FOLIO: WIRE | Billboard's Billboard Year | NYTimes Style Mag Reports Ad Page Jump | AGI Events Buys 12 | More

By Dylan Stableford

Billboard's Billboard Year

VNU Business Media's 111-year-old Billboard
is reporting a billboard-worthy 2005 performance, up 22% in ad pages, "72% in national consumer ad revenue and 25% in classified ad revenue." Its year-end issue will carry more than 80 advertising pages, marking the magazine's largest issue since 1996, according to the company. Online advertising revenue is up 28 percent over 2004 and conference registrations were up 76 percent from last year's total. Billboard was redesigned this year. The company also launched Billboard Mobile in 2005 targeting content for mobile users.

NYT Style Mag Grows

It may not be the greatest era for newspapers nor a great time to be a New York Times editor, but the company's Style magazine, it seems, is doing alright. On Monday, the company announced its roving T: The New York Times Style Magazine had a total of 1,349 advertising pages in 2005, a 37 percent increase over 2004. NYT: Style is published 14 times per year.

Official Xbox Mag to Offer Exclusive Preview of Final Fantasy

In news that will sure to bring holiday warmth to video game nerds everywhere, the Official Xbox Magazine
"will be the only place Xbox 360ﾙ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft gamers and FINAL FANTASYﾮ fans can go to get a sneak peek of Square Enix's highly successful FINAL FANTASY XI, a massively multi-player online role-playing game (MMORPG)." The magazine will include the limited edition, playable FINAL FANTASY XI beta disc for the hellishly popular console in the February 2006 issue, hitting newsstands January 17, 2006.

American Baby and The Knot Tie Online Partnership

Proving even babies are shifting their dollars online American Baby magazine and The Knot Inc. announced this week the joint launch of a new e-commerce site, www.AmericanBabyShop.com
, featuring over 400 baby gift products. The partnership includes cross-promotion in the magazine and TheKnot.com, a popular online shopping destinations for newly-engaged and married couples.

Tango Snags Stevie Award

Tango, the rookie quarterly which recently announced frequency (to bimonthly) and rate base (to 200,000) hikes, was named best new product of the year in the second annual Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs
. The competition recognizing the accomplishments of women executives and business owners.

AGI Events Acquires 12

AGI Events, the live production arm of Affinity Group, Inc., this week announced its acquisition of 12 consumer boat, home and garden, RV and camping events from Richmond, Virginia-based Royal Productions, Inc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Affinity Group, Inc. also owns Ehlert Publishing, which produces consumer magazines in the boat, camping, snow mobile, ATV and motorcycle industries. Corporate Solutions, LLC represented Royal Productions in the deal.

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