101communications Acquires Boucher Communications' IT Magazine Group.

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 14, 1999--

101communications LLC Tuesday announced that it has acquired the IT Publishing Group of Boucher Communications Inc. (BCI), whose magazines include ENT, Enterprise Systems Journal, Midrange Systems, HP Professional, Unisphere, Distributed Computing, and Platform Decisions.

The group has a total circulation exceeding 400,000.

Tom Wilson, BCI's executive vice president, will join 101 as Group publisher and report to Jeffrey S. Klein, 101's president and chief operating officer. Andy Landis, BCI's chief financial officer, will join 101 as the company's director of finance, reporting to Michael R. Weaver, 101's CFO.

"101 is very proud to add this outstanding line of magazines," said Curt Hessler, 101's chief executive officer. "They will form the core of our services to system management professionals and to IT vendors that market to them. This Group is staffed by very highly regarded publishing professionals who will accelerate 101's rapid emergence as a major provider of specialized information to the IT community."

"This is terrific news for our readers, customers and employees," stated Wilson. "101 is committed to significantly investing in the growth of its publications and enabling our employees to effectively expand our information franchises in print, on the Web and through educational venues.

"Importantly, 101 is committed to growth exclusively in the information technology market -- providing the focus and expertise required to build a world-class IT publishing company. Joining 101 will enable us to offer enhanced marketing solutions to our customer base and upgraded information resources to our readers."

BCI's seven IT publications serve the information needs of IS, IT and network managers in seven specific market segments. Each publication is editorially targeted to enable its IS readers to better leverage their organization's investment in information technology from an installed base perspective, creating an unusually relevant, actionable editorial environment and superior marketing efficiencies for its advertisers.

The BCI publications also offer an impressive array of marketing services, research and merchandising capabilities which have become industry standard among IT publishers.

"Having Mr. Landis join the 101 team is a major triumph," said Weaver. "His extensive experience with mergers and acquisitions for Boucher and Cardinal are invaluable."

"We have acquired a first-class IT business-to-business publishing group that enhances 101's line of IT magazines and conferences," stated Klein. "We can't wait to work with this high-performance team."

101communications, founded in late 1998, acquires and operates specialized media that target digital professionals and the IT vendors that market to them. 101 is backed by Frontenac Co., a prominent private equity firm with more than $750 million under management.

101's portfolio now includes the following magazines and conferences: Application Development Trends, Application Development Advisor, Java Report, C++ World, JOOP, Syllabus, Recharger, ENT, Enterprise Systems Journal, Unisphere, Distributed Computing, HP Professional, Midrange Systems, Platform Decisions, Syllabus Conference, Recharger WorldExpo Conference and the SIGS Conferences: OOP 99, Smalltalk Solutions, Object Expo 99, XML One Conferences, Component Development Conferences, Application Development, Conference for Java Development and C++ World.