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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 10-K


ý

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended: December 31, 2004

OR

o

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Commission File number: 1-11106


PRIMEDIA Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware   13-3647573
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

745 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York

 

10151
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(212) 745-0100
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class
  Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share   New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None


        Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý        No o

        Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

        Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2). Yes ý        No o

        The aggregate market value of the voting common equity of PRIMEDIA Inc. ("PRIMEDIA") which is held by non-affiliates of PRIMEDIA, computed by reference to the closing price as of the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, June 30, 2004, was approximately $278 million. The registrant has no non-voting common stock.

        As of February 28, 2005, 262,078,660 shares of PRIMEDIA's Common Stock were outstanding.

        The following documents are incorporated into this Form 10-K by reference: Part III of this Report on Form 10-K incorporates information by reference from the registrant's Proxy Statement for its 2005 Annual Meeting of shareholders to be held on May 11, 2005. The definitive Proxy Statement will be filed within 120 days of the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004.





TABLE OF GUARANTORS

Exact Name of Registrant
as Specified in its Charter

  State or other
Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or
Organization

  Primary Standard
Industrial
Classification
Code Number

  I.R.S. Employer
Identification
Number

About, Inc   Delaware   514191   13-4034015
Canoe & Kayak, Inc.   Delaware   511120   41-1895510
Channel One Communications Corporation.   Delaware   515120   13-3783278
Cover Concepts Marketing Services LLC   Delaware   541890   04-3370389
CSK Publishing Company, Inc   Delaware   511120   13-3023395
Enthusiast Media Subscription Company, Inc   Delaware   561499   20-1941137
Films for the Humanities & Sciences, Inc.   Delaware   512110   13-1932571
Go Lo Entertainment, Inc.   Delaware   561920   95-4307031
Haas Publishing Companies, Inc.   Delaware   511130   58-1858150
Hacienda Productions, Inc.   Delaware   512110   13-4167234
HPC Brazil, Inc.   Delaware   511130   13-4083040
IntelliChoice, Inc.   California   511120   77-0168905
Kagan Media Appraisals, Inc.   California   511120   77-0157500
Kagan Seminars, Inc.   California   511120   94-2515843
Kagan World Media, Inc.   Delaware   511120   77-0225377
McMullen Argus Publishing, Inc.   California   511120   95-2663753
Media Central IP Corp.   Delaware   551112   13-4199107
Motor Trend Auto Shows Inc.   Delaware   561920   57-1157124
Paul Kagan Associates, Inc   Delaware   511120   13-4140957
PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc.   Delaware   511120   48-1071277
PRIMEDIA Companies Inc.   Delaware   551112   13-4177687
PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Publications, Inc.   Pennsylvania   511120   23-1577768
PRIMEDIA Finance Shared Services, Inc.   Delaware   551112   13-4144616
PRIMEDIA Holdings III Inc.   Delaware   551112   13-3617238
PRIMEDIA Information Inc.   Delaware   511120   13-3555670
PRIMEDIA Leisure Group Inc.   Delaware   551112   51-0386031
PRIMEDIA Magazines Inc.   Delaware   511120   13-3616344
PRIMEDIA Magazine Finance Inc.   Delaware   511120   13-3616343
PRIMEDIA Special Interest Publications Inc.   Delaware   511120   52-1654079
PRIMEDIA Specialty Group Inc.   Delaware   551112   36-4099296
PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning LLC   Delaware   611430   13-4119787
PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning LP   Delaware   611430   13-4119784
Simba Information Inc.   Connecticut   511120   06-1281600
The Virtual Flyshop, Inc.   Delaware   511120   01-0775104

        The address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of each additional registrant's principal executive office is 745 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10151 (212-745-0100).

        These companies are listed as guarantors of the debt securities of the registrant. The consolidating financial statements of the Company depicting separately its guarantor and non-guarantor subsidiaries are presented as Note 26 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements. All of the equity securities of each of the guarantors set forth in the table above are owned, either directly or indirectly, by PRIMEDIA Inc., and there has been no default during the preceding 36 calendar months with respect to any indebtedness or material long-term leases of PRIMEDIA Inc. or any of the guarantors.

ii



PRIMEDIA Inc.
Annual Report on Form 10-K
December 31, 2004

 
   
  Page
PART I

Item 1.

 

Business

 

1
Item 2.   Properties   9
Item 3.   Legal Proceedings   10
Item 4.   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders   10

PART II

Item 5.

 

Market for Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters

 

11
Item 6.   Selected Financial Data   12
Item 7.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations   16
Item 7A.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk   63
Item 8.   Financial Statements and Supplementary Data   65
Item 9.   Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure   124
Item 9A.   Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures   124

PART III

Item 10.

 

Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

127
Item 11.   Executive Compensation   127
Item 12.   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management   127
Item 13.   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions   127
Item 14.   Principal Accountant Fees and Services   127

PART IV

Item 15.

 

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

 

127
    Signatures   129
    Valuation and Qualifying Accounts   S-1
    Exhibit Index   E-1

iii



PART I

ITEM 1. BUSINESS.

General

        PRIMEDIA Inc. ("PRIMEDIA" or the "Company") is the leading targeted media company in the United States. The Company's properties comprise more than 200 brands that connect buyers and sellers in more markets than any other media company through print publications, Web sites, events, newsletters and video programs in four market segments.

        The Company's segments are: Enthusiast Media, Consumer Guides, Business Information and Education. The results of these segments, consistent with past practice, are regularly reviewed by the Company's chief operating decision maker and the executive team to determine how resources will be allocated to each segment and to assess the performance of each segment.

        The year 2004 was a year of product upgrades and product introductions. The Company executed on its strategy of focusing on organic growth and upgrading, investing in, and leveraging the high potential brands across the Company.

Enthusiast Media Segment

        PRIMEDIA Enthusiast Media encompasses the Company's consumer magazines, their related Web sites, events, licensing and merchandising and About.com ("About"). Enthusiast Media is the third largest overall producer of magazine advertising pages in the U.S., according to Media Industry Newsletter, February 14, 2005, and has leading market positions in its enthusiast groups: Automotive, Outdoors, Action Sports, Crafts, History, Marine, Equine and Home Technology categories. An agreement to sell About was announced on February 17, 2005.

Enthusiast Media Products

Group

  Publications
  Web Sites
  Events
  Video
Programs

Performance Automotive   42   46   20   3
International Automotive   12   13   16  
Consumer Automotive   3   4   18  
Outdoors   17   18   16   7
Action Sports   10   10   16  
Home Technology   7   7   2  
Lifestyles   33   20   16  
Soaps   2   1    
   
 
 
 
Subtotal   126   119   104   10
About.com     475    
   
 
 
 
Total   126   594   104   10
   
 
 
 

Advertising; Circulation; Editorial

        For the year ended December 31, 2004, in the Enthusiast Media segment, 56% of revenues were from advertising, 36% from circulation and 8% from other sources. The Company's consumer magazine circulation revenue is divided between newsstand sales and subscriptions, at 51% and 49% of circulation revenue, respectively.

        Readers value enthusiast magazines for their targeted editorial content and also rely on them as primary sources of information in the relevant topic areas. This aspect makes the enthusiast magazines important media buys for advertisers. Advertising sales for the Company's enthusiast magazines are generated largely by in-house sales forces. The magazines compete for advertising on the basis of circulation and the niche markets they serve. Each of the Company's enthusiast magazines faces



competition in its subject area from a variety of publishers and competes for readers on the basis of the high quality of its targeted editorial, which is provided by in-house and freelance writers.

        The Company also operates RetailVision, a specialty magazine distribution company, which distributes over 700 titles, including the titles of 80 other publishers, to over 50,000 independent niche retail locations such as auto parts retailers, craft shops, tackle shops, and music stores.

Brands

        The Company publishes 57 automotive magazines, including consumer automotive titles such as Automobile and Motor Trend which cater to the high-end and new car automotive market, as well as highly specialized enthusiast titles such as Hot Rod, Truckin', Super Street, Lowrider, Motorcyclist, 4Wheel & Off-Road and Four Wheeler. The Company's automotive magazines represent the largest portfolio of magazines in the enthusiast and consumer automotive categories. Supplementing the print publications, PRIMEDIA has a strong presence on the Internet with a companion Web site to each publication. In the high-end and new car markets, PRIMEDIA's publications compete against Car and Driver and Road and Track, both owned by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. Inc.

        The Company is a leading publisher of magazines for outdoor and other enthusiast markets with such titles as Fly Fisherman, Power & Motoryacht, EQUUS, and Creating Keepsakes. The Company also publishes numerous magazines targeting action sports enthusiasts such as Surfer, Surfing, Skateboarder and Snowboarder. In the consumer technology market, the Company's publications include Home Theater, Stereophile and PHOTOgraphic. The Company's major competitors in the enthusiast market include the Time4Media division of Time Warner Inc., Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. Inc. and Meredith Publishing, a subsidiary of Meredith Corporation. The Company also competes in individual enthusiast markets with a number of smaller, privately-owned or regionally-based magazine publishers. PRIMEDIA also publishes two leading soap opera magazines, Soap Opera Digest and Soap Opera Weekly. Both publications compete with Bauer Publishing.

        The Company has continued to build brand extensions around its key franchises and has seen solid gains in book events, licensing products and television shows. The Company is focused on building multiple revenue streams online including subscriber acquisition, direct-to-consumer, e-commerce and pay-per click, lead generation and other online advertising.

About

        About is a leading producer of information and original content on the Internet. About generates revenue from two primary sources: brand advertising on the About network and auction-based pay per click classified.

2



Consumer Guides Segment

Consumer Guides Products

Category

  Northeast
  Southeast
  Midwest
  West
  International
  TOTAL
Apartment Guide   24   23   14   19     80
New Home Guide   5   5   6   2   1   19
Auto Guide     2         2
DistribuTech Retail Locations   5,217   3,046   2,347   5,401     16,011
   
 
 
 
 
 
Major Markets   Washington D.C.,
Philadelphia,
Baltimore,
Chicago
  Atlanta,
Tampa,
Orlando,
Miami,
Charlotte
  Dallas-Fort Worth,
Houston,
Austin,
Kansas City
  Phoenix,
Las Vegas,
Los Angeles,
San Francisco,
Denver
  Brazil    

        PRIMEDIA Consumer Guides is the leading publisher and distributor of free consumer guides in the United States with Apartment Guide, New Home Guide and Auto Guide, distributing through its proprietary distribution network, DistribuTech. PRIMEDIA is the largest publisher and distributor of rental apartment guides in the U.S. with guides in 75 regional markets with a combined monthly circulation of 1.6 million. Most of the Company's apartment guide publications are distributed monthly and provide informational listings about featured apartment communities. Virtually 100% of Apartment Guide advertising revenue is generated by apartment community managers who need to fill vacant apartments. All of the Company's consumer guides are free to users. The Company is a leading provider of apartment listings due to the cost effectiveness of its products as measured by the cost per lease to the advertiser.

        The performance of Apartment Guide continued to be impacted by a relatively low interest rate environment allowing more home purchasing and causing a soft apartment rental market. The average number of monthly unique visitors to the Company's Web site, Apartmentguide.com, was approximately 1.2 million per month in 2004. Apartmentguide.com, which carries all of the listings included in the print products, plus listings for cities in which the Company has no publication, listed approximately 19,750 properties as of December 31, 2004. The Web site offers many premium features not provided by its print products including virtual tours and search functionality. Approximately $10 million of revenue was generated by the sale of these premium products during 2004.

        Through the print guides and the Apartmentguide.com Web site, the Company generated approximately 8 million leads for apartment property managers in 2004. The majority of Apartment Guide customers purchase 12-month contracts, and, in 2004, approximately 90% of standard listing contracts were renewed when they expired. In 2004, Apartment Guide had approximately 23,000 advertisers. Advertising in the apartment publications is generated by a 348 person sales force located throughout the United States. The Company's national competitors include Trader Publishing Company (publishers of For Rent) and Network Communications Inc. (publishers of Apartment Finder).

DistribuTech

        DistribuTech is the nation's largest distributor of free publications, and distributes its own consumer guides and over 1,900 third-party titles. In 2004, publications were distributed to more than 49,000 grocery, convenience, video and drug stores, universities, military bases, major employers and other locations in 73 metropolitan areas. Approximately one-third of these locations have exclusive distribution agreements with DistribuTech. The guides are typically displayed in free-standing, multi-pocket racks. DistribuTech generates revenues by leasing rack pockets to other publications and ensuring that the publications are stocked in specific racks. DistribuTech services the racks at each location an average of two to three times per week. DistribuTech competes for third-party publication distribution primarily on the basis of its prime

3



retail locations and its service. DistribuTech's principal competitor is Trader Distribution Services, a division of Trader Publishing Company.

New Home Guide

        The Company is a leader in new home guides with publications in 19 major markets including Denver, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth and Philadelphia. New launches in 2004 included Orlando and Houston. Consumer Guides is targeting to have 25 New Home Guides by year end 2005 through launches and strategic acquisitions.

        The new home publications provide informational listings about featured new home communities with the majority of advertising revenue generated by builders and developers. Most of the Company's New Home Guide publications are published bi-monthly with a combined circulation of one-half million. Advertisers are featured on the Newhomeguide.com Web site, which received over 2.7 million unique users in 2004 and was comprised of over 4,800 total properties as of December 31, 2004. The Company's national competitor is Network Communications, Inc. (publishers of New Home Finder).

Auto Guide

        The Company's newest business is its Auto Guide division. Consumer Guides launched its first Auto Guide in Charlotte, North Carolina in March 2004 followed by a second launch in Triad (Greensboro, Winston Salem), North Carolina in November 2004. The Company's third Auto Guide was launched in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham), North Carolina market in January 2005. The Company plans to aggressively build its Auto Guide division throughout 2005 with both internally launched start up markets and acquisitions of competing publications.

        The Company is building on its proprietary distribution channels and successful high margin business model to enter the substantial market for pre-owned vehicle advertising by auto dealers. Auto Guide publishes current auto dealer pre-owned car inventory and also provides customer leads to dealers through its Web sites in each market. (i.e., charlotteautoguide.com). On February 16, 2005, the Company acquired Atlanta Cars Magazine, the leading provider of new and used car, SUV and truck listings from dealerships in the Atlanta area and the related online property, atlantacars.com. Consumer Guides is targeting having a total of 10 Auto Guides by the end of 2005. The Company's main national competitor is Trader Publishing Company (publisher of Auto Trader and Auto Mart).

4


Business Information Segment

        PRIMEDIA Business Information is a leading information provider in more than 18 business markets. Business Information is a leading publisher of magazines, directories, data products, buyer's guides, Web sites and events that provide vital information to business professionals.

Business Information Products

Category

  Publications
  Directories,
Data Products
& Buyer's
Guides

  Web
Sites

  Conferences
and Trade
Shows

Transportation and Public Services   14   20   19   3
Entertainment and Media   11   11   19   4
Technology and Telecommunications   7   5   8   2
Energy and Construction   12   10   21   9
Marketing and Meetings   10   5   15   6
Financial Services   4   2   5   1
Agribusiness and Textiles   14   2   17  
Fitness and Healthcare   2   2   5   3
   
 
 
 
Total   74   57   109   28
   
 
 
 

Magazines

        Each of the business information magazines is distributed almost exclusively to purchasing decision-makers in a targeted industry group and provides a highly targeted advertising medium to that industry. These magazines compete for advertising on the basis of advertising rates, circulation, reach, editorial content and readership commitment. Advertising sales are made by in-house sales forces and are supplemented by independent representatives in selected regions and overseas. The Financial Services, Telecommunications and Electrical categories had strong years in 2004 as a result of innovative marketing programs. In 2004, over 78% of the Company's business information magazine titles ranked number one or number two in their category based on advertising pages as tracked by Inquiry Management Systems.

        The Company competes with large domestic and international competitors across the different business information markets that it serves. These competitors include Reed Business Information (owned by Reed Elsevier Group plc), VNU Business Media (owned by VNU NV) and Advanstar Communications.

        In 2005, the Company will actively seek to further leverage Business Information's powerful brands, focusing on new revenue streams from ancillary products and outside alliances. The Company will also work to enhance existing marketing programs beyond print advertising, expanding the use of e-mail newsletters, subscription data products, Webcasts, market databases and other tools, to better identify prospects and deliver leads to customer sales organizations.

Data Products

        The Company also publishes products that provide in-depth data on selected markets. Ward's Automotive Reports is recognized as the authoritative source for industry-wide statistics on automotive production and sales. In addition, the Company publishes used vehicle valuation information in print and electronic formats including EquipmentWatch. The EquipmentWatch Web site was revamped in 2004 and post-revamping revenues grew substantially. Other data based products include The Electronics Source Book and AC-U-KWIK.

5



Conferences and Trade Shows

        The Company sponsors conferences and trade shows, in most cases serving the advertisers and readers of the corresponding publications, including Waste Expo, Lighting Dimensions International, Promo Expo and Club Industry National. A number of the conferences and trade shows were repositioned in 2004 including relaunching the Anti-Aging exposition as the Integrative Medicine for Anti-Aging Conference.

Education Segment

        PRIMEDIA Education is comprised of Channel One, a proprietary network to secondary schools, Films Media Group, a leading source of educational videos in multiple formats, and Interactive Medical Network ("IMN"), a continuing medical education business.

Education Products

        Channel One News is the highest rated teen television program, reaching over 7.7 million teens in over 350,000 classrooms across the U.S. and is the only daily, closed circuit television news program delivered to secondary school students in their classrooms. Channel One News' average teen audience is ten times larger than the average teen audience of the five cable news networks and the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC combined, and is twenty times larger than MTV's average weekly teen audience.

        Channel One generates the majority of its revenue by selling the two minutes of advertising shown during each 12-minute Channel One News daily newscast. Channel One News airs only during the school year, typically September to June. Accordingly, Channel One earns the largest share of its revenue in the beginning of the school year, the Company's fourth quarter. The Channel One News program does not air during the summer months and, accordingly, Channel One sees a seasonal revenue drop in the Company's third quarter each year. Channel One has no direct competitors.

        The Films Media Group is a leading distributor of videos, DVDs, and CD-ROMs to schools, colleges, and libraries in North America. Its products are sold mostly by direct mail to teachers, instructors and librarians and primarily serve students in grades 8 to 12 and in college. Films Media Group has seen the demand for VHS formats decline in favor of DVD, and has launched a platform for the digital distribution of its content library suited to the technology structure at learning institutions in 2005. The major competitors are Discovery Communications, Inc. (which recently acquired United Learning and AIMS Multimedia), PBS Video and Schlessinger Media, a division of Library Video Company (which recently acquired Safari Technologies' Video Networking Division).

        IMN, previously part of Workplace Learning that has been discontinued, provides continuing medical education principally dealing with the central nervous system.

Divestitures

        Historically, PRIMEDIA has actively sought to acquire magazines and other media properties to strengthen its competitive position in the segments and markets in which it competes. The Company has also traditionally managed its portfolio of media assets by opportunistically divesting assets no longer core to the Company's overall strategy. In 2004, PRIMEDIA continued to focus on reducing the amount of debt and preferred stock on its balance sheet through the divestiture New York Magazine.

        In early 2004, the Company completed the sale of New York magazine to New York Media Holdings, LLC, an entity controlled by Wasserstein family trusts, for $55 million. Additionally, the Company completed the sale of Kagan World Media to MCG Capital Corporation and About Web Services to United Online, Inc. for proceeds of approximately $2.2 and $12.2 million, respectively, in 2004.

        During August 2004, Folio and Circulation Management were contributed to a venture with a third party, under which the Company will not have a significant continuing involvement in the operations and

6



the Company's share of associated cash flows is not expected to be significant. Additionally, American Demographics was sold in November 2004.

        In September 2004, the Company announced that it would explore strategic options regarding its Workplace Learning division and is actively pursuing the sale of this division, excluding the Interactive Medical Network.

        Financial results for these divestitures and planned divestitures are reported in discontinued operations on the statements of consolidated operations. As a result of these divestitures, the Company is now more focused on growing the revenues of its core businesses.

        On February 17, 2005, the Company announced an agreement to sell About, Inc., part of the Enthusiast Media segment, to the New York Times Company for approximately $410 million. The sale is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2005. (See Recent Developments section of Item 7. Management's Discussion And Analysis Of Financial Condition And Results Of Operations for further discussion)

Production and Fulfillment

        Virtually all of the Company's print products are printed and bound by independent printers. The Company believes that because of its buying power, outside printing services can be purchased at favorable prices. The Company provides most of the content for its Web sites but outsources technology and production.

        The principal raw material used in the Company's products is paper which is purchased directly from several paper mills, including the industry's two largest paper mills. Paper prices increased in 2004 with additional increases occurring in early 2005 and forecasted for later in 2005.

        The Company uses the U.S. Postal Service for distribution of many of its products and marketing materials and is therefore subject to postal rate changes. Many of the Company's products are packaged and delivered to the U.S. Postal Service directly by the printers. Other products are sent from warehouses and other facilities operated by the Company. Postal rates did not increase in 2004 and are not expected to increase in 2005. While we are not able to quantify the impact, we do anticipate postal rate increases in 2006.

        In the future, the Company may be affected by cost increases driven by inflation or market conditions.

Employees

        During 2004, the Company's headcount declined primarily due to divestitures and consolidation of certain functions. As of December 31, 2004, the Company had approximately 4,500 full-time equivalent employees compared to approximately 4,700 at the end of 2003. None of its employees are union members. Management considers its relations with its employees to be good.

Company Organization

        PRIMEDIA was incorporated on November 22, 1991 in the State of Delaware. The principal executive office of the Company is located at 745 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10151; telephone number (212) 745-0100.

        The Company holds regular meetings to inform investors about the Company. To obtain information on these meetings or to learn more about the Company please contact:

7


        The 2005 PRIMEDIA Annual Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Wednesday, May 11, 2005 at 10 a.m., at the Peninsula Hotel, 700 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY.

Available Information

        The Company's Internet address is: www.primedia.com. The Company makes available free of charge through its Web site its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as soon as reasonably practicable after such documents are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission.

8



ITEM 2. PROPERTIES.

        The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the Company's principal locations as of December 31, 2004. These properties were leased by the Company initially for use in its operations but as a result of divestitures and consolidations, certain of these properties are now leased to third party tenants. Of the total of approximately 2.6 million rentable square feet currently under lease, approximately 505,000 rentable square feet are either available for sublease or currently subleased to a third party. The locations presently used by the Company for its operations are considered adequate by the Company for its present needs.

Principal Locations

  Principal Use
  Approximate
Rentable Square
Feet(rsf)

  Type of Ownership
Expiration Date
of Lease

New York, NY
745 Fifth Ave.
  Executive and administrative offices (Corporate)   81,041   Lease expires in 2008,
38,023 rsf sublet

New York, NY
249 W. 17th Street

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

79,000

 

Lease expires in 2007

New York, NY
1440 Broadway

 

Executive and administrative offices (Corporate and Education)

 

206,801

 

Lease expires in 2015,
184,220 rsf currently sublet

New York, NY
200 Madison Ave.

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

45,480

 

Lease expires in 2006

New York, NY
260 Madison Ave.

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

33,208

 

Lease expires in 2008

New York, NY
261 Madison Ave.

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

40,324

 

Lease expires in 2008,
8,869 rsf sublet

Lawrenceville, NJ
2572 Brunswick Pike

 

Printing and video duplication (Education)

 

54,000

 

Lease expires in 2013

Anaheim, CA
2400 Katella Ave.

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

33,522

 

Lease expires in 2008

Los Angeles, CA
6420 Wilshire Blvd.

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

207,469

 

Lease expires in 2009,
75,070 rsf currently sublet

Los Angeles, CA
5300 Melrose Avenue

 

Executive and administrative offices and broadcast production (Education)

 

26,221

 

Lease expires in 2005

Harrisburg, PA
6375 Flank Drive

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

14,107

 

Lease expires in 2014

Harrisburg, PA
6405 Flank Drive

 

Executive and administrative offices (Enthusiast Media)

 

32,200

 

Lease expires in 2009

Overland Park, KS
9800 Metcalf Avenue

 

Executive and administrative offices (Business Information)

 

85,648

 

Lease expires in 2006,
5,962 rsf sublet

Stamford, CT
11 Riverbend Drive

 

Executive and administrative offices (Business Information)

 

62,751

 

Lease expires in 2006
22,000 rsf available for sublease

Norcross, GA
3119-3139 Campus Drive

 

Executive and administrative offices (Consumer Guides)

 

50,100

 

Lease expires in 2009

Norcross, GA
3159 Campus Drive

 

Executive and administrative offices (Consumer Guides)

 

20,200

 

Month to month

Carrolton, TX
4101 International Parkway

 

Executive and administrative offices, small printing and video duplication (Education)

 

205,750

 

Lease expires in 2014

9



ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.

        The Company is involved in ordinary and routine litigation incidental to its business. In the opinion of management, there is no pending legal proceeding that would have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial statements of the Company.


ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

        There were no matters submitted to a vote of security holders during the fourth quarter of 2004.

10



PART II

ITEM 5.    MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS.

Market Information

        PRIMEDIA Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol "PRM". As of February 28, 2005, there were 877 holders of record of PRIMEDIA Common Stock. The Company has not paid and has no present intention to pay dividends on its Common Stock. In addition, the Company's bank credit facility and Senior Notes impose certain limitations on the amount of dividends permitted to be paid on the Company's Common Stock. See Item 7 of Part II, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Liquidity, Capital and Other Resources-Financing Arrangements." High, low and closing sales prices for 2004 and 2003 were as follows:

 
  2004 Sales Price
Quarters Ended

  High
  Low
  Close
March 31   $ 3.06   $ 2.33   $ 2.70
June 30   $ 3.09   $ 2.51   $ 2.78
September 30   $ 2.78   $ 1.64   $ 2.35
December 31   $ 4.06   $ 2.15   $ 3.80
 
  2003 Sales Price
Quarters Ended

  High
  Low
  Close
March 31   $ 3.05   $ 1.87   $ 2.45
June 30   $ 3.78   $ 2.03   $ 3.05
September 30   $ 3.99   $ 2.33   $ 2.85
December 31   $ 3.45   $ 2.58   $ 2.83

        The closing stock price increased by 34.3% from December 31, 2003 to December 31, 2004. From January 1, 2005 through March 10, 2005, the high price for the stock was $4.44, the low price was $3.35 and the closing price on March 10, 2005 was $3.96.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

        Information required by this item with respect to equity compensation plans of the Company is incorporated by reference to the Company's Proxy Statement for its 2005 Annual Meeting of shareholders. The definitive Proxy Statement will be filed within 120 days of the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004.

Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

        In November 2004, the Company issued 78,000 shares of its unregistered Common Stock to Paul Kagan as deferred purchase price payable in connection with the acquisition by the Company in November 2000 of the assets of Paul Kagan Associates, Inc. and the stock of certain of its affiliated companies. The aggregate purchase price paid by the Company in connection with the transaction was 1,190,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock, of which 390,000 shares were payable in five equal annual installments of 78,000 shares on each annual anniversary of the closing date of the transaction. The issuance to Paul Kagan was made by the Company in reliance on Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

        In June 2004, the Company issued to George Roberts, a former director of the Company, 90,082 shares of the Company's unregistered Common Stock as compensation for his services as a director from March 1992 to May 2004. Mr. Roberts was permitted to defer payment of his director's fees and receive

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the fees in the form of Common Stock pursuant to the Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan. Mr. Roberts deferred the payment of an aggregate of $385,975 of directors' fees that he would have otherwise received in cash at the time the services were provided. The issuance to Mr. Roberts was made by the Company in reliance on the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA.

        The selected consolidated financial data were derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 and for the years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002. The data should be read in conjunction with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and the consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere herein.

        In September 2004, the Company announced that it would explore strategic options regarding its Workplace Learning division and is actively pursuing the sale of this division, excluding the Interactive Medical Network ("IMN"). In addition, during the fourth quarter of 2004, the Company decided to shut down six magazines in the Enthusiast Media segment. In accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards ("SFAS") No. 144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" ("SFAS 144"), the Company has reclassified the results of Workplace Learning, excluding IMN, and the six Enthusiast Media magazines as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

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PRIMEDIA INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 
  Years Ended December 31,
 
 
  2004
  2003
  2002
  2001
  2000
 
 
  (dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

 
Operating Data:                                
Revenues, net(1)   $ 1,307,079   $ 1,282,750   $ 1,340,763   $ 1,299,239   $ 1,260,581  
Depreciation of property and equipment(2)     37,380     46,351     56,172     64,139     39,437  
Amortization of intangible assets, goodwill and other(3)(7)     26,669     53,589     158,893     670,607     100,571  
Other (income) charges(4)     20,954     29,249     67,265     39,552     38,032  
Operating income (loss)     175,014     122,413     (39,079 )   (630,801 )   14,370  
Provision for impairment of investments(5)     (804 )   (8,975 )   (19,045 )   (106,200 )   (188,526 )
Interest expense     (123,317 )   (122,914 )   (138,593 )   (144,277 )   (141,381 )
Income (loss) from continuing operations before provision for income tax(12)     21,331     (37,829 )   (195,193 )   (924,902 )   (321,969 )
Provision for income taxes(6)     (14,945 )   (12,220 )   (46,375 )   (135,000 )   (41,200 )
Income (loss) from continuing operations     6,386     (50,049 )   (241,568 )   (1,059,902 )   (363,169 )
Discontinued operations     29,084     88,921     30,653     (51,739 )   16,343  
Cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle(7)             (388,508 )        
Net income (loss)     35,470     38,872     (599,423 )   (1,111,641 )   (346,826 )
Preferred stock dividends and related accretion, net(8)(12)     (13,505 )   (41,853 )   (47,656 )   (62,236 )   (53,063 )
Income (loss) applicable to common shareholders     21,965     (2,981 )   (647,079 )   (1,173,877 )   (399,889 )
Basic and diluted income (loss) applicable to common shareholders per common share(9):                                
Loss from continuing operations   $ (0.03 ) $ (0.35 ) $ (1.14 ) $ (5.18 ) $ (2.58 )
Discontinued operations     0.11     0.34     0.12     (0.24 )