American Media, Inc., Announces Promotions at Weider Publications.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 7, 2003

David J. Pecker, Chairman and CEO of American Media, Inc., today announced the promotions of several executives to top positions at AMI's Weider Publications Active Lifestyle and Enthusiast Groups of Magazines.

AMI acquired Weider Publications and its related properties last November.

Carolyn Bekkedahl was promoted to Executive Vice President of AMI and Publishing Director of the Weider Active Lifestyle Group and Barbara S. Harris was promoted to Executive Vice President of AMI and Editorial Director of the Weider Active Lifestyle Group. Ms. Harris has appointed Anne M. Russell to replace her as Editor In Chief of Shape Magazine.

The titles in the Weider Active Lifestyle Group are Shape, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health, and represent the leading publications in the women's active lifestyle, pre & postnatal fitness and self-care categories. These titles have a readership in excess of 9 million, with Shape the market leader in both circulation and advertising.

The promotions are effective immediately. Ms. Bekkedahl and Ms. Harris will report directly to Mr. Pecker, with Ms. Russell reporting to Ms. Harris.

"Barbara and Carolyn have played key roles at the Weider Active Lifestyle Group," Mr. Pecker said. "There are few editors in America that command the respect Barbara Harris does and few publishers that can claim the sales success that Carolyn has had. I know they will both continue to make significant contributions to realizing our future goals as we move forward."

Ms. Harris has been SHAPE Magazine's Editor in Chief for the past 15 years. During her leadership, SHAPE has won over 60 editorial awards and has launched successful magazine spin-offs including Fit Pregnancy. She is a winner of the Healthy American Fitness Leader award and has served as adviser to the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.

On her new role, Ms. Harris said "I look forward to continuing my involvement with Shape and my working relationship with Anne as we maintain our leadership position in the women's active lifestyle category. With a change in direction, Natural Health will shake up the general lifestyle and women's health market and we also have plans to strengthen the unique position of Fit Pregnancy as well."

Ms. Bekkedahl joined Weider Publications in 1999. She was named a Senior Vice President of Weider and Publishing Director of the Active Lifestyle Group in 2000. Ms. Bekkedahl had a 10-year career in sales and publishing at Hachette Filipacchi Magazines before joining Weider. "The active lifestyle market is booming, "commented Ms. Bekkedahl. "Shape, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health are well-established leaders in their fields. And with AMI behind us, we have so many more resources available that the potential for growth is limitless."

Ms. Russell has served as Editorial Director of Shape under Ms. Harris since April 2001. Prior to that, she was Editorial Director of Fox TV's Health Network and has also been Editor In Chief of Folio, Living Fit and Vegetarian Times. As to her plans for Shape, Ms. Russell said she "hoped to build on the tremendous success Shape has realized to date."

Mr. Pecker also announced the promotion of Thomas C. Deters to Executive Vice President of AMI and Publishing Director of the Weider Publications Enthusiast Group. At the same time, Mr. Pecker said that Senior Vice President & Enthusiast Group Editorial Director Vincent Scalisi has renewed his contract.

AMI's Weider Enthusiast Group consists of Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Muscle & Fitness Hers and Men's Fitness. Total readership is more than 15 million. The promotion is effective immediately and Mr. Deters will report directly to Mr. Pecker. Mr. Scalisi will continue to report to Mr. Deters.

"Tom has done an unbelievable job in expanding the reach of these titles to a new generation of fitness enthusiasts," commented Mr. Pecker, " while broadening their appeal to new categories of advertisers. And Vince has been with him every step of the way."

Mr. Deters has been with Weider for over 14 years, most recently serving as the Group Publisher of the Enthusiast Group as well as Editor In Chief of Muscle & Fitness. Mr. Deters holds a degree in sociology and is also a Doctor of Chiropractic. He is one of the sought after speakers in the world on fitness and nutrition, has been a competitive bodybuilder and consults with the Navy SEALS.

Regarding his new role, Mr. Deters said "David Pecker and his team have provided a huge opportunity for our titles to grow and reach a larger audience of advertisers and readers. The Weider brands are strong, primed and ready to move forward in a big way."

Mr. Scalisi joined Weider as the Editor of Muscle & Fitness in 1986. Prior to that, he served as Brand Manager of Weider Nutrition Inc.'s line of sports nutrition products, and earlier served as Advertising Director for high-tech entertainment company Iwerks Entertainment.

American Media, Inc. is one of the largest media companies in the U.S. The company publishes six of the 14 best selling weekly magazines, including the #2 and #4 titles, the National Enquirer and Star. The company also publishes the best selling country music magazines, Country Weekly and Country Music, a Latino entertainment magazine, Mira!, a mass market automotive magazine, AMI's Auto World, more than 200 Mini-Mags and Digests, and recently launched its own book division. Besides print properties, American Media owns Distribution Services, Inc., the country's #1 in-store magazine merchandising company.