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Commonwealth
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA/ 6/20/98—Edmonton city attorney Robert McDonald has filed a class-action suit against Commonwealth Publications Inc. for possible fraud. The suit, filed in the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, estimates losses by unsuspecting writers to be as high as $10 million. The costs are based on rough estimates from company records of money collected from authors since June 1994. The suit has immediately received a number of “consent judgments” from the court-- decrees that are granted when a defendant does not contest a judgment. Commonwealth Publishing closed its doors in March, 1998. Because remaining assets are limited, McDonald said the $10 million figure mentioned in the suit is almost irrelevant. McDonald is an intellectual property lawyer and partner with the firm Emery Jamieson. “Whether the amount is $5 million or $20 million doesn’t make any difference to the plaintiff,” he said. Since the writers are unsecured creditors, any funds recovered are not likely to go to them, but to secured creditors, and to government entities such as Revenue Canada and Employment Canada. One collection agency estimates that Commonwealth owes booksellers in excess of $750,000. While monetary recovery is unlikely, McDonald wants Commonwealth to return publication rights to some 2,000 writers, each of whom paid Commonwealth more than $3850 to publish and market their books. The speedy consent judgments were attributed to the cooperation of Don Phelan, Commonwealth's president, who signed them without argument on June 18. Commonwealth has been ordered to give a full accounting of its revenues and expenses, including money received from authors, book sales, royalties received and company expenses. Other judgments call for termination of all contracts between Commonwealth and its authors, as well as a declaration of copyright. Another order requires the return of all manuscripts and other materials to the authors. While the class-action suit was filed on behalf of all Commonwealth authors, the consent judgments apply to only about 100 authors who have retained Emery Jamieson. McDonald said these authors may still join the class action. Those with information about or possible complaints against Commonwealth, can contact: EMERY JAMIESON, Barristers and Solicitors .Patent & Trade-mark Agents Attention: Rob McDonald, #1700 Oxford Tower, 10235 - 101st Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3G1, TEL:[403] 426-5220, FAX:[403] 420-6277, E-MAIL: general@emeryjamieson.com
July Hearing Set
BUFFALO, NY/ 6/25/98—A late July, 1998 court hearing is scheduled to substantiate charges of fraud against Woodside Literary Agency. The lawsuit-- filed last November by the office of New York State Attorney General Dennis C. Vacco-- claims Woodside used the Internet to bilk would-be writers out of hundreds of dollars each in so-called marketing fees. Eric A. Wenger, chief of the Attorney General’s Internet and Computer Unit in charge of the case, also said that consumers who found out about the scam and tried to warn others were publicly harassed on the Internet by James Leonard, who heads Woodside. Wenger said the suit charges that Woodside sends out solicitations for work on Internet literary newsgroups and chat rooms, inviting writers to send in manuscripts along with a $150 “reading fee.” Writers are then asked for a $250 contract fee, supposedly the price the agency would charge to market the manuscript to publishers. Persons with information or possible complaints against Woodside can visit the Attorney General’s site at www.oag.state.ny.us and click Report A Fraud. An information sheet can be filled in and immediately sent to Eric Wenger.
Bertelsmann Invests
LAGUNA NIGEL, CA/ 6/22/98--Making its second major announcement in a week, Palo Alto startup NuvoMedia Inc. further strengthened its position as a leader in the emerging category of electronic books with the addition of Bertelsmann Ventures, a division of Bertelsmann AG, as a strategic partner and investor. Terms of the investment were not disclosed. Bertelsmann AG is in the process of purchasing Random House in the US and merging it with its already-owned Bantam Doubleday Dell. NuvoMedia earlier announced the Q4 launch of its RocketBook(TM) electronic book and distribution system, which allows for the publishing, distribution, purchasing and reading of electronic books securely and efficiently over the World Wide Web via a network of online booksellers. NuvoMedia was scheduled to debut the RocketBook electronic book and distribution system June 22 at David Coursey's Digital Living Room conference in Laguna Nigel. "The key to success in the electronic book category will be the ability to provide readers with both an abundance and choice of content. Because the RocketBook fits transparently into an existing publishing model, we've received nearly universal support from publishers, most of whom want to make their books available for the RocketBook," commented Martin Eberhard, founder and CEO of NuvoMedia, Inc. "The strategic and financial support we've received from Bertelsmann Ventures, a division of one of the media world's most prestigious companies, further validates our belief that the RocketBook will be the electronic book and distribution system of choice for publishers and readers." "We're very excited about NuvoMedia's electronic book distribution system because it successfully addresses a publishers' most critical concern, maintaining control of its intellectual property," said Jan Henric Buettner, General Partner of Bertelsmann Ventures. "By offering a safe and secure solution, NuvoMedia has made it possible for publishers to fully embrace a digital delivery system that promises great advantages and opportunities for authors and booksellers. When this new channel is fully mature we feel that it will offer a new way for publishers to have their books read by consumers." Historically, electronic publishing, while effective and very successful from the production side, has not been readily accepted by either publishers or readers. The tools for distribution have been non-existent, too expensive, or have undermined the protection of the publishers' intellectual property. Portable readers have been technologically challenging, too expensive or too difficult for most consumers to use. The advent of the RocketBook permanently transforms the publishing landscape by providing an end-to-end solution. NuvoMedia's World Wide Web distribution network, modern encryption technology and secure reading device solves the publishing industry's concerns about controlling and protecting content, while providing booksellers with an opportunity to sell digital editions of books alongside the paper editions. For the end user, the RocketBook will, for the first time, provide instant access to the vast selection of published content from popular online bookstores. About the RocketBook The RocketBook and future RocketBook-enabled readers will allow users to easily carry a small library with them, wherever they go. This 20-oz. hand-held information appliance can hold at least 4,000 pages (about 10 novels) of text and graphics at a time. Its user interface is designed for reading with optimized screen technology that is easy to read in all lighting situations. A battery life of 20 hours will provide users uninterrupted reading whether in the office, at home or on the go. Being digital, books read on the RocketBook can be browsed, searched, annotated, highlighted, bookmarked, linked and referenced in ways impossible with a paper book. About NuvoMedia, Inc. Headquartered in Palo Alto, and located on the Web at www.nuvomedia.com, NuvoMedia is dedicated to becoming the electronic book distribution solution by providing a network infrastructure for publishers, retailers and end users to publish, distribute, purchase and read electronic content securely and efficiently over the World Wide Web. About Bertelsmann Ventures Bertelsmann Ventures is the venture capital fund of Bertelsmann AG and is closely focused on the Internet and communications. Bertelsmann AG is the world's third largest media company with annual sales of approximately $14 billion and nearly 60,000 employees in 53 countries.
Bertelsmann Completes
NEW YORK, NY/ 7/1/98--Bertelsmann AG announced that it has completed its acquisition of Random House, Inc. from Advance Publications, Inc. Terms of the agreement, signed on March 23rd by the two privately held companies, were not disclosed. With the July 1 closing, Bertelsmann's long-held Bantam Doubleday Dell publishing division and Random House, together with their affiliated companies in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, begin combining to create a new worldwide English-language trade book publishing company, Random House, Inc., with each of the publishing divisions and imprints retaining their respective editorial autonomy. Peter Olson, effective July 1, assumed his designated appointment as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Random House, Inc. He had previously been responsible for all of Bertelsmann's English-language and Asian book operations around the world. Mr. Olson announced the appointment of Erik Engstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bantam Doubleday Dell North America, as President and Chief Operating Officer of Random House, Inc., effective immediately, reporting to him. Alberto Vitale, as previously announced, becomes Chairman of the company's newly created Supervisory Board, which will review key strategic opportunities for Random House, Inc. around the world. In an internal announcement at Random House July 1, Mr. Olson said that "the integration of the companies in each country worldwide will be a gradual process, one that ideally will minimize disruption and dislocation and maximize the opportunities to establish and enhance working relationships built on trust and respect among colleagues." The U.S. publishing executives reporting to Peter Olson will be Irwyn Applebaum, President and Publisher, Bantam Books; Carole Baron, President and Publisher, Dell Publishing; Chip Gibson, President and Publisher, Crown Publishing Group; Ann Godoff, President and Editor-in-Chief, Random House Trade Publishing Group; Linda Grey, President, Ballantine Publishing Group; Sonny Mehta, President, Knopf Publishing Group; Stephen Rubin, President and Publisher, Doubleday; and William Shinker, President and Publisher, Broadway Books. Also reporting to him will be Mark Barty-King, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Transworld Publishers, Ltd.; Gail Rebuck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Random House UK, Ltd.; and Brian Davies, President, Random House International, with responsibility for Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Mr. Olson announced that additionally reporting to him will be Stuart Applebaum, Bantam Doubleday Dell's Senior Vice President, Director of Public Relations, and longtime corporate spokesman, who will continue in that role for Random House, Inc., working closely with William Loverd, Random House's Vice President, Corporate Affairs, who will also continue in his publicity role at Knopf. In his new capacity, Erik Engstrom will oversee Sales and Merchandising, U.S.-based International Sales, Finance, Legal, Operations, Distribution, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Direct Marketing, as well as Random House Children's and BDD Young Readers, New Media, Random House Information Group, Random House Value Publishing, Fodor's Travel Publications, and the BDD Audio Publishing divisions. He will also be responsible for Bantam and Doubleday Canada and Random House Canada. Mr. Olson observed that "Erik combines a strong customer-focused perspective toward bookselling, with a great aptitude for major strategic and financial issues and a pragmatic approach to operational and administrative planning and implementation. He is an executive who encourages autonomous decisionmaking by his managers and has created an environment which supports publishers in realizing their visions and their objectives for books and their authors." Mr. Engstrom joined Bantam Doubleday Dell in 1991 as Vice President, Corporate Development, after three years with the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company. He was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 1992, and Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer the following year, becoming Chief Operating Officer in December 1994, adding the title of President in April 1996. This past February he was appointed President and CEO of Bantam Doubleday Dell North America. Mr. Engstrom received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and is a graduate of the Stockholm School of Economics and the Royal Institute of Technology. In his memo to his Random House colleagues Mr. Olson concluded: "In the weeks since the announcement of the Bertelsmann purchase of Random House there has been inevitable speculation about the challenges of bringing together the supposedly different cultures and styles of Random House and Bantam Doubleday Dell. Having talked and spent time with many of you these recent months, I believe our differences are far outweighed by our similarities, chief among them, our shared passion for books and our desire to make those books accessible to as wide a readership as possible." Random House, Inc. is a division of the Bertelsmann Book Group of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's largest media companies. Bertelsmann is comprised of more than six hundred companies, many of which are market leaders in book, magazine, newspaper, audio, and music publishing; recorded music and video entertainment; radio, television, and multimedia; direct marketing book and music clubs, and online retailing; as well as printing and manufacturing. Bertelsmann operates in more than fifty-five countries and has annual worldwide revenues of approximately fourteen billion dollars.
Harcourt Acquires
CHESTNUT HILL, MASS/6/25/98—Harcourt General, Inc. (NYSE:H) has acquired privately held Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, a leading publisher of computer science books for the professional and college markets, for $8.9 million in cash plus consideration of up to $2.4 million if certain financial targets are reached. Harcourt General is a pre-eminent global provider of educational materials and services through its publishing subsidiary, Harcourt Brace & Company. Headquartered in San Francisco, Morgan Kaufmann was founded in 1984 and has annualized revenues in excess of $7 million. It features a library of more than 100 reference books and textbooks focusing on computer science, engineering, and information technology in such fields as databases, computer graphics, and computer networking. Among its bestsellers are some of the most distinguished and widely read books in computer science including John Hennessy and David Patterson's Computer Architecture, second edition and Computer Organization, second edition and Larry Peterson and Bruce Davie's Computer Networks. Morgan Kaufmann will join Harcourt Brace's subsidiary, Academic Press, a leading international publisher of books and journals in the life, physical and social sciences. Morgan Kaufmann's editorial, production and marketing staff will continue with the company at its current San Francisco location and will continue to publish under the Morgan Kaufmann imprint. Academic Press' computer publishing imprint, Academic Press Professional, will combine with Morgan Kaufmann into one business unit under the management of Michael B. Morgan, Co-founder and President of Morgan Kaufmann, who will also become a Vice President of Academic Press. Academic Press Professional's staff will continue to publish from its current location in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Sales of the combined unit are expected to make it one of the largest publishers of text and professional computer books. The unit's books will be represented to the academic marketplace by Morgan Kaufmann's in-house college sales staff, to the retail and library channels by the Academic Press retail and library sales staffs and internationally by Harcourt Brace Publishers International. Harcourt General, Inc. is a leading global multiple-media publisher and service provider to established educational, trade, and professional markets as well as to emerging for-profit educational, career-training and assessment markets. The Company also is a leading specialty retailer through its 53% controlling interest in The Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE:NMG).
Ingram Sues
NEW YORK, NY/ 6/22/98— Ingram Book Co. filed a lawsuit June 10 against Crown Books and its former parent company, Dart Group for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation by Dart, and civil conspiracy by Dart and Crown. The suit comes at a time when Crown Books struggles against a $6 million loss in the first quarter of this year. While continuing to seek ways to improve liquidity, Crown may also be considering reorganization under bankruptcy laws. Ingram continues to ship books to Crown on a cash-before-delivery basis. But in its SEC filing for the quarter ended May , 1998, Crown said it has no assurances that vendors will continue to supply the company with product.
ABA Revamps
TARRYTOWN. NY/ 6/22/98--The American Booksellers Association, headquartered in Tarrytown, NY, will stop publishing its monthly magazine and create a new information unit headed by Dan Cullen, former editor of American Bookseller. The ABA has also formed a new communications unit, led by ABA Communications Director Len Vlahos, and a marketing unit, whose director has not yet been named. All three units are designed to communicate with ABA members in the fastest possible way. The organization will also cease offering prospective bookseller schools, due to lack of demand. In the face of a shrinking number of independent booksellers, but in light of strong renewals among existing members, the ABA will concentrate on serving and promoting its value to the existing membership, according to ABA chief operating officer Oren Teicher The headquarters staff is expected to remain at about 50 people, even after restructuring.
‘Chicken Soup’
Jennifer Read Hawthorne and Marci Shimoff, co-authors along with Jack Canfield, and Mark Victor Hansen of "Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul" and "Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul," are seeking stories for their newest book. The forthcoming work is titlted, Chicken Soup for the Single Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Hearts and Rekindle the Spirits of Single People. The authors are asking for true stories, articles or anecdotes about people’s lives, stories that would uplift, inspire, or entertain single people? Both of their previosu books have been #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. The purpose of Chicken Soup for the Single Soul is to touch and inspire single people by sharing stories of other singles' experiences of love, growth, and lessons learned. Some of the topics planning are:
Hawthorne and Shimoff are looking for true stories 1200 words or less based on events or incidents that will make readers laugh, cry, or sigh. Stories should be written from a positive viewpoint, and should be universal and non-controversial. The point of the story should be evident without preaching. Essays, reminisces, tributes, commentaries, philosophical or biographical pieces are not acceptable. The authors recommend that prospective contributors first read Chicken Soup stories already published to understand the genre. Writers can submit more than one story, whether original or personal favorites collected over the years from magazines, newspapers, or other sources. The authors will pay a minimum $300 per original story for one-time rights, and $50 to the first contributor of a previously published item. The first deadline for submissions is July 31, 1998. Final deadline is October 31, 1998. Mail stories to Chicken Soup for the Single Soul, P.O. Box 1959, Dept. EM, Fairfield, IA 52556; or fax them to (515) 472-7288; or e-mail to chickensoup@lisco.com (but send only one way, please). Please put your full name, address, and phone number on your story, not just your cover letter. You will receive an initial response within three months. Publication is planned for October 1999. In addition, the authors are also accepting stories for future editions of Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul and Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul. The same guidelines apply.
Dorchester/Leisure
Joins Authorlink! As A Sponsor Dorchester Publishing Company, Inc., publishers of Leisure Books andLoveSpell, and a new sponsor of Authorlink!, will launch three new bimonthly book clubs on September 1, 1998. The clubs will include a bi-monthly sub-genre romance club (including such genre as loveswept and time travel); bimonthly historial romance group, and a bimonthly western book club. Members can mix and match between the clubs, ordering half from one category andhalf from another, or delivering various title groups on alternating months. Dorchester recently launched a horror book club, and will soon expand that section on its website, along with makign other changes. The site is lcoated at: http://www.dorchesterpub.com
Thomson Financial
LONDON, ENGLAND/ 6/22/98--Thomson Financial Services Europe (TFS) has acquired Tudor House Publications Limited, a privately owned business specializing in mergers and acquisitions and publisher of Acquisitions Monthly. The deal will enable TFS to provide the corporate finance market with the most comprehensive global information service on mergers and acquisitions. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Based in Tunbridge Wells, England, Tudor House's principal products are Acquisitions Monthly, associated conferences and seminars, and 'AMDATA' (a joint venture with Computasoft). The Acquisitions Monthly research team and database will be integrated into IFR Securities Data, part of the TFS Database Group. The flagship magazine, Acquisitions Monthly, as well as the conference business will be folded into TFS' Publishing Group. Simon Timm, managing director of TFS Publishing Group, stated: "The magazine is a first class example of the kind of publication we are delighted to bring into the TFS portfolio. Acquisitions Monthly fits our style of valued information presented with sound analysis. We have the investment funds to take it to an even higher level of service to its readers and advertisers." Sharon Rowlands, managing director of the TFS Database Group Europe, said: "With mergers and acquisitions information it's important that the financial market is well informed and has immediate access to the latest global information. This deal means they will be able to get the most comprehensive global information on-line. The acquisition represents a significant opportunity for our IFR Securities Data Company to enhance its coverage of world-wide M&A transactions. Acquisitions Monthly has an excellent reputation for European data, while IFR Securities Data's SDC Platinum database provides comprehensive European and US information. Combined we will be able to offer the financial market the most extensive global M&A and New Issue transactions information." Thomson Financial Services (TFS) is a leading provider of information services and work solutions to the worldwide financial community. TFS employs more than 6,000 people in more than 40 locations. The principal activity of The Thomson Corporation (TTC) is information and publishing, where in 1997 the Group had some 40,000 staff members and a revenue base approaching US$6 billion. TTC's common shares are quoted on the Toronto, Montreal and London stock exchanges. For more information, visit the TFS Web site at www.tfn.com.
New Frontier Media
MANHASSET, NY/6/19/98-- CMP Media has assigned reprint sales and fulfillment responsibilities for its four new titles-Byte, Data Communications, LAN Times and tele.com-to Reprint Services, a division of Print Craft, Inc., in St. Paul, Minn. The four publications recently were acquired from The McGraw-Hill Companies. Karen Jacobs Heads CMP's In-House Reprint Unit Reprint Services has supported the magazine publishing industry since its establishment in 1977 as an in-house reprint department for McGraw-Hill medical titles. CMP Media Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX) is a high-tech media company providing essential information and marketing services to the full technology spectrum-the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide-with its portfolio of leading newspapers, magazines, Internet products and conferences.
Yes! Taps Ruxpin
PLEASANTON, CA/ 6/16/98--YES! Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ NM Symbol: YESS) has announced that Teddy Ruxpin(R) will promote the cause of children's reading throughout North America by supporting Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's oldest and largest children's literacy organization. Teddy Ruxpin, with his world of books and special interactive animation cassettes, will be the featured speaker in a series of Public Service Announcements produced by YES! Entertainment for RIF this Fall. He will also be making special event stops around the country in order to support RIF. YES! will also donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Teddy Ruxpin toys and software to help RIF provide over 3.5 million young readers annually with books and fun reading activities. YES! Entertainment brings The New World of Teddy Ruxpin to market in 1998 with a complete line of toys, storybooks, interactive animation cassette story tapes, interactive animation VHS story videos, and computer compatibility for future software and web site releases. "The New World of Teddy Ruxpin is all about a child's joy of reading and discovery," said Donald Kingsborough, Chairman and CEO of YES! Entertainment. "All of his books, cassettes, videos, TV shows and computer software are designed around the idea that kids love to read and explore new worlds. Children first learn about Teddy Ruxpin's world through a series of books that Teddy Ruxpin reads to them. Later, they can discover more about the world with Teddy Ruxpin's interactive videos, TV shows and software. But all of the high-tech learning starts with the simple love of books. That's why we chose to support RIF," said Kingsborough. RIF has a grassroots network of 17,000 community based programs -- mostly in schools -- staffed by 240,000 coordinators and volunteers drawn from teachers, school administrators, librarians, and parents. RIF kids have taken home more than 184 million books since 1966. For more information on RIF and its activities, visit the RIF web site at www.si.edu/rif/ at the Smithsonian Institution. YES! Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ:YESS), located in Pleasanton, California, develops, manufacturers and markets toys and other entertainment products, including a variety of interactive and electronic products. YES! uses innovative technology to design products that are fun for children and build on their natural creativity.
MegaWorld Unveils
NEW YORK, NY 6/18/98--MegaWorld, Inc. (MEGW) has announced the publication and distribution of the first issue of its new magazine called NYC-New York City - dedicated to a celebration of New York City as one of the premier cities of the World. The first issue, a collector's edition, contains 96 pages in full color, with articles and photographs covering a wide array of subjects of interest to residents and visitors to our City. A special feature, in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the City, illustrates various locations of interest as they appeared a century ago, and also as they appear today. Printed on a glossy stock, with perfect binding, the publication is more like a magabook than an ordinary magazine. Distribution is being made by a number of newsstands, and to other selected locations of the city, as well as to other major cities throughout the World. The magazine will be published quarterly during 1998, and there are plans to increase the frequency to bi-monthly publication in 1999. For further details, please call or write to George Levy, Chairman of MegaWorld and publisher of NYC-New York City Magazine, 430 Park Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone: 212 750 3333.
Cahners Acquires
NEW YORK, NY 6/18/98--Cahners Business Information has acquired A.F. Lewis & Co. Inc., the leading directory and database provider in the graphic communications market. The acquisition will enhance the products that Cahners' New York-based Graphic Arts Monthly magazine and related titles offer their readers and advertisers. Graphic Arts Monthly is the top-ranked management and technology magazine serving the commercial printing industry. A.F. Lewis & Co., also based in New York, publishes the Graphic Arts Blue Book, the comprehensive directory of printing companies and industry suppliers. The directory is published in seven regional editions. Cahners is a leading provider of business information in the United States. It is a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group (NYSE:RUK)(NYSE:ENL), a world-leading publisher and information provider with principal operations in North America and Europe, and owners of Publishers’ Weekly. Cahners publishes 129 business magazines and serves 18 business communities with comprehensive marketing services.
Unapix. Discovery
NEW YORK, NY/ 6/18/98--Unapix Entertainment, Inc. (ASE:UPX) has entered into multiple co-production agreements with Discovery Networks, Inc., continuing Unapix's expansion as a leading independent studio, producing and distributing original non-fiction programming. Under the new agreements Unapix will develop and produce 24 hours of primetime programming which will air in the U.S. on TLC (The Learning Channel) and Discovery Channel. Unapix International, the company's distribution arm, will handle programming sales outside of the U.S. marketplace. Unapix/Miramar will handle U.S. home video distribution/marketing of the projects. As part of the current expansion of its co-production and co-financing activities, the company has also aligned itself with such well-respected production entities for these projects as Termite Art Productions for "Speed Demons" and "Too Extreme," Belo Productions for "Big Stuff" and Sachnoff-Lipman for "Strange Science." Commenting on the new agreement David M. Fox, Unapix Entertainment's CEO said, "Partnering with Discovery Networks marks a significant benchmark in the evolution of Unapix as a major creative force in the global non-fiction arena." John Ford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, TLC, said, "We're pleased to be working with Unapix on such a large scale. They are excellent partners for us." The series and specials being produced under the Unapix Entertainment-Discovery Networks agreements are: Strange Science (5 x one hour) -- An informative and entertaining look at the earth's amazing anomalies collected by scientific investigator William Corliss during the last 30 years. Each episode of this TLC series challenges everything we accept as normal about our world while focusing on the themes of Weird Weather, Strange Noises, Unexpected Visitors, Human Oddities, Animal Anomalies. Produced in association with Sachnoff-Lipman. Superstructures of the World -- Part II (5 x one hour) – The sequel to last season's successful TLC premiere features mankind's most awe-inspiring superstructures - Grasburg Gold Mine in New Guinea, North American Aerospace Defense Command Center (NORAD), Osaka Airport and the London subway system. Speed Demons (3 x one hour) - The history of speed is the history of mankind on the edge of the possible in this TLC series. On land, sea and air, we feel the need to push the envelope and go farther and faster than ever before. Fearless men and women put their lives on the line to test those boundaries - "Speed Demons" will tell their stories. Produced in association with Termite Art Productions. Too Extreme (6 x one hour) -- An edgy TLC mini-series that presents documentary stories on extreme people and places. The stories presented fall in the following arenas: JOBS, MACHINES, WEATHER, STUNTS, GEOLOGIC MAYHEM. In every hour, we will weave together amazing documentary and news footage, in depth, moving interviews, and state of the art dramatizations. And perhaps most importantly, "Too Extreme" will present real human stories that constantly remind the audience that there, but for the grace of God... Produced in association with Termite Art Productions. Big Stuff (3 x one hour) -- TLC series examines how the really gargantuan things in the world work - covering everything from the physics of flying the largest helicopter to the biggest shoe - Shaq's size 23! Produced in association with Belo Productions, Inc. Now What (working title) (one hour special) -- This TLC special offers a futuristic look at how society will deal with sex and gender which takes us through the "nice girls didn't" 1950s, the "everybody did it" 1970s, the AIDS riddled 1980s, and, eventually a real-time report from the year 2030. Rulers of the Mountain Kingdom (one hour special) – This Discovery Channel special follows two lethal African predators: the Black Eagle and the incredible Caracal. One airborne and the other earth-bound, these two hunters are faced with drawing on the superb abilities to adapt or face death. Throughout the story, the age-old clash between these two super predators is brought to a pitch. TLC (The Learning Channel) is the only cable network that consistently offers people of all ages an enjoyable, entertaining way to learn and satisfy their natural curiosity, providing viewers with adventures for their minds. TLC now reaches 65 million homes in the United States and 6.2 million homes in Canada. Discovery Channel is one of the United States' three largest cable television networks, serving 74 million households across the nation with the finest in informative entertainment. Both networks are services of Discovery Networks, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc. Unapix Entertainment, Inc. (AMEX:UPX) is a global entertainment company specializing in producing, licensing and distributing market-driven feature films, television programs and special interest home videos in all media around the world. The Company distributes its products in niche markets via the internet and other new electronic media.
Austin Film Festival
AUSTIN, TX/6/15/98--Writer/director Paul Schrader ("Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," "American Gigolo") and writer/director Michael Mann ("The Last of the Mohicans," "Heat" and the hit TV series "Miami Vice") will be among the star-studded panelists sharing information and inspiration about screenwriting and filmmaking during the Austin Film Festival's 5th Annual Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference, to be held Oct. 1-4, 1998, in Austin, Texas. Also scheduled to take part in the conference's 50 panels are: -- Writer Brian Helgeland (Academy Award-winning "LA Confidential," "A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master") -- Writer/director Stuart Gordon ("Honey, I Shrunk The Kids" and creator of Disney TV series "Honey, I Shrunk The Kids," cult classic "H.P. Lovecraft's Reanimator") -- Writer/director John Landis ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers," "An American Werewolf In London") -- Writer Dan Petrie Jr. ("Beverly Hills Cop," "The Big Easy," president of Writers Guild of America-West) -- Writer Kevin Williamson ("Scream 1," "Scream 2," "I Know What You Did Last Summer," now working on his directorial debut, "Killing Mrs. Tingle") -- Writers Paul Dyer and Sarah Dyer ("Space Ghost: Coast to Coast," animated TV series "Superman/Batman") -- Writers/executive producers Dan Staley and Rob Long ("Cheers," "George & Leo") Joining this impressive list are members of the festival's Board of Advisors including producer Barry Josephson ("Men In Black," "Air Force One," "In The Line Of Fire"); writer/producer Polly Platt ("Pretty Baby," "War of the Roses," "Bottle Rocket," "Say Anything"); writer/producer Bill Wittliff ("Lonesome Dove," "Legends of the Fall"); Oscar-nominated writer/director Whit Stillman ("Barcelona," "The Last Days Of Disco"); Columbia Pictures Senior Vice President of Production Doug Belgard; and Kopelson Entertainment Vice President of Production Matthew Gross. Between now and Oct. 1, the list will grow as more than 70 industry professionals annually take part in the conference, addressing such panel topics as "Practicing Your Pitching Skills," "Writing Visually" and "Budgeting Your Independent Film." The Austin Film Festival is the first festival dedicated to celebrating the writer, the script and their ultimate yield – the movie. As a result, the Screenwriters Conference is complimented by an evening film festival. Last year, more than 80 films were screened over eight nights and featured competition films, independent films and retrospective works by presenting writers and filmmakers. Oliver Stone, Buck Henry and Dennis Hopper were among those who attended and screened works in '97. In further pursuit of recognizing the writer, the festival sponsors an annual script competition that received more than 3,500 screenplays this year. The Columbia Pictures release "Excess Baggage" and Warner Bros.' upcoming "Goodbye Lover" were both from scripts found through the festival's competition. The Austin Film Festival is a non-profit organization. Conference updates and registration may be obtained by calling 800/310-3378. All panelists appear, schedules permitting.
New York Studios
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD, NY/ 6/19/98-- New York Studios Inc. today announced that it has signed a contract for a 70-year lease with the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation to develop the largest, most complete, high-tech film and television production studio and support facility outside of Hollywood on a 15-acre site at the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard. The first of its kind in New York, the $160 million, fully-enclosed, 700,000-square-foot facility will be a spacious, full-service "production factory" equipped for start-to-finish production of major motion pictures, television series, music videos and commercials. According to New York Studios founding partner Louis Madigan, the project will answer a critical need in New York City's film and television industry, which lacks full-service production facilities for feature films and major episodic television productions. While Hollywood boasts over 3.6 million square feet of sound stages, New York, by comparison, has less than 300,000 square feet of usable sound stages. "We went to the major film and television studios in Hollywood asking producers and facility operators what they would need to mount their productions (start-to-finish) in New York," said Madigan, Chief Executive Officer, New York Studios. "We designed New York Studios to exceed their wildest dreams. The result is a state-of-the-art facility which will provide the space, service, technology and talent to position New York as a competitive venue for the complete production of high-budget films and television." New York Studios will feature 11 state-of-the-art sound stages (covering 240,000 square feet) including a "monster" 48,000-square-foot stage -- the largest dedicated sound stage in North America. For the first time at a major production facility anywhere in the world, a user-friendly Intranet system will allow producers and production managers immediate and remote access to all equipment and services with the swipe of an ATM-style card. This "smart" studio environment will offer the most efficient and cost-effective operational systems in the industry. "We believe New York Studios will be the kind of production facility that will attract major, large-scale film and television projects," said Cary Hart, President, New York Studios. "Quite frankly, the next time a film like Titanic is made, we expect it to be produced in the Big Apple. The facilities and infrastructure here at the Navy Yard would have been ideal!" New York Studios is designed to provide part of the much-needed infrastructure demanded by New York's fast-growing film industry, which has doubled its size in the past decade. While 213 motion pictures were filmed in New York in 1997, nearly all studio post-production work was completed on the West Coast. With the advent of New York Studios, Hollywood blockbusters and television series could be produced start-to-finish in New York, saving producers time and money now wasted in transporting productions back-and-forth between New York and Los Angeles. The local film industry, which employs about 78,000 people, stands as the city's fastest-growing sector of employment, increasing at a rate of 47.5% between 1994 and 1997, according to the New York State Department of Labor. Film expenditures contributed $2.37 billion to the city's economy last year according to Patricia Scott, Commissioner, the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting. New York Studios will be built on the 260-acre industrial park of the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it will create over 500 construction jobs and 2,000 new jobs (once the studios are completed). According to a recent economic impact analysis, productions completed at New York Studios could pump over half a billion dollars into the city's economy over the next five years, and directly benefit dozens of community businesses. The 200 businesses (and 2,500 workers) that currently call the Brooklyn Navy Yard home will remain. These community businesses (many of which specialize in light-manufacturing) are expected to receive a substantial economic boost from studio productions. Co-founding equity partners Delphi Studios, Inc. and Progressive Internet Alternatives, Inc. (PIA) founded New York Studios and assembled the project development team, which includes: J.P. Morgan & Co.; Harbison Company-Financial Advisors; La Salle Partners Development, Inc.; HLW, International, LLP; and Turner Construction Company.
Touchstone Begins
BURBANK, CA/ 6/18/98--Principal photography has begun on Touchstone Pictures' "Ten Things I Hate About You," starring Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Larisa Oleynik. Directed by Gil Junger from a script written by Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith, the film is produced by Andrew Lazar. The executive producers are Jeffrey Chernov and Seth Jaret.. Shooting will take place in both Tacoma and Seattle, Wash. Junger (director) was nominated for an Emmy and a Director's Guild Award for directing the landmark "coming out" episode of "Ellen" last year. He has made a name for himself as a top-notch television director on shows such as "Dharma & Greg," "Ellen" and "Blossom." Lazar (producer), through his production company Mad Chance, recently wrapped photography on "Astronaut's Wife," a thriller starring Johnny Depp, Charlize Theron and Nick Cassavettes, which is scheduled for release this fall. His other film credits include "Assassins," the HBO movie "The Maker," and the critically acclaimed "Bound." Lutz and Smith (screenwriters) recently sold their second feature, a female surfing movie entitled "Girls In The Curl," as a pitch to United Artists. "Ten Things I Hate About You" is their first feature sale as well as their first feature film to be produced. A third film script is in development with Touchstone Pictures and producer Tom Jacobson. They also have an overall development deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Smith hails from Port Ludlow in Washington.
Chancellor Media,
IRVING and AUSTIN, TX, PROVIDENCE, R.I. and STAMFORD, CONN/ 6/15/98--Chancellor Media Corporation (NASDAQ: AMFM), Capstar Broadcasting Corporation (NYSE: CRB), LIN Television Corporation and TSG Capital Group, L.L.C. announced have formed an alliance to capitalize on investment opportunities in broadcasting entities across a broad spectrum of ethnic ownership. TSG Capital, which has a successful record of identifying and investing in business opportunities in ethnic markets, will be the lead investor in each transaction made by the group Accordingly, as the first investment of the alliance, Chancellor will invest approximately $25 million for a 20% non-voting equity stake in Z Spanish Media Corporation of which TSG is the majority shareholder. Z Spanish Media, which is headquartered in Sacramento, California, is the owner and operator of 22 Hispanic format radio. stations in California, Texas, Arizona and Illinois. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 1998. Darryl Thompson, a partner of TSG Capital Group, stated, "The Spanish speaking population is a fast growing market segment with extremely attractive investment opportunities of which broadcasts properties are at the forefront. We are pleased to be joined by Chancellor in building the potential of Z Spanish Media. Through our alliance with Chancellor, Capstar and LIN, we will combine our strong financial resources with unparalleled industry expertise that will prove invaluable as we evaluate the many investment opportunities that are available to us." In addition, the alliance is currently considering a partnership with an African-American television industry veteran to acquire television properties.
USA Broadcasting
NEW YORK, NY/ 6/19/98--USA Broadcasting, a USA company (NASDAQ: USAI), has completed a previously-announced agreement to acquire WNGM, Channel 34 serving the Atlanta, Georgia market from Paxson Communications. Terms were not disclosed. USA Broadcasting also has consummated the previously announced agreement to acquire remaining equity in Blackstar Communications, which includes WBSF, Channel 43, serving the Orlando, Florida market and KEVN, Channel 7, a Fox affiliate in Rapid City, South Dakota. Terms were not disclosed. USA Broadcasting is the eighth-largest television broadcast group in the nation, now reaching more than 36 million households covering 37% of the U.S. With its new acqusitions, it will have a presence in 9 of the country's top 10 markets and 16 of the country's top 25 markets. USA Broadcasting has begun the roll-out of CityVision, its new local programming format, with WAMI, Channel 69 in Miami, Florida. The Company already owns WBHS-TV, Channel 50 in Tampa, Florida. With the Orlando station acquisition, USA Broadcasting owns stations in three of Florida's key cities, reaching approximately 70% of all of its television households.
Disney, Infoseek
SUNNYVALE and BURBANK, CA/6/18/98--The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has reached an agreement to acquire a 43% stake in Infoseek Corporation (NASDAQ:SEEK) in exchange for Disney's ownership position in Starwave plus $70 million in cash, it was announced by Michael D. Eisner, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, Harry Motro, president and CEO of Infoseek, and Jake Winebaum, chairman of Disney's Buena Vista Internet Group. The transaction forms an Internet entity that combines the resources of Infoseek, Starwave and Disney. The new entity will bring together the branded assets of ABCNEWS.com and ESPN.com -- currently joint ventures between Starwave and Disney -- with one of the Internet's most popular search and directory services. In addition, Disney will commit to provide, and Infoseek will agree to purchase, $165 million in promotional support for the new portal service. Disney will receive 25.8 million shares of Infoseek and a minority position on the Infoseek board. Disney will also purchase warrants enabling it, under certain circumstances, to achieve a majority stake in Infoseek over time. Infoseek will also acquire the shares of Starwave not owned by Disney in exchange for Infoseek shares. The expanded company will continue to operate under the name Infoseek. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including shareholder and governmental regulatory approvals. Infoseek and Disney, which currently have 14 million and nine million users respectively, plan to launch an advanced portal service later this year that will provide the best of Infoseek's and Disney's existing services, enhanced by Starwave's expertise and technology. The portal service will feature, on a non-exclusive basis, ABC.com, ABCNEWS.com, Disney.com, Disney's Blast Online, ESPN.com, plus the official league sites of the NFL, NBA and NASCAR. The transaction also will combine the strong management teams and cutting-edge technologies of Starwave and Infoseek. No major personnel changes are anticipated. Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Infoseek Corporation (NASDAQ:SEEK) is a connected media company and leading Internet navigation service. By offering intelligent channels and one of the world's largest directories of Web sites organized by topic, Infoseek provides consumers with a familiar and meaningful search experience in addition to accurate, high-quality search results. Located in Bellevue, Wash., Starwave Corporation was founded in 1993 by Microsoft co-founder and technology investor Paul Allen, and has become one of the premiere Internet technology companies. In April of 1997, Starwave entered into two joint venture partnerships with Buena Vista Internet Group to form ABCNews Internet Ventures and ESPN Internet Ventures. These ventures produce original interactive programming providing sports, news and entertainment services to millions of consumers on the World Wide Web. Formed in 1997, Disney's Buena Vista Internet Group operates Web sites that include ABC.com, the number one network Web site; Disney.com, the top-ranking kids, family and entertainment site; and Disney's Blast Online, the online service for kids. Buena Vista Internet Group is also the joint venture partner in ABCNEWS Internet Ventures and ESPN Internet Ventures.
Reuters to Provide
NEXPO, ORLANDO, FL/6/22/98--Reuters will provide a broad array of news services to Knight Ridder New Media of San Jose, California, for use by 29 web sites operated by Knight Ridder's newspapers and eleven additional sites operated by the company. The parties did not disclose financial terms other than to say that Reuters will be compensated through a combination of subscription fees and a share of advertising it sells on web pages carrying its news. Under the multi-year agreement, Reuters will deliver its entire suite of On-Line Reports, including US News, Sports, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Politics, International News, Oddly Enough, and the On-Line TopPix Photo Service. Reuters also will supply the Reuters Business Report, Spanish Language Service and US Markets News Service to Knight Ridder New Media for use by its editors who will construct news and information products for its Real Cities network, including web sites such as homehunter.com, jobhunter.com, realbooks.com and justgo.com. Additionally, Planet Reuters, the company's syndicated multi-media news service, will be made available to all web sites operated by Knight Ridder newspapers. Reuters AudioCast, a voiced wrap-up of current events will be available for all 40 sites operated by Knight Ridder. Reuters content will be presented on Knight Ridder web sites on co-branded pages. Users will reach pages with this information via hyperlinks integrated throughout the news areas of the sites. Also included in this agreement is a license for Knight Ridder New Media to include headlines and other selected content in news indexes that will be combined with other products and services appearing on non-owned sites. Reuters America Inc. is the primary operating entity in the Americas of Reuters Group PLC (Nasdaq: RTRSY), the international news and financial information services company. Knight Ridder New Media, located in San Jose, is a division of Knight Ridder and maintains 40 web sites and Internet products in the Real Cities network. The Real Cities network ( http://www.realcities.com ) consists of newspaper web sites, online classified products and community lifestyle web sites. Knight Ridder is the nation's second largest newspaper publisher, with products in print and online. The company publishes 31 daily newspapers in 28 U.S. markets, reaching 9 million readers daily and 12.6 million on Sunday.
First Entertainment
DENVER,CO/6/18/98--First Entertainment Holding Corp. (OTCBB:FTET) has signed a letter of intent to form several joint ventures with Intelek, LLC for the purpose of developing and promoting entertainment sites on the Internet, as well as opportunities in the audio text industry. The first of these is a joint venture in which First Entertainment will invest in and receive 50% of the revenues from multiple adult entertainment sites presently being operated on the Internet by Intelek, LLC. According to PC Meter, one in four home Internet users visited an adult web site in the first quarter of 1998. The audit firm measured adult sites as more popular than travel or people finder sites, and one of the first profitable segments of commerce on the Internet. Adult Video News, an industry publication, states that Americans spent more that 8 billion dollars in 1997 on adult entertainment. According to industry insiders the adult Internet market will generate 750 million dollars in annual billable revenue for 1998 and is predicted to double by the year 2002. Intelek is projecting gross revenues of 6 to 10 million dollars over the next 12 months from its present adult sites. First Entertainment anticipates developing other Internet and audio text opportunities with Intelek over the next several weeks, and expects to close this transaction by the end of the month. First Entertainment is a multi-media company and has divisions or subsidiaries operating in the areas of radio broadcasting and comedy clubs. Web site: www.FirstEntertainment.com
Tripod, A Lycos Unit
WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS/6/22/98-- Tripod, Inc., (www.tripod.com), the fast-growing Web community, has signed an electronic commerce agreement with Barnesandnoble.com, the world's largest online bookseller. Barnesandnoble.com will be the exclusive book retailer on Tripod.com, and will gain additional distribution power through the extension of its Affiliate Network with Tripod's more than 1.6 million members. With this announcement comes the additional news that Barnesandnoble.com has extended its previous agreement with Tripod parent company, Lycos, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCOS), to appear as the lead bookseller on Lycos' popular navigation site. Through participation in the Affiliate Network, Tripod members can sell books from barnesandnoble.com via their personal homepages on Tripod. Whenever purchases are made through these personal stores, the host member receives credit from Barnesandnoble.com. Tripod will be promoting Barnesandnoble.com throughout its site via the Entertainment Zone and related "Pods" (communities of special interest). The opportunity to join Barnesandnoble.com's affiliate network will be promoted through the popular Tripod Homepage Builder; it will be through this tool that members will be invited to open their own virtual bookstores. Barnesandnoble.com is a leading online retailer of books and the exclusive bookseller to America Online (AOL)'s 12 million subscribers (Keyword: barnesandnoble). barnesandnoble.com also has exclusive partnerships with more than 10,000 Web sites through its Affiliate Network, including CNN Interactive, Lycos, and ZDNet. Founded in 1992, Tripod (http://www.tripod.com) is the fast-growing Web community for individuals who embrace the innovative and pioneering spirit of the Web. Tripod provides the Web's bes!t homepage publishing tools, as well as community and entertainment centered around 14 Zone topics: Entertainment, Computers/Internet, Jobs/Career, Home/Family, Women, Society/Culture, Health/Fitness, Fun&Games, Money/Business, Shopping, Teens, Cars&Trucks, Travel, and Sports. Headquartered in Williamstown, MA, Tripod is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lycos, Inc. (NASDAQ: LCOS). Located at http://www.lycos.com, Lycos -- "Your Personal Internet Guide" -- is dedicated to helping each individual user locate, retrieve and manage information tailored to his or her personal interests.
People
Robert McGraw Resigns Post At McGraw-Hill NEW YOR, NY 6/24/98--The McGraw-Hill Companies announced that Robert P. McGraw has decided to pursue private business interests. McGraw, 44, will remain on the company's Board of Directors. "While I am resigning as executive vice president of the Professional Publishing Group, I am delighted to be continuing on the Board to participate in the dynamic future of The McGraw-Hill Companies," said Robert P. McGraw. "I am looking forward to developing my own business and spending more time with my family after two decades of extensive travel. Most importantly, the product line and global infrastructure in our professional and international publishing operations are strong, and the future for the segment and our company has never been brighter," he said. "We are pleased that Bob will continue to serve on the company's Board of Directors and provide considerable insight and experience," said Joseph L. Dionne, chairman of the board, and Harold McGraw III, president and chief executive officer of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Robert P. McGraw joined the company's Board of Directors in 1995 and is a member of the Board's Financial Policy Committee. He joined the company in 1976 as a sales representative for the College Division. He was executive vice president of the Healthcare Group from 1987 to 1989, and group vice president of that group from 1985 to 1987. The McGraw-Hill Companies is a global publishing, financial, information and media services company with 16,000 employees located in more than 400 offices in 30 countries. Founded in 1888, the Corporation is a leading information services provider meeting worldwide needs in education, business, finance, the professions and government. Sales in 1997 were $3.5 billion. TV Society Honors Viacom Chairman/CEO NEW YORK, NY/6/16/98--The International Radio and Television Society Foundation honored Viacom Chairman and CEO Sumner M. Redstone at its Gold Metal Award Dinner June 16 at the Waldorf -Astoria Hotel in New York City. Among attending celebrities were: Serena Altschul, Avery Brooks, Steve Burns, LeVar Burton, Mary Higgins Clark, Mike Connors, John DiResta, David James Elliott, Rob Estes, Al Franken, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Lou Gossett, Jr., Jackee Harry, Evander Holyfield, Kenan & Kel, Laura Linney, Frank McCourt, Natalie Merchant, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Kate Mulgrew, Barry Nolan, Matt Pinfield, Tim Reid, Summer Sanders, Joan Severance, Helen Shaver, Judge Judy Sheindlin, Brent Spiner, Robert Urich, Montel Williams and others. Sumner M. Redstone is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Viacom Inc., one of the world's largest entertainment and publishing companies. He is also Chairman of the Board of National Amusements, Inc. He serves on the Executive Committee of the National Association of Theatre Owners, is a member of the Advisory Council for the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation and is on the Board of Trustees for The Museum of Television and Radio. Mr. Redstone devotes a large portion of his time to civic and community affairs. PRIMEDIA Elects A. John Greeniaus To Board NEW YORK, NY/ 6/24/98--William F. Reilly, chairman and chief executive officer of PRIMEDIA Inc. (NYSE:PRM), has announced that H. John Greeniaus, 53, former chairman and chief executive officer of Nabisco, Inc. has been elected to the PRIMEDIA Board of Directors. "John is one of the leaders in building brands," said Reilly. "PRIMEDIA, with our strong brand positions, and average 60 percent market share will benefit greatly from John's expertise." Greeniaus has had a distinguished career in marketing and management after beginning in 1966 with Proctor & Gamble in Canada.After Canadian assignments with J. Walter Thompson and PepsiCo, hejoined Standard Brands, a Nabisco predecessor, in 1977. During Greeniaus' tenure as CEO of Nabisco, financial results consistently placed it among the top-ranking firms in the food industry, and the company was widely recognized for its marketing ingenuity and new product innovation. MGM’s Taylor To Succeed CEO Corrigan SANTA MONICA, CA/6/15/98--Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. (NYSE:MGM) announced that Daniel J. Taylor, currently MGM's executive vice president -- corporate finance, has been named senior executive vice president and chief financial officer, succeeding Michael G. Corrigan who has resigned as senior executive vice president and chief financial officer to pursue other opportunities. CTW Names Sherrie Rollins Executive VP NEW YORK/ NY/ 6/16/98--Children's Television Workshop (CTW) has named ABC executive Sherrie Rollins to the newly created position of executive vice president of marketing and communications, it was announced by David Britt, president and chief executive officer, CTW. Rollins is currently executive vice president, network communications, ABC Television Network. Rollins will report directly to Britt and joins the ranks of CTW's senior corporate team. In her new position, Rollins will be responsible for CTW's strategic positioning, branding and communications. She will also oversee CTW's public television affiliate relations and education and research divisions. Children's Television Workshop is a not-for-profit company using media to educate and delight children and families worldwide. Its expertise encompasses television, online, CD-ROM, print, product licensing, publishing, film and community outreach. CTW online: www.ctw.org. Paxson Appoints Tim Johnson as Senior VP WEST PALM BEACH, FL/6/15/98--Paxson Communications Corporation (AMEX - PAX) has appointed Tim Johnson Senior Vice President, Programming, for PAX NET, the national family entertainment network set to launch on August 31, 1998. Based in Los Angeles, Mr. Johnson will oversee the acquisition and development of PAX NET's programming including evaluating scripts and submissions and developing show concepts from outline to pilot. Prior to joining Paxson Communications, Mr. Johnson co-developed and produced the first five seasons of the CBS hit series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman starring Jane Seymour. During his tenure at Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Mr. Johnson launched Live From The Ranch With Orson Bean, a nationally broadcast CBS radio program focusing on values in America. Harlequin’s New Golden Eagle Line Promotes Locken Heather Locken, formerly an assistant with Mira Books, an imprint of Harlequin, has been named an assistant editor of Golden Eagle, a new action/adventure line at Harlequin. Golden Eagle does not accept unagented material, and most material will be staff written. AOL Interactive Names Sacks Senior VP DULLES, VA/6/15/98--AOL Interactive Services, Inc., the Internet online services division of America Online, Inc. (NYSE: AOL), has named Jonathan Sacks Senior Vice President of Programming Operations. Sacks will oversee all programming and commerce operations for AOL Interactive Services, which oversees the flagship America Online service, the world's largest Internet online service; the AOL.com website, the most visited in cyberspace; and AOL Instant Messenger. He will report to Barry Schuler, President, AOL Interactive Services. America Online Inc. Names Cohen Senior VP DULLES, VA/6/15/98--America Online Inc. announced that Marshall Cohen, President of entertainment and media research and consulting company Marshall Cohen Associates, has been named Senior Vice President, Brand Development, reporting to President and Chief Operating Officer Bob Pittman. Cohen, a highly regarded cable and new media strategist who won a Clio Award in 1984 for his role in the development of the famed "I Want My MTV" campaign, will provide centralized consumer and competitive research and strategic counsel to AOL's multiple brands, while also overseeing the creation of brand marketing and advertising programs. Penton LeavesReaders Digest, Joins Penton CLEVELAND, OH/ 6/19/98--Penton Media, Inc. has appointed Joseph G. NeCastro as Chief Financial Officer. NeCastro, 41, most recently was vice president, finance at Reader's Digest USA, the $1.1 billion U.S. operating company of Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, NY, a position he held since September 1995. He was vice president, corporate controller for Reader's Digest Association, Inc., in 1994 and 1995, and held other corporate financial management positions with the company since 1993. Penton Media, Inc., owned by Pittway Corporaiton (NYSE: PYRA) is a diversified business media company that publishes magazines and electronic information products, produces trade shows and conference events in the U.S. and England, and provides marketing and business development services. Disney’s Vogler Rejoins Nickelodeon as Creative VP NEW YORK, NY/ 6/22/98--David Vogler, who led the development and launch of Nickelodeon Online in 1995, is leaving Disney Online and returning to Nickelodeon in the newly-created role of Vice President, Creative for the network's online division, it was announced today by Kris Bagwell, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Nickelodeon MediaWorks. In his new role, Vogler will oversee the design, creative direction and content development for Nickelodeon's online presence including: Nick.com, NickJr.com, Nick-at-Nite.com, Teachers.nick.com and the Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite areas on America Online. Vogler will provide overall creative direction for the navigation, design and content development of all Nickelodeon Online initiatives. In addition, Vogler will provide strategic direction for Nickelodeon's development of cross-media properties in both the kids and classic TV arenas. He will also work closely with the staffs of both on-air production and online to create new convergence experiences employing online, on-air and print mediums. Prior to his return to Nickelodeon Online, Vogler was the Vice President of Kids' Content for Disney Online, where he was integrally involved in the creation of kids interactive programming for Disney Online. Nickelodeon Online, a leader in kids online entertainment, Upside Names Richard Brandt Editor In Chief SAN MATEO, CA/6/22/98-- Upside Media Inc. has announced a series of promotions and appointments at UPSIDE magazine to further shape UPSIDE's position as a most widely read technology business magazine. Richard Brandt has been promoted to editor in chief from his position as editor, following three years of leadership at the magazine. Brandt will continue to set UPSIDE's editorial direction, while focusing additional attention on new programs. Brandt's career spans 17 years, including several years at Business Week where he was a technology correspondent. In addition, Kathleen Doler, who has been UPSIDE'S features editor since December 1997, has been promoted to executive editor. Doler's editorial career includes positions at Investor's Business Daily, PC Week and VARBusiness. UPSIDE's final editorial change involves Chuck Lenatti, who was promoted from staff editor to senior staff editor. Lenatti joined UPSIDE in March 1996 as managing editor, following more than 12 years of industry experience at MacWeek, Corporate Computing and PC Computing. On the business side, Frank Babbitt has been named UPSIDE's new associate publisher. Babbitt joins UPSIDE from an Internet software company where was vice president of sales and marketing; before that he was sales manager for TV Guide in New York. Finally, Alisson Walsh has been named Upside Media's new marketing director. Walsh will oversee all marketing programs for Upside Media's print and online products, as well as Upside Events and conferences. Walsh joins Upside from Netscape Communications Corp. where she was executive communications manager. In July, UPSIDE will celebrate the publication of its 100th issue, a significant milestone for the industry's original business technology magazine, whose circulation now tops 150,000. Upside Media Inc. is the insightful voice for authoritative, provocative and opinionated analysis of the business of technology. Through UPSIDE magazine, Upside Today Web site, Upside Books and Upside Events, Upside Media creates a wide-ranging forum to debate and discuss today's most important issues of the technology business. Privately held, Upside Media is based in San Mateo, Calif. Visit Upside Media on the Web at www.upside.com. Frank R. Noonan Elected Chairman, CEO of R. H. Donnelley MURRAY HILL, NJ/6/22/98--The board of directors of The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation has elected Frank R. Noonan, 55, chairman and chief executive officer of R. H. Donnelley, effective upon the separation of R. H. Donnelley from D&B. Noonan, previously president of R. H. Donnelley, joined Dun & Bradstreet in 1989 as senior vice president - finance of the worldwide credit information business, and was named president of R. H. Donnelley in 1991. Before joining D&B, Noonan was senior vice president and chief financial officer of UNUM Corporation, Portland, ME, and had served in a number of financial positions at General Electric Company
John Wiley & Sons
NEW YORK, NY/ 6/24/98--John Wiley & Sons, Inc., publishers, has reported that net income for the fiscal year ended April 30, 1998 was $36.6 million, or $2.22 per diluted share, compared with $20.3 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, in the prior fiscal year. Fiscal 1998 full year results include unusual items amounting to a pretax gain of $16.9 million, or $9.7 million after taxes, equal to $0.59 per diluted share. These unusual items relate to the gain on the sale of Wiley's law publishing program, net of a writedown of certain intangible assets and other items. Excluding the unusual items, net income for the year would have been $26.9 million, or $1.63 per diluted share, representing a 32% increase over the prior year. Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 1998 increased 47% to $4.2 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, compared with $2.9 million, or $0.18 per diluted share, in the prior year's fourth quarter. Revenues for the fiscal year advanced 8% to $467.1 million compared with $432.0 million in the prior year. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 1998, revenues of $114.8 million were up 7% compared with $107.6 million in the prior year's fourth quarter. Revenue and income gains reflect improvement in all of the company's core businesses. Revenue increases over the prior year included 9% for scientific, technical and medical publishing; 8% for professional/trade publishing and 7% for educational publishing, led by the domestic college division which increased 9%. The strong U.S. dollar depressed revenues in some of our overseas markets. Operating income was adversely affected by weakness in the company's Asian markets due to the economic downturn in that region. WILEY-VCH, which was acquired in fiscal 1997, was a positive contributor to operating income in the current year, but was dilutive to net earnings by approximately $2.5 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, due to interest costs related to the acquisition. "We are pleased with our accomplishments in fiscal 1998", said William J. Pesce, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We registered another year of strong earnings growth and continued to gain market share in competitive global markets. All areas, with the exception of Asia, contributed to the improvement", he continued. "During the year our scientific, technical and medical business benefited from the successful integration of Wiley-VCH, which continued to perform ahead of our expectations. Our educational business gained market share and improve profitability. Our professional/trade business had a very strong year, exceeding industry growth rates significantly. We improved our portfolio by divesting our law publishing program and reinvesting the proceeds in the publishing assets of Van Nostrand Reinhold, which reinforces our strong position in such areas as architecture/design, environmental/industrial science, culinary arts/hospitality and business technology". He concluded by saying, "Although it is still early in the new fiscal year, we are planning for another year of healthy revenue and earnings growth in fiscal 1999, given reasonable economic conditions throughout the world". Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., is an independent, global publisher of print and electronic products, specializing in scientific, technical and medical books and journals; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and textbooks and educational materials for colleges and universities. Wiley has publishing, marketing and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company's Class A and Class B shares are listed on the New York Stock exchange under the symbols JWA and JWB, respectively. Wiley's Internet site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com
Disney Declares
BURBANK, CA/ 6/24/98—Directors of The Walt Disney Co. have declared a quarterly cash dividend of 5.25 cents per share. The dividend is payable Aug. 21, 1998, to shareholders of record at the close of business July 24, 1998, and reflects the company's 3-for-1 stock split effective June 19.
Harcourt General
CHESTNUT HILL, MASS/ 6/19/98--The Board of Directors of Harcourt General, Inc. (NYSE:H) declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 19 cents per share on its Common tock, 21.65 cents per share on its Series A Stock and 17.1 cents per share on its Class B Stock. All three dividends are payable July 31, 1998 to stockholders of record on July 14, 1998. This is the 152nd consecutive quarter in which the Company has paid cash dividends. Harcourt General is a leading global multiple-media publisher and service provider to established educational, trade and professional markets as well as to emerging for-profit educational, career-training and assessment markets. The Company is also a leading specialty retailer through its 53% controlling interest in The Neiman Marcus Group (NYSE:NMG).
Kideo Productions
NEW YORK, NY/ 6/15/98--Kideo Productions, Inc. (OTC:KIDO) announced results for the nine months ended April 30, 1998. Sales for the third quarter were $229,000 compared to $302,000 for the quarter ended April 30, 1997. The net loss for the quarter ended April 30, 1998 was $836,000 ($0.23 per share), compared to the prior year's third quarter net loss of $1,010,000 ($0.34 per share). The decrease in sales for the current period is attributed to the fact that the Company's third quarter marketing efforts were focused primarily on the end-of-quarter launch of the Company's line of digitally personalized video and book products featuring the popular children's character Barney the dinosaur. Since the launch of these products in March, the Company has received approximately 50,000 orders, already exceeding unit sales for the whole of fiscal 1997 (45,880 units). Because the Company realizes revenues when finished goods are shipped to consumers, the quarter ended April 30 included only a small amount of the revenues associated with orders for Barney products. Management continues its cost-saving measures as evidenced by a 49% decrease in selling expenses and a 21% decrease in general and administrative expenses in the current quarter as compared to the quarter ended April 30, 1997. Sales for the nine-month period ended April 30, 1998 were $822,000 compared to $1,063,000 for the same period ended April 30, 1997. The net loss for the nine months was $2,105,000 ($0.59 loss per share) a decrease of 37% as compared to the prior year's nine month loss of $3,345,000 ($1.14 loss per share). Founded in 1993, Kideo Productions is the nation's leading producer and marketer of digitally photo-personalized media products for the home entertainment market. The Company is best known for its line of digitally personalized children's home videos, and in 1998 its product categories will also include licensed products such as Barney personalized videos, books, and other audiovisual and printed products. Kideo Productions has been awarded "Kids First" and "Parent's Choice" awards for excellence in children's entertainment for a variety of the Company's personalized home video titles, most recently for its "GREGORY & ME" personalized home video series for preschool children. Kideo products are marketed through major toy, gift, and general merchandise catalogs, as well as through direct response television, radio, print advertising, and direct mail. In October 1997, Kideo introduced The Kideo Catalog, a consumer catalog featuring the full line of Kideo products.
Canadian TV’s
MONTREAL, CANADA/6/18/09--Coscient (ME:CST.A.) (TSE:CST.A.) (ME:CST.B.) (TSE:CST.B.) For the third quarter ending April 30, Coscient Group sales reached $30.0 million, up 12.1 percent over the corresponding quarter in the previous year. This growth is partly attributable to the acquisition of Owl. Net earnings stand at $787,000, a figure 3.5 times greater than the $225,000 earnings shown for the corresponding quarter in the previous year. Third quarter earnings per share stand at $0.06 ($0.05 fully diluted) compared to $0.01 ($0.01 fully diluted) a year earlier. Coscient Group has posted earnings of $1.9 million for the nine months ending April 30, 1998, an increase over earnings of $1.1 million in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year. Although a stock issue between the two periods had increased the number of shares outstanding from 12.9 million to 15.5 million, earnings per share rose from $0.08 ($0.07 fully diluted) for the first nine months of the 1997 fiscal year to $0.13 ($0.11 fully diluted) for the first nine months of 1998. Sales in the first three quarters were up 34.5 percent to $89.5 million. Part of this growth is attributable to the impact of two acquisitions: Astral Distribution on October 1, 1996 and Owl Productions which was entered on Coscient Group books on November 1, 1997. Operations in the first nine months of the present fiscal year yielded a gross margin of $17.4 million or 19.4 percent of sales. For the corresponding nine months of the previous fiscal year, the gross margin was $12.9 million or 19.3 percent of sales. As well, administrative costs represented 12.0 percent of sales for the first nine months of the fiscal year, down from 13.3 percent shown in the corresponding period a year earlier. Highlights of the activities of the Group's companies in this quarter include:
In further developments, Coscient Group launched a new subsidiary that will specialize in the production of giant format (IMAX) films. Under joint ownership with Capital Communications CDPQ, an affiliate of the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, the new affiliate already has films in development. The Coscient Group is the largest independent producer and distributor of television programming in Quebec, the third largest in Canada, and the leading distributor of TV programs nationwide. The Group includes the following companies: Productions Coscient Inc., Allegro Films Inc., SDA Productions Inc., Owl/SDA Productions Inc., Cactus Animation Inc., Motion International Inc., Coscient Marketing Inc., Studio du Centre-Ville Inc. et Multimontage Inc. Class A and Class B shares of the company are traded on the Montreal Stock and Toronto stock exchanges under the symbols CST.A and CST.B.
Mendes To Direct
UNIVERSAL CITY, CA/ 6/16/98--Acclaimed theater director Sam Mendes ("Cabaret") will make his feature film directorial debut with DreamWorks' dark comedy "American Beauty," according to the co-heads of DreamWorks Pictures, Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald. "American Beauty" is being produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen under their Jinks/Cohen Co. banner. The original screenplay is by Alan Ball. The film examines the lives of two suburban families, focusing on one man's attempts to change his own life. His efforts cause the lives of those around him to unravel, with tragic but liberating consequences. In making the announcement, Parkes and MacDonald stated, "Sam Mendes is arguably the most sought-after director in the theater today. He has already made an indelible mark on the stages of London and Broadway, and DreamWorks is thrilled to be the studio to bring his talent and creativity to the big screen." Mendes most recently directed the bold new Broadway revival of the musical "Cabaret," which won this year's Tony Award for Best Revival, in addition to earning three additional Tonys for stars Alan Cumming, Natasha Richardson and Ron Rifkin. He also directed the Brooklyn Academy of Music's recent production of "Othello." DreamWorks SKG was formed in October 1994 by its three principal partners -- Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen -- as a single company to produce live-action motion pictures; animated feature films and television programs; network, syndicated and cable television programming; records; books; toys; consumer products and interactive entertainment.
Actor Files Suit
SAN FRANCISCO. CA/ 6/15/98--According to Chuck Jeffreys, an Emmy Award-winning television and movie actor, he has filed suit in San Francisco federal court against the producers and distributors of "Adventures with Kanga Roddy," a children's television program being produced in association with KTEH-TV (PBS --San Jose, Calif.). "Adventures with Kanga Roddy" is a new children's show airing on various PBS stations around the country, starring a six-foot tall kangaroo character named "Kanga Roddy" as well as a supporting cast that includes Jennifer Montana and Karen Lott (wives of the 49'ers stars) and Pat Morita (of The Karate Kid fame). The show uses martial arts principles to teach its child co-stars and audiences such values as humility, discipline, respect, and honor. Jeffreys, a Maryland resident, alleges that he is one of the co-creators of the television program and the creator of several of its characters. According to his complaint, Jeffreys worked with the show's creators, George Chung and Anthony Chan, in the initial stages of the show's creation and provided many of the ideas and creativity that make up the show now being televised on PBS. The program's original plot show did credit Jeffreys as "co-creator,"however, according to Jeffreys' suit, in the course of producing the series now being shown, the program's producers have refused to recognize Jeffreys' contributions to the creation of the show and its characters. The suit filed by Jeffreys names American Champion Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACE) and its subsidiaries, American Champion Media and America's Best Karate. Also named as defendants are American Champion Entertainment's Board Chairman, George Chung, and CEO, Anthony Chan,as well as the program's distributor, KTEH-TV. According to Jeffreys' attorney, Michael Osborne, an intellectual-property trial attorney with the San Francisco lawfirm of Dryden, Margoles, Schimaneck, Kelly & Wait, "In the show televised two weeks ago on KTEH-TV, Kanga Roddy and his fellow characters and co-stars taught the children about the importance of keeping one's promises. Mr. Jeffreys now seeks, through this litigation, to hold George Chung and the owners of the program to the promises made to Mr. Jeffreys when he provided the framework and created the characters which now make up the show." Mr. Jeffreys is seeking money damages, a financial interest in the show's revenues, and a recognition of his creative contributions to the program. Mr. Jeffreys is also being represented in the litigation by entertainment lawyer Diane Leigh Davison of Baltimore. | |
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