How fares the $1.2 billion media group formerly known as Primedia's enthusiast division? Will the ad recession and the industry downturn stymie growth at the seventy-plus magazines now called Source Interlink Media? We asked, but Steve Parr, the CEO of Source Interlink Media declined our invitation to discuss the recently completed acquisition.

Private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. sold the titles -- and websites -- to grocery magnate Ron Burkle's Yucaipa-backed Source Interlink after the controversial billionaire was rebuffed by The Tribune Company. Source Interlink shares initially fell fifteen percent on news of the agreement last year.

Earlier this month, Source Interlink Companies announced plans to take 40 million copies out of distribution as a cost-saving measure to increase their efficiency rate from 38 percent to 50 percent. ''Last spring,'' writes Lucia Moses of Mediaweek, ''Source cut 57 million copies (5.7 percent of the 1 billion a year it distributed) to improve its 34 percent sell-through rate.''

Source Interlink includes a diverse stable of content, like Soap Opera Digest, Motor Trend, Surfer and Hot Rod. At post time Source Interlink shares are trading down $0.28 or 17.16% at $1.40.