Ziff-Davis and IDG to Co-Publish Macworld and MacWeek

Posted on August 4, 1997

International Data Group and Ziff-Davis, Inc. announced the formation of Mac Publications, L.L.C., a joint venture that unites the two computer publishers in the Apple Macintosh computing platform market. The new operation strengthens its Mac-oriented brands, offering a pair of publications: Macworld, incorporating MacUser, as a single monthly title and MacWEEK as the weekly publication for this market.

"Mac users want a strong newsweekly and a strong features-rich monthly publication to depend on for the key information about the Mac market's products, services and news." said Claude Sheer, president of the Ziff-Davis US Publications Group. "The Mac market's vibrancy remains unquestionably important to the overall health of the computing industry. We believe that these publications will receive the support of the Mac community as it continues to evolve."

"The partnership between IDG and Ziff-Davis is a statement of our shared commitment to meeting the information needs of this important market," said Kelly Conlin, president of IDG. "Together, our resources offer readers unprecedented editorial strength and offer advertisers the strongest marketing platform to reach the most important buyers of Macintosh products."

Guerrino De Luca, executive vice president of marketing at Apple said, "Ziff-Davis and IDG have long histories as valuable media partners and supporters of the Mac platform. We applaud their decision to create a joint venture whose charter is exclusively tied to the Macintosh.

"We are very excited about the prospect of Macworld and MacUser combining to create an even more powerful monthly magazine than existed before. And of course, MacWEEK will continue to benefit from its clear position as the only newsweekly dedicated to the Macintosh platform. These two publications and their clear charters are the foundation of a major new publishing company."

Mac Publications, L.L.C. will be led by President and Chief Executive Officer Colin Crawford, the current president and chief executive officer of Macworld Communications, and a board of directors made up of Ziff-Davis and IDG executives. The new company will operate as an independent business, managing all editorial, business development, advertising sales, circulation development and online services. Mac Publications, L.L.C.'s offices will be located in San Francisco.

The joint venture will publish the current Ziff-Davis magazine MacWEEK, which will retain its title and format as a newsweekly with a controlled circulation of 100,000+. MacWEEK will experience no interruption of publishing, with the September issues to be the first published by Mac Publications, L.L.C. The company's monthly magazine will combine IDG's Macworld and Ziff-Davis' MacUser under the Macworld brand name.

The new Macworld, incorporating MacUser, will have a paid circulation of more than 625,000. Advertisers will benefit from bonus circulation to nearly 200,000 readers. Macworld, incorporating MacUser, will experience no publishing interruptions in the transition. The November issue will be the first consolidated issue to combine Macworld and MacUser content and subscribers.