apprise Media (www.apprisemedia.com) concentrates on niche media, one of the fastest-growing segments in the media industry worldwide. Apprise currently operates two strategic platforms: Apprise Business Media LLC, which includes Canon Communications LLC, a leading publisher, trade show producer, and digital media company serving advanced, technology-based manufacturing industries, including medical device, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, specialty packaging, electronics, and plastics processing; and Apprise Enthusiast Media LLC, which serves a variety of attractive consumer niche markets through Beckett Media LP and the Action Pursuit Group
About Spectrum Equity Investors
Spectrum Equity Investors is a leading private equity firm specializing in investments in the media, communications, entertainment and information and business services industries throughout North America and Western Europe. Founded in 1994 and based in Boston, New York and Menlo Park, Spectrum has over $4 billion in capital under management. Spectrum's strategy is to invest substantial amounts of capital behind strong management teams and provide long-term and active board-level assistance to those teams to help them create and realize value. Significant investments include Apprise Media LLC, CBD Media LLC, Classic Media, Consolidated Communications, Inc., Eutelsat S.A., Loews Cineplex Entertainment, MyFamily.com, Inc., NEP, Inc, Patriot Media and Communications and RiskMetrics Group, Inc. For additional information, refer to
www.spectrumequity.com
