Trade shows have become a particularly sought after asset in media M&A lately. B2B publisher 1105 Media has just sold its education technology events to LRP Publications, a Palm Beach Gardens, Florida-based media company targeting education administrators.
Included in the deal are four events: Future of Education Technology Conference, FETC Virtual Conference, Campus Technology Conference and the Campus Technology Forum.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Mike Eason, president of 1105's education events group, will join LRP Publications.
For LRP, the events allow it to broaden its scope of audience and coverage. The company has created a new group to specifically house the brands. "With their addition we saw a great opportunity to reach a wider education audience, as well as build on our existing HR Technology market, offering a broader audience to our technology exhibitors," says Ken Kahn, president of LRP Publications, in a statement.
It's a curious move for 1105, the company just re-upped its commitment to the education group by bringing back the print version of T.H.E. Journal, a K-12 education technology magazine, after existing for two years as a digital-only brand.
And the company says it will continue to produce the education group's print and digital products, which also include Campus Technology.
Nevertheless, Rajeev Kapur, a former tech executive who became CEO of 1105 last November, says the sale will help the company's balance sheet and allow it to focus resources on "growing the other parts of our extensive product portfolio."
1105 also has media and event assets in the government, enterprise computing and business technology sectors. Media M&A broker Berkery Noyes represented 1105 in the deal.
