Found Media: Pecker Pokes Hachette

It appears David Pecker, CEO of tabloid publisher American Media Inc., has bought a giant billboard on Broadway and 51st Street in midtown Manhattan. Why is this interesting? Because it's the billboard directly across the street from Hachette Filipacchi headquarters, and which has in recent memory always touted Hachette magazines. Now it will show off Pecker's magazines instead. And who was CEO of Hachette before Jack Kliger? David Pecker. Talk about a screw-you.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Stuart Zakim
American Media Inc.
212-XXX-XXXX
xxxxxx@amilink.com

AMERICAN MEDIA
TAKES OVER
TIMES SQUARE

Giant Billboard
presents unique partnership opportunities
for advertisers

(New York, NY, 5/5/04) — David Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media today unveiled plans to take ownership of one of New York City's most spectacular billboards in Times Square to promote its strong stable of successful consumer magazines. The billboard will be launched on June 1.

Located on Broadway for an entire block between 51st and 52nd Streets, the billboard will present a dynamic showcase for American Media's 20 plus magazines. It is 195 feet long and 25 feet high. It will have three different modular configurations that will allow AMI to make frequent updates to the billboard to represent the covers of its properties as new editions are published. The billboard will deliver over 325 million impressions annually.

Pecker also announced that AMI will be extending the opportunity to partner with the company on this exclusive signage to advertisers in any of its publications.

"This billboard firmly positions AMI as a 'big' player in the publishing capital of the world, New York City and is a great way to get exposure for our magazines in one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the world," said Pecker in commenting on the billboard . With the successful national rollout of Star magazine as a glossy, celebrity news magazine to Shape and Men's Fitness' recent record breaking issues to the kick off of Thalia magazine and the heavily anticipated launch this Fall of a new magazine called MPH (Maximum Performance Horsepower) and a new shelter magazine called Happy Home, AMI is experiencing the kind of success and growth that I envisioned when I decided we needed a major presence in New York City. And, we're proud to be able to offer our advertising partners the chance to be a part of the newest immediate landmark in the city," Pecker concluded.

"We're proud of our partnership with David Pecker and AMI," said George Stonbely, Chairman of Clear Channel Spectacolor, who is developing the billboard with AMI. A major outdoor icon at the world's most photographed and heavily trafficked crossroads is a great showcase for the diverse range of magazines that AMI publishes."

American Media, Inc. is one of the largest media companies in the U.S. and the leading publisher of celebrity journalism, health and fitness and Spanish language magazines. These include the all new glossy Star magazine, Shape, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Flex, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health magazines, the largest newsstand Latino magazine, ¡Mira!; Shape En Espanol and Thalia magazine, The National Enquirer, the best selling country music magazine, Country Weekly; and more than 200 mini-mags and digests. AMI recently launched its own book division with 10 titles released to date. In addition to print properties, AMI owns Distribution Services, Inc., the country's #1 in-store magazine merchandising company