American Media
Encyclopedia
American Media, Inc., is a publisher of a number of major United States-based magazines and supermarket tabloids.
, died in 1988, and his tabloids came under new ownership. American tabloids began consolidating in 1990, when American Media bought Star
from Rupert Murdoch. The purchase of Globe Communications (owner of the Globe and the National Examiner
) followed nine years later.
American Media's corporate headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida
, figured prominently in news headlines in late 2001, after an anthrax attack
was perpetrated on the company. Since then the corporate headquarters have moved to New York City at 1 Park Avenue in Manhattan
. The CEO, David J. Pecker
, now travels between the Boca Raton and New York office while managing the company.
AMI continued to expand after it bought Joe Weider
's Weider Publications in 2002. Joe Weider continues to manage control of his magazines under AMI's Weider Publications subsidiary.
American Media also owns Distribution Services, Inc., an in-store magazine merchandising company.
Roger Altman
, through Evercore Partners
, bought a controlling stake in American Media in 1999. In 2009, American Media was taken over by its bondholders to keep it out of bankruptcy.
In November 2010, American Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to nearly $1 billion in debt, and assets of less than $50,000. Its subsidiary, American Media Operations Inc., listed assets of $100 to $500 million and debt of over $1 billion. It exited in December.
Company background
The modern American Media came into being after Generoso Pope, Jr., longtime owner of The National EnquirerThe National Enquirer
The National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....
, died in 1988, and his tabloids came under new ownership. American tabloids began consolidating in 1990, when American Media bought Star
Star (magazine)
Star is an American celebrity tabloid magazine.-History:Star was founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1974 as competition to the tabloid National Enquirer with its headquarters in New York City. In the late 1980s it moved its offices to Tarrytown, NY and in 1990 Murdoch sold the magazine to The Enquirers...
from Rupert Murdoch. The purchase of Globe Communications (owner of the Globe and the National Examiner
National Examiner
The National Examiner is a supermarket tabloid owned by the American Media Corporation. Like other tabloids, its contents have often come under question, and it has been derided for its sensationalistic writing....
) followed nine years later.
American Media's corporate headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
, figured prominently in news headlines in late 2001, after an anthrax attack
2001 anthrax attacks
The 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States, also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation case name, occurred over the course of several weeks beginning on Tuesday, September 18, 2001, one week after the September 11 attacks. Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to...
was perpetrated on the company. Since then the corporate headquarters have moved to New York City at 1 Park Avenue in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. The CEO, David J. Pecker
David J. Pecker
David Pecker is the Chairman and CEO of American Media. He is the publisher of National Enquirer, Star, Sun, Weekly World News, Globe, Men's Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, Flex, Fit Pregnancy and Shape. He has served in his current role at AMI since 1999 and previously served as Chairman and CEO of...
, now travels between the Boca Raton and New York office while managing the company.
AMI continued to expand after it bought Joe Weider
Joe Weider
Josef E. "Joe" Weider is co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders along with brother Ben Weider and creator of the Mr. Olympia, the Ms. Olympia, and the now-defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests...
's Weider Publications in 2002. Joe Weider continues to manage control of his magazines under AMI's Weider Publications subsidiary.
American Media also owns Distribution Services, Inc., an in-store magazine merchandising company.
Roger Altman
Roger Altman
Roger Charles Altman is an American investment banker, private equity investor and former United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury who served under Bill Clinton.-Early life and career:...
, through Evercore Partners
Evercore Partners
Evercore Partners is an investment bank located in New York City. Evercore also has an investment management business through which the Company manages private equity and venture capital funds for institutional investors...
, bought a controlling stake in American Media in 1999. In 2009, American Media was taken over by its bondholders to keep it out of bankruptcy.
In November 2010, American Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection due to nearly $1 billion in debt, and assets of less than $50,000. Its subsidiary, American Media Operations Inc., listed assets of $100 to $500 million and debt of over $1 billion. It exited in December.
Publications
- The National EnquirerThe National EnquirerThe National Enquirer is an American supermarket tabloid now published by American Media Inc . Founded in 1926, the tabloid has gone through a variety of changes over the years....
- StarStar (magazine)Star is an American celebrity tabloid magazine.-History:Star was founded by Rupert Murdoch in 1974 as competition to the tabloid National Enquirer with its headquarters in New York City. In the late 1980s it moved its offices to Tarrytown, NY and in 1990 Murdoch sold the magazine to The Enquirers...
- The GlobeThe Globe (tabloid)Globe is a supermarket tabloid first published North America on November 10, 1954 in Montreal, Canada as Midnight by Joe Azaria and John Vader and became the chief competitor to the National Enquirer during the 1960s. In 1978 it changed its name to the Midnight Globe after its publisher, Globe...
- National ExaminerNational ExaminerThe National Examiner is a supermarket tabloid owned by the American Media Corporation. Like other tabloids, its contents have often come under question, and it has been derided for its sensationalistic writing....
- SunSun (supermarket tabloid)Sun is a supermarket tabloid owned by American Media Inc.Its contents have often come under question and has been widely regarded as "sensationalistic writing." Since a 1992 invasion of privacy case, a small-print disclaimer printed beneath the masthead has warned readers to "suspend belief for the...
- Country WeeklyCountry WeeklyCountry Weekly is an American tabloid style weekly magazine established in 1994. The magazine focuses on country music stars and events, and regularly features exclusive interviews with recording artists and country music news...
- Muscle & FitnessMuscle & FitnessMuscle & Fitness is an American bodybuilding magazine founded by Joe Weider, but now published by American Media, Inc.-History:Muscle & Fitness has a more mainstream focus than its companion publication, Flex...
- Muscle & Fitness Hers
- Shape
- Men's FitnessMen's FitnessMen's Fitness is a men's magazine published by American Media, Inc and founded in the United States in 1987. The premier issue featured Michael Pare from the television series The Greatest American Hero....
- Flex
- Natural Health
- Radar OnlineRadar (magazine)RadarOnline is an American online publication. It started as a magazine first printed in 2003 as a test issue, relaunched twice in 2005 and 2006, and ceased publication in 2008. The magazine published articles on entertainment, fashion, politics, and human interest...
External links
- American Media, Inc. official website