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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.
Boating Life, 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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