Ziff Davis Media Sells 1UP Digital Assets to UGO Entertainment, a
Division of Hearst Corporation
Sale Allows Ziff Davis Media to Focus Solely on its Core PCMag
Digital Network Business
Final Print Edition of EGM to be Distributed in January ‘09
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ziff Davis Media, one of the nation’s leading technology media
businesses, announced today the sale of the 1UP Digital Network,
including 1UP.com, MyCheats.com, GameVideos.com and GameTab.com to UGO
Entertainment, a division of Hearst Corporation
Ziff Davis Media’s EGM Magazine will be discontinued. The January ‘09
issue will be the final printed issue.
“We believe this is a smart transaction for Ziff Davis Media that places
these market leading assets and teams in a great environment poised for
further success. The transaction allows us to pay down debt and shift
our full focus to our core PCMag Digital Network business. We thank our
1UP team members for their contributions and wish them the best of
success into the future”, said Ziff Davis Media CEO Jason Young.
“Since we started UGO 11 years ago, we have served the gamer community
and built a world-class online publishing platform,” said J Moses, CEO
of UGO Entertainment. “The acquisition of 1UP, with its authentic voice,
tenured editorial personalities and bustling user community, allows us
to expand our base of quality content and represents a major step
forward in UGO’s mission to become the leader in the games space.”
Ziff Davis Media recently announced the launch of the PCMag Digital
Network reflecting a move to a 100% digital position for its flagship
brand. The PCMag Digital Network leverages its quality content and
audience to offer marketers a unique combination of solutions that
enable strong brand positioning, while driving measurable response
results. More announcements about the future growth and expansion of The
Network will be issued in the coming months.
GCA Savvian Advisors acted as exclusive financial advisor to Ziff Davis
Media on the transaction.
About the PCMag Digital Network
The PCMag Digital Network (www.PCMag.com)
is one of the world’s best-known publishers of leading technology-based
digital content products. Its flagship property, PCMag.com, delivers
comprehensive labs-based product reviews and the world-renowned PCMag
Editors’ Choice Awards, the most trusted buying recommendations for
technology products and services across the globe.
Reaching more than seven million highly engaged technology buyers and
influencers, PCMag Digital Network provides contextual marketing
solutions that drive results. Brands within the Network also include
ExtremeTech, Gearlog, Appscout, Smart Device Central, GoodCleanTech,
DL.TV, Cranky Geeks, and PCMagCast. The Network’s content is delivered
worldwide to readers across a multiple platform of Web sites,
e-newsletters, Webcasts, broadband video, software downloads and RSS
feeds to users in more than 20 countries.