Ziff sale hasn't derailed FamilyPC - Ziff Communications Co - Brief Article

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, Sept 1, 1994 by Lorne Manly

If the imminent sale of Ziff Communications is having any effect on the new consumer magazines the company is launching, FamilyPC certainly hasn't suffered. The 260-page first issue of the joint venture between Ziff-Davis Publishing and the Walt Disney Company was expected to carry about 125 ad pages when it hit newsstands August 16.

Advertisers are flocking to the fledgling family-oriented magazine market. CMP Publications' HomePC, which made its debut in May, carried 108 and 118 ad pages in its first two issues, respectively, with 130 for the third.

Regarding speculation that Disney's publishing unit may try to buy out Ziff s half of the venture, Disney executives say they will work with whoever ends up with the Ziff magazines. According to FamilyFun and FamilyPC president and editor in chief Jake Winebaum, the joint venture was set up to weather changes in ownership. Disney's access to Ziff s databases, test laboratories and editorial people will remain; if that agreement is hindered in any way, Disney will rethink its buyout stance.

FamilyPC, which is geared to parents with children ages three to 12, is guaranteeing a 200,000 ratebase to advertisers and plans to distribute between 500,000 and 600,000 copies of the September/October issue. (The publication is scheduled to up its frequency to monthly next March.)

Disney's marketing muscle should boost subscription acquisition, since 20 million sub cards are being inserted in copies of the studio's videotapes of the movies Return of Jafar, Snow White and Nightmare Before Christmas. Last year, FamilyFun placed 30 million sub cards in copies of Aladdin; so far, the publication has pulled in more than 150,000 orders.