Miller Freeman Parent Company Acquires CMP Media

The status of 10 magazine subscriber lists, and a host of conference attendee files, is uncertain with the recently announced acquisition of CMP, an Internet and technology publishing company, by United News & Media plc.

London-based United News & Media will fold CMP’s operations into its wholly owned subsidiary, Miller Freeman. The purchase price was $39 per share, or $920 million.

The acquisition includes CMP’s 10 U.S.-based high-tech publications and CMPNet, an online technology brand TechWeb. CMP’s publications include InformationWeek, Computer Reseller News, Computer Retail News, VARBusiness, Electronic Engineering News, Network Computing, Internet Week, Windows magazine, tele.com and DataCommunications and BYTE magazine.

In published remarks, Miller Freeman president and CEO Don Pazour said that there was only one area of overlap–in the networks market.”We have a non-leadership position in that area, they are leading in network computing….but those can coexist very, very comfortably.”

No decision has been made on consolidating the two companies’ mailing lists under one list manager. CMP’s titles are managed by Database Marketing Concepts, Bohemia, NY, while Miller Freeman’s files are managed by Rubin Response Services Inc., Schaumburg, IL.

There is an argument to be made against consolidating the files: An April 1, CMP press release announcing the promotion of Gretchen Teichgraeber to VP/marketing and information services indicated that since she joined CMP in 1997, she has increased the profitability of company’s list rental business by more than 30%.

“Our feeling is that we are just hitting our stride with the current CMP list rental business,” Database Marketing Concepts president Peter Candito told DIRECT Newsline. Database Marketing Concepts has had the CMP business for one year, he said.

A Miller Freeman spokesperson said the company has no set track record on consolidating its lists after acquisition. While some smaller publication and trade show acquisitions resulted in files being given to Rubin Response, others, such as the Continuing Medical Education list, acquired in March, have not.

“There is a 25-day grace period [after the close of the deal]. At that point the management teams of both companies will be looking at how they will go forward,” said the spokesperson.