Meredith Corporation
 | |
| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Traded as | NYSE: MDP |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 1902 |
| Headquarters | Des Moines, Iowa |
| Key people |
Steve Lacy, Chairman and CEO Joseph H. Ceryanec, CFO John S. Zieser CDO |
| Products |
Newspapers Magazines Television Educational Services Websites |
| Revenue | US$1.47 billion (2013) |
| Employees | 3,250 (2013) |
| Website | www.meredith.com |
The Meredith Corporation is an American media conglomerate based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The company has two divisions, National Media and Local Media.
History
Edwin Thomas Meredith founded the company in 1902 when he began publishing Successful Farming magazine. In 1922, Meredith began publishing Fruit, Garden and Home magazine, a home and family service publication. Two years later, this magazine was retitled Better Homes and Gardens,[1][2] and the first issue cost a dime on the newsstand. In 1930, they published the first edition of The Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.
Since then, Meredith has introduced numerous other female-oriented consumer brands and has strategically expanded its reach, through acquisitions and strategic partnerships, to become the leading media and marketing company serving the adult female audience in the United States. In addition, the Company has extended its media and marketing platform around the Globe, through acquisitions and strategic licensing relationships.
In February 2013, Meredith and Time Warner were in discussion on whether or not to sell Time Inc. to Meredith.[3]
Magazines
Meredith magazines include the following brands:
- American Baby
- American Patchwork & Quilting
- Better Homes and Gardens
- EatingWell
- Every Day with Rachael Ray
- Family Circle
- FamilyFun
- Fitness
- Ladies' Home Journal
- Living the Country Life
- Midwest Living
- More
- Parents
- Ser Padres
- Siempre Mujer - Siempre Mujer - Spanish Page
- Successful Farming
- Traditional Home
- Wood
Defunct
Digital media
Broadcast holdings
The broadcasting division owns 14 television stations. Meredith's broadcasting division also produces Better, which was originally conceived as a brand extension of BH&G. Since its inception in 2007 the show has placed an increasing emphasis on celebrity interviews and music performances. There are also cooking demonstrations and regular features on health, beauty, fitness and fashion. The program currently airs on 80 stations nationwide.[4]
On December 23, 2013, Meredith announced plans to buy St. Louis CBS affiliate KMOV and Phoenix independent station KTVK for $407.5 million in cash from Gannett Company and Sander Media, LLC to satisfy a federal mandate that Gannett sell KMOV.[5]
Stations are arranged in alphabetical order by state and city of license.
Current Meredith-owned stations
| City of license / Market | Station | Channel TV (RF) | Owned Since | Primary affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | KPHO-TV | 5 (17) | 1952 | CBS |
| Hartford - New Haven | WFSB | 3 (33) | 1997 | CBS |
| Atlanta[6] | WGCL-TV | 46 (19) | 1998 | CBS |
| Springfield, Massachusetts | WSHM-LD (semi-satellite of WFSB) |
3 (21) | 2004 | CBS |
| Bay City - Flint - Saginaw, MI | WNEM-TV | 5 (22) | 1969 | CBS MyNetworkTV (DT2) |
| Kansas City, Missouri | KCTV | 5 (24) | 1953 | CBS |
| KSMO-TV | 62 (47) | 2005 | MyNetworkTV | |
| Henderson - Las Vegas, NV | KVVU-TV | 5 (9) | 1985 | Fox |
| Bend, Oregon | KUBN-LD (semi-satellite of KPDX) |
43 (43) | 2006 | MyNetworkTV |
| Portland, OR - Vancouver, WA | KPTV | 12 (12) | 2002 | Fox |
| KPDX | 49 (30) | 1997 | MyNetworkTV | |
| Greenville - Spartanburg - Asheville | WHNS | 21 (21) | 1997 | Fox |
| Nashville | WSMV | 4 (19) | 1996 | NBC |
Meredith also operates independent station WPCH-TV (channel 17) in Atlanta under a local marketing agreement with Time Warner subsidiary Turner Broadcasting System.[6]
Former Meredith-owned stations
Television stations
| City of license / Market | Station | Channel TV (RF) | Years Owned | Current Ownership Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, California | KSEE | 24 (38) | 1984–1993 | NBC affiliate owned by Nexstar Broadcasting Group |
| Ocala - Gainesville, FL | WOGX (semi-satellite of WOFL) |
51 (31) | 1996–2002 | Fox owned-and-operated (O&O) |
| Orlando - Daytona Beach | WOFL | 35 (22) | 1983–2002 | Fox owned-and-operated (O&O) |
| WCPX-TV | 6 (26) | 19971 | CBS affiliate, WKMG-TV, owned by Post-Newsweek Stations | |
| Omaha | WOW-TV | 6 (22) | 1951–1975 | NBC affiliate, WOWT, owned by Gray Television |
| Syracuse, New York | WHEN-TV/WTVH ** | 5 (47) | 1948–1993 | CBS affiliate owned by Granite Broadcasting (operated under LMA by Sinclair Broadcast Group) |
| Bend, Oregon | KFXO-LD | 39 (39) | 1997–2007 | Fox affiliate owned by News-Press & Gazette Company |
| Pittsburgh | WPGH-TV | 53 (43) | 1978–1986 | Fox affiliate owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group |
| Cleveland - Chattanooga, TN | WFLI-TV | 53 (42) | 2004–2008 | The CW affiliate owned by MPS Media (operated under LMA by New Age Media) |
Notes:
- 1 WCPX was acquired with the purchases of KPDX and WHNS but was swapped to its current owner Post-Newsweek Stations for WFSB a day later. Meredith never held control of the station.
- (**) WHEN-TV/WTVH was the only station that was built and signed-on by Meredith.
Radio stations
| AM Stations | FM Stations |
| City of License/Market | Station/ Frequency |
Years owned | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | KPHO-910 (now KGME) |
1952–1972 | owned by Clear Channel Communications |
| Kansas City, Missouri | KCMO-710 (KCMO is now at 810 AM; 710 AM is now WHB) |
1953–1983 | owned by Cumulus Media |
| KCMO-FM-94.9 | 1953–1983 | owned by Cumulus Media | |
| Omaha | WOW-590 (now KXSP) |
1958–1983 | owned by Journal Broadcast Group |
| WOW-FM-92.3 (now KEZO-FM) |
1958–1983 | owned by Journal Broadcast Group | |
| Syracuse, New York | WHEN-620 | 1954–1976 | owned by Clear Channel Communications |
| Bridgeport, Michigan | WNEM-1250 (now WHHQ) |
2004–2013 | owned by Ave Maria Communications |
Business deals
Meredith Corporation has over recent years through acquisitions and strategic partnerships, transformed the Company into a "360 degree" media and marketing powerhouse serving the largest audience of female adults of any media company in the United States. John S. Zieser, Chief Development Officer of Meredith Corporation, has led the Company on these business activities, from the acquisition of the Parents, Family Circle and Fitness brands from European media conglomerate Bertelsmann in 2005, to the more recent acquisition of several digital and mobile companies which led to expansion of Meredith's high growth "business-to-business" Integrated Marketing division, to large strategic licensing relationships with Walmart and Realogy relating to the Better Homes and Gardens brand. John Zieser also led and manages the acceleration of Meredith's consumer brands overseas, through over 35 licensing partnerships with leading media partners around the globe.
See also
References
- ↑ "Miller Center of Public Affairs University of Virginia". American President Woodrow Wilson/Edwin T. Meredith Secretary of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ↑ "NNDB". Edwin T. Meredith. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ↑ Lauria, Peter (February 13, 2013). "Time Warner in talks with Meredith on magazines: source". Reuters Group. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
- ↑ Pursell, Chris (January 2008). "Meredith Speeds Up ‘Better’ Rollout". TV Week. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- ↑ Meredith to Expand TV Portfolio with Deal to Add Stations in Phoenix, St. Louis, Meredith press release, December 23, 2013.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Swartz, Kristi E. (January 18, 2011). "Parent of CBS Atlanta to take over operations of Peachtree TV". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
External links
- Meredith Corporation
- Agriculture.com Portal by Successful Farming
- Better Homes and Gardens main web site
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