Media Consolidation Continues
to Change Ag Publication Landscape

By Ron Wall

Recent acquisitions of media companies Doane Agricultural Services and Primedia Business Information continue the consolidation trend throughout the communication industry.

Vance Publishing Corporation brought St. Louis-based Doane Agricultural Services into the fold in early October. Included in the purchase was industry bible AgriMarketing magazine. Less than a week later, Henderson Communications LLC, a newly formed ag communications company, led by Lynn Henderson, announced that it had purchased AgriMarketing magazine from Vance Publishing.

According to Henderson there will be few changes in the magazine. "It's frequency, circulation and editorial content will remain the same," he said.

However, Ag Professional will be combined with an existing Vance product, Dealer & Applicator.

"The magazines currently serve slightly different but compatible markets," says Bill Newham, vice president of Vance's Food360° Division. "Dealer and Applicator focuses on the retail trade and Ag Professional targets professional farm managers and crop consultants as well as retailers." The publication, which will be produced 12 times a year, will retain the Ag Professional name.

The purchase also included Doane's marketing newsletter and its syndicated radio show, AgriTalk.

October also marked the closing of the deal that saw Primedia Business Information go to PBI Media Holdings Inc. for $385 million. Financing for the purchase came courtesy of Wasserstein & Co., LP, a New York venture capital company.

Primedia Business Information, one of country's largest publishers of business-to-business publications, produces 70 trade publications. They include The Corn and Soybean Digest, Beef, Apply, Farm Industry News, Hay & Forage Grower, National Hog Farmer and the four regional Farm Press publications.

PBI Media Holdings Inc has not formerly announced any changes or plans for the publications. According to one publication editor, "It's business as usual."

Ron Wall, a writer for ADFARM in Calgary, AB, is editor of The ByLine and chair of The ByLine committee in 2005-2006. He can be reached at Ron.Wall@adfarmonline.com.