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AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE'S David E. Davis, Jr., to Receive Honorary Doctorate from University of Michigan

NEW YORK--April 21, 2004--

  Founder of PRIMEDIA's AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE Recognized for Outstanding Journalistic Contributions  



AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE, America's leading automotive lifestyle publication, is pleased to announce that its founder and editor emeritus, David E. Davis, Jr., will be honored by the University of Michigan with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree on May 1, 2004. This award is in recognition of Davis' significant contributions to automotive journalism.

Davis has been an integral member of and a recognized voice in the automotive industry for more than 50 years, having begun his career as a racing driver in the 1950's. He served as editor and publisher of Car and Driver magazine before founding AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE and held executive positions with Road & Track and MOTOR TREND. Davis has proven to have distinctive insights into the automotive scene and an impressive knowledge of its rich history.

Revered by luminaries throughout the automotive and publishing industries, Ford Motor Company Chairman William Clay Ford Jr. was quoted as saying "...the automotive industry as a whole is better off today because of David E." William B. Ziff Jr, the chairman of Ziff-Davis Publishing Company once wrote "David E. Davis, Jr. is the man who taught special-interest magazines to sing."

AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE was created with the goal of making a magazine that would look and feel as important as the cars it covered, while competing with some of the finest magazines of its day. When Davis founded AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE in 1986, the impact changed the genre of automotive journalism and the face of all automotive publications by raising the standard for the entire enthusiast magazine category. Davis created the first publication where the quality, design, photography and editorial style reflected the lives and values of automotive enthusiasts.

"David E. is one of the most influential voices in the automotive industry, and we're proud to have such a prominent and trusted leader as a member of the PRIMEDIA family," said Kelly Conlin, PRIMEDIA President and CEO. "David E. ushered in a new era for enthusiast publishing, an era marked by editorial excellence and imaginative design; we strive to continue that tradition today and we are fortunate to have David E. as a continuing contributor to the company and to our industry."

An accomplished author and critic, Davis was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the International Automotive Media Awards in 1998. It is because of David E. Davis, Jr., that AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE has become a trendsetter in the automotive publishing industry.

About AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE

AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE, a PRIMEDIA publication, was founded in 1986 by veteran automotive journalist David E. Davis, Jr., and has a circulation of 550,000 and a total readership of 3,559,000 million. Recipient of more editorial awards than any other major automotive publication, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE is designed to appeal to the interests of passionate automotive enthusiasts. Its diverse editorial mix includes behind-the-wheel experiences in the world's most fascinating cars, as well as personalities, travel destinations, automotive art, vintage cars and industry trends.