IDG and Desktop Publishing Institute to Create New Publishing Venture Aimed At Graphics Communications Market

Business Wire, August 12, 1999

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 12, 1999--

Move Reflects IDG's and DPI's Commitment to

Extend Efforts to Address Global IT Information Needs of Rapidly

Growing Market Sector

International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading IT media and information services company, and Desktop Publishing Institute (DPI), today announced that they will create a new integrated publishing venture designed to target volume technology buyers in the graphics communications market. The new venture will combine significant magazine, online and international publishing assets from both companies. IDG will contribute its brands and international publishing rights for its industry-leading magazine, Publish, together with its web site, PublishRGB. DPI will contribute its magazine, Desktop Publishers Journal and its management group. In addition to U.S. publishing rights, the new publishing venture will combine international publishing licenses to include 14 countries.

The new venture will benefit from a seasoned management group with a strong vision of the graphics communications market and with innovative strategies to serve marketers targeting this segment. Barry Harrigan, the founder and President of Desktop Publishers Journal, will lead the new entity. In addition to nearly 20 years of publishing experience, Mr. Harrigan has operated several successful integrated marketing organizations serving Fortune 500 companies. He is a leading innovator in the development of customer acquisition strategies and one-to-one marketing systems. Most recently, Mr. Harrigan founded an Internet company specializing in the development of vertical online business communities.

According to Joe Levy, president and CEO of IDG Communications U.S.A., "A key priority for us has been the development of a new strategy aimed at significantly enhancing our position within the rapidly growing graphics communications market, which has vast global potential. The new publishing venture created by IDG and Desktop Publishing Institute, along with the new management team dedicated to this entity, reflects that we clearly recognize the long-term potential of this market, and are committed to addressing the current and future IT information needs of desktop publishing and graphics audiences worldwide."

A key objective of the new publishing venture will be the creation of an expanded publishing strategy that will include an aggressive Internet business to complement print magazine production. Both print and online strategies will target technology buyers within graphics communications markets. New products will provide innovative services that meet the dynamic information needs of the graphics and desktop publishing markets, along with advertisers targeting this sector.

Barry Harrigan, president of the new venture, said, "This move is a reflection of the commitment of both IDG and DPI to significantly extend IT information offerings targeted to one of the fastest growing market sectors. Publish and Desktop Publishers Journal have served the emerging desktop publishing and graphics professional sectors since 1987 - but in a competitive fashion. With the new integrated venture, our chief competitor in this market now becomes our partner. Together, we can dramatically extend our reach and strategic offerings for desktop publishing and graphics audiences worldwide. We are extremely excited about those prospects."

About Desktop Publishing Institute

Headquartered in Topsfield, MA, Desktop Publishing Institute (DPI) produces information and services targeting the professional desktop publishing and graphics markets. DPI has published the Desktop Publishers Journal since 1987. Together with its sister's company, MarketLynx, DPI provides innovative programs for customer acquisition, one-to-one marketing and e-commerce focusing on these same markets. InternetBiz.Net is a newly formed sister company targeting niche graphics markets with vertical on-line business communities.

About IDG

Headquartered in Boston, International Data Group (IDG) informs more people worldwide about information technology than any other company in the world. With annual revenues of $2.35 billion, IDG is the leading global provider of IT media, research, conferences and expositions. IDG publishes more than 290 computer newspapers and magazines and 700 book titles in 75 countries, led by Computerworld/InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, PC World, Publish, Channel World, and the "...For Dummies" global product lines. IDG offers online users the largest network of technology sites around the world through IDG.net (http://www.idg.net), which comprises more than 250 targeted web sites in 55 countries. IDG is also a leading producer of 168 computer-related expositions in 35 countries, and its research arm, International Data Corporation (IDC) provides computer industry research and analysis through 49 offices in 42 countries worldwide. Company information is available at http://www.idg.com.