just read that a bunch of private equity guys finally bought a big competitor of Big Media Company, Dutch publishing conglomerate VNU. The owner of Nielsen (the TV ratings people), AdWeek (the well-written, yet somehow annoying media magazine), and a bunch of other prime periodicals, data companies, and trade shows. My beloved Big Media Company is probably champing at the bit to do the same. With print sales taking a bath and new media money not pouring in for publishers like everybody said it would, it's time to get the hell out. Or, maybe, time to buy something else.
| Coming on the heels of other groundbreaking B2B media deals, VNU's sale was no surprise. Those private equity guys are about as gentle as an 18th century proctologist, to boot. |
Coming on the heels of the Primedia deal, Hanley Wood, and some other groundbreaking B2B media deals, VNU's sale was no surprise. Those private equity guys are about as gentle as an 18th century proctologist, to boot. Thomas H Lee, KKR, and Blackstone Group are all about the people, aren't they? I can picture them, sitting around the old Polycom conference call unit, big jugs of Voss designer water in front of them, talking about how they can improve the company health plan and add an extra percentage point or two to the 401K matching contribution.
We'll see how long it takes them to lop off a few choice divisions, and I wouldn't be surprised if my beloved Big Media Company doesn't end up with a few of them. You know what they say: If you can't grow revenue on your own, you can buy your way into some. Buy a few mags, fire all of their back-office and production staff, and double up your own staff's workload. Same fixed costs—double the productivity!
Sure, you'll lose about 25 percent to attrition, but the job market's tough for the low-end employee, and there are plenty of folks out there willing to brave a four-hour round trip commute to make $35,000 a year. Now you're talking about real margins. The important thing is, what does this mean for your loyal and dedicated Secret Sales Guy? Will I get another magazine to run? Will Big Media Company follow VNU's lead and start shopping my magazines around? Stay tuned...
