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 Over
the past two decades, Bonnier Corporation has grown from a
single magazine title into one of America’s most successful
special-interest multi-media companies. It currently employs
250 professionals who produce 14 magazine titles, more
than a dozen Web sites, on-location participant events, two
on-going television series, cable television specials and
a variety of custom publications. The company’s headquarters
are in Winter Park, Florida and it maintains offices in New
York and a dozen other locations throughout the U.S.
Bonnier Corporation was founded by Terry L. Snow in 1978 with
the launch of WaterSkiing magazine. The name of the magazine
was changed from WaterSkiing to World WateSkiing in 1979,
publishing six issues in 1980. A second title, WindRider was
launched that year as well, to capitalize on the growing popularity
of wind surfing. In 1984, World WaterSkiing surpassed it’s
largest competitor, Spray, in circulation. World acquired
Spray that year, incorporating both magazines into a new product
called WaterSki.
With frequency and revenues climbing, a third magazine, Sport
Fishing, was launched in 1986. The following year, Bonnier Corporation
purchased Women’s Sports & Fitness, a monthly magazine
with a circulation of 350,000. Both WindRider and Sport Fishing
increased their frequency to eight issues in 1988, and the
company launched its sports marketing division by taking over
the Coors Light Water Ski Tour.
The following two years saw more growth in revenues and staff,
leading to a move to larger quarters in Winter Park, and in
1989, Women Sports & Fitness was leased to Rocky Mountain
Sports & Fitness (and later sold to them in 1995). In
1990, Bonnier Corporation purchased Windsurf, its only competitor
in that market, and changed the name of WindRider to WindSurfing.
Marlin, a high-demographic international compliment to World’s
Sport Fishing title, was purchased in 1992.
As its water-sports markets continued to evolve, World evolved
with them, launching Wake Boarding magazine in 1993. Also
that year, the company made a strategic move into the scuba
diving and travel markets with the launch of Sport Diver.
Waterski, which targets the small pleasure-craft segment
of the boating market, was launched in 1997. That same year,
World strengthened its presence in the travel market with
the purchase of Caribbean Travel & Life. In 1998, Dive
Travel magazine was acquired from Barkley Publishing and incorporated
into Sport Diver. That was followed in 1999 by the purchase
of Aqua magazine, which was also incorporated into Sport Diver,
bringing with it a relationship with the PADI Dive Society.
Also in 1999, the company acquired Fly Fishing in Salt Waters
— a fast-growing high-demographic segment of the fishing
market — and released the premiere issue of Kite Boarding
to serve participants in this extreme cutting-edge water-sport.
The company began development of its Internet sites late in
1998, and by mid-1999, eight sites offered visitors database
decision tools, archived editorial and Web-exclusive content
relating to World’s magazine titles and pro watersports
tours. Since that time, World has become a significant Web
developer, hosting its 14 sites plus custom sites for its
clients, and acquiring special expertise in using databases
and dynamic page generation software to serve special-interest
audiences.
In January 2000, World purchased of Saveur, Garden Design
and Friends magazines from Meigher Communications, significantly
expanding both revenues and staff and establishing a larger
presence for the company in New York. In June of that year,
Saveur was honored with the industry’s most coveted
award, the National Magazine Award for General Excellence.
Boston Ventures, an equity capital firm with more than $2
billion dollars invested in media and telecommunications purchased
a minority share in Bonnier Corporation in January, 2002.
In July 2002, Bonnier Corporation purchased Cruising World
and Sailing World magazines from Miller Publishing Group.
Included in the transaction were the rights to the sports
marketing events the magazines produce, including the National
Offshore One Design (NOOD) Regattas, the largest sailing regatta
series in the United States.
Today, World’s magazines continue to garner industry
awards for their writing, design, photography and journalistic
coverage and the company is known for producing quality special-interest
magazines, television, Web sites, events and marketing programs
in all of its markets. World continues to seek new opportunities
in both its core market and related areas.
Visit Bonnier Corporation
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