I Feel Good Makes Bid For Viz Publishers

I Feel Good Holdings (IFG), the magazine publishers set up by Loaded’s founding editor, James Brown (see Interview: Anna Hyde, Ad Director and Adam Porter, Online Editorial Guru: I Feel Good), has announced its intention to buy John Brown Publishing (JBP Holdings), publishers of Viz, Bizarre and Fortean Times, as well as consumer magazine titles and websites.

IFG chairman, Felix Dennis said, “Revenues and profits from the new titles will give the company a basis from which to launch further magazine titles and websites and acquire further business.”

The company, which announced results for the period ending 31 December 2000 today, intends to raise £7.3m from a rights issue, covering its £6.4m bid for the publishers. IFG floated on the AIM index in May last year and announced a pre-tax loss of £1.7m and turnover of £703,000 today.

IFG’s own portfolio of titles so far includes a film magazine aimed at ABC1 men, Hotdog, which achieved a circulation of just over 39,000 in the last ABC audit, and the official monthly magazine of Leeds United Football Club.

John Brown, chairman of John Brown Publishing, said today, “Leaving emotion and sentiment aside, this is a unique opportunity for us to fund our considerable contract and consumer ambitions without sacrificing independence.”

IFG: 020 7691 8194 John Brown Publishing: 020 7565 3000

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