Auto Trader Competitor Auto Guides Kicks Off West Coast Expansion

NEW YORK--May 1, 20056, 2005--PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides, the country's leading publisher and distributor of apartment, new home and auto guides, today announced the launch of Orange County Auto Guide. The launch marks the company's entrance into one of the nation's largest and most lucrative auto markets. The Orange County Auto Guide is a free, weekly color publication for consumers featuring comprehensive listings of used cars, SUVs and trucks for sale by auto dealerships in the greater Orange County region.

The Auto Guide's aggressive roll-out is spurred by PRIMEDIA's operating experience in the consumer guides business, its financial strength and the reach of its distribution arm, DistribuTech. The ideal platform for rapid growth in new markets, DistribuTech controls distribution through exclusive agreements with many of the largest and best known retailers in the area.

Orange County, one of the largest and fastest growing automotive markets in the country, is the next step in establishing a national footprint for the company's Auto Guide business. According to the Orange County Automobile Dealer's Association, Orange County had a six percent year-over-year increase in passenger car and truck registrations, compared to a less than 1% increase across the U.S.

"In less than one year, we have established a strong Southeastern Auto Guide presence. Our goal is to continue to expand to high growth markets to establish a nationwide Auto Guide network leveraging our existing nationwide distribution network. Our expansion into Orange County is another step towards that goal," said Bob Metz, chief executive officer, PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides. "We spent a significant amount of time in our first few markets working with our auto dealer customers to understand their needs. We have built our product and service offerings to provide the best advertising solution to meet those needs, and we are excited about rolling this program out in large-scale markets such as Orange County."

Orange County Auto Guide is PRIMEDIA's second new market launch this year, and the fifth Auto Guide in publication. Working with DistribuTech, more than 27,000 copies of the guide will be available weekly in over 1,000 locations across the Orange County region, making Orange County Auto Guide the most widely distributed title in the Auto Guide family. Orange County Auto Guide will be available in retail locations such as Ralphs, Albertsons, Vons, Pavillions, Blockbuster, 7-Eleven, Stater-Bros and Savon.

About PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides

PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides is the largest publisher and distributor of apartment, new home and auto guides. The segment publishes and distributes 81 Apartment Guides in 75 regional markets with a combined monthly circulation of 1.6 million. Through the Apartment Guides and Apartmentguide.com, the company generated nearly 1 million leases for apartment property managers in 2004. Consumer Guides' New Home Guide offers consumers comprehensive information about new home communities in 25 regional markets. Its newest publication, Auto Guide, features comprehensive and easy to use listings of used cars, SUVs and trucks for sale by auto dealerships in Metropolitan Atlanta, three North Carolina markets and Orange County. The company's distribution arm, DistribuTech, has exclusive distribution relationships with many of the country's leading supermarkets and chain stores and last year distributed more than 2,000 separate publications to these venues on behalf of other publishing organizations.

About PRIMEDIA

PRIMEDIA (PRM) is the leading targeted media company in the United States. With 2004 revenue of $1.3 billion, our properties comprise more than 200 brands that connect buyers and sellers in more markets than any other media company through our print publications, Web sites, events, newsletters and video programs in four business segments: Enthusiast Media, Consumer Guides, Business Information, and Education. PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Media includes more than 120 consumer magazines, with well-known brands such as Motor Trend, Automobile, Creating Keepsakes, In-Fisherman, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile and Surfer. PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides is the #1 publisher and distributor of free consumer guides, with Apartment Guide, Auto Guide and New Home Guide. PRIMEDIA Business Information has more than 60 publications in 18 market sectors. PRIMEDIA Education includes Channel One and other educational products.