PRIMEDIA’S REGISTERED REP EDITOR TELLS STOCKBROKERS THESE ARE “THE BEST OF TIMES?”

Led by Editorial Veteran, David Geracioti, January 2002 Issue Declares That the Broker Is Back and Has Won the Battle on Wall Street

New York - January 14, 2002 - PRIMEDIA (NYSE: PRM), the leading targeted media company, today named David Geracioti the new editor of PRIMEDIA’s Registered Rep magazine, the premier source of information for retail investment professionals. His debut issue, January 2002, audaciously proclaims that these are “The Best of Times?” for smart stockbrokers. The piece informs readers that despite all the turmoil and economic uncertainty, smart brokers are building their businesses and winning the battle.

Although it was projected that Internet-only, trading oriented institutions would spell the end of the traditional broker, this informative and innovative cover story goes on to explain that this is not the case. In the year ahead, as individual investors appreciate the tremendous importance of professional advice and recognize that making money is by no means as easy as day-trading, the broker will once again emerge as the leader on Wall Street.

Mr. Geracioti holds a Series 7 license and has more than ten years of experience covering the investment industry and financial markets. He comes to PRIMEDIA’s Registered Rep from Arrow Partners, a boutique Wall Street firm specializing in alternative investments. While at Arrow, from 1999 to 2001, Mr. Geracioti marketed a variety of investment vehicles and portfolio managers to U.S. tax-exempt institutions, brokers and registered investment advisors. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and studied journalism at NYU’s graduate school.

Mr. Geracioti, who joins the publication after previously serving as a senior editor with Smart Money magazine and as a columnist at Institutional Investor, will be responsible for providing readers with analytical and information-packed content that addresses the most critical issues facing members of the investment community. In carrying out these efforts, the January issue of PRIMEDIA’s Registered Rep premiers a significant redesign of the magazine and presents readers with a more relevant and fresh look, including the shortening of the publication’s name from Registered Representative to Registered Rep. This re-engineering process will open up and expand the magazine’s coverage and as a result, content will be focused on the most critical and cutting edge issues faced by today’s investors.

“We intend for the January issue, the first with our new facelift, to serve as a launching pad for the rest of the year as we continue to develop original feature stories that address the most pressing and dynamic issues confronted on Wall Street,” said David Geracioti. “This month’s lead story provides a thought-provoking analysis of the current state of the retail investment community as we stress to our readers that the broker has beaten the odds and won the battle over Internet-only transaction machines.”

“With even the most hardcore Internet brokerage firms offering advice and counsel, it is imperative that our readers understand that the broker is back and stands ready to address the concerns of individual investors. As ‘The Best of Times?’ story indicates, the investment advice that David and his editorial staff provide, is anything but run-of-the-mill,” said Warren Bimblick, senior vice president and general manager of PRIMEDIA’s Financial Services group. “Moving into 2002, we are confident that under David’s leadership, PRIMEDIA’s Registered Rep will continue to develop unique and powerful stories that provide retail investment professionals with the information they need to be successful.”

The January issue of PRIMEDIA’s Registered Rep, featuring this month’s daring cover story, “The Best of Times?” will be available January 10, 2002.

About PRIMEDIA’s Registered Rep Registered Rep is the preferred magazine of retail investment professionals. Each monthly issue reaches approximately 92,000 loyal subscribers who control trillions of dollars of assets for more than 30 million investors. These powerful financial advisers are licensed to sell a broad range of investment products and rely on Registered Rep's rich portfolio of timely features, articles, departments and columns. Registered Rep is part of PRIMEDIA's Financial Services group which also includes Trusts & Estates, National Real Estate Investor and Shopping Center World. These are among the 90 PRIMEDIA Business Magazines and part of PRIMEDIA (NYSE: PRM), the world's largest targeted media company.

About PRIMEDIA PRIMEDIA is the new tradition in media. With 2000 sales of $1.7 billion from a unique combination of traditional and new media properties, it is the leading targeted content and integrated marketing solution in both the consumer and business-to-business sectors. The Company is the #1 special interest magazine publisher in the US, with more than 280 titles such as Seventeen, New York, Fly Fisherman, American Baby, Telephony, American Demographics; the #1 producer and distributor of specialty video with 18 satellite and digital video product lines, including, Channel One Network; and the #1 news and information group on the Internet, with over 1,000 special interest Web sites led by About.com. More information about the Company can be found at www.PRIMEDIA.com

This release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Primedia's operations, economic performance and financial condition. These statements are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates, which are inherently subject to uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, and reflect future business decisions, which are subject to change. Some of these assumptions may not materialize, and unanticipated events will occur which can affect the Company's results.

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Contact: Jessica Prah, 212-446-1874 jprah@sloanepr.com
Noelle Wojciehowski, 212-462-3658 nwojciehowski@primediabusiness.com