• April 23, 2007

Learfield Communications is purchasing a stake in the Living the Country Life brand, owned by Meredith Corporation. The two companies plan to expand its distribution for a 360-degree media treatment. Currently, Living the Country Life's products include a magazine with distribution of 200,000 households, a weekly television show, a Web site and a database of so-called "ruralpolitans"--upscale consumers living in rural areas. The deal will expand the brand's Web site and add a nationally syndicated radio show to the mix. The magazine will also step up its publication frequency. At the heart of the partnership is an effort to develop cross-platform marketing opportunities for the category. It follows similar initiatives to grow Meredith's cross-platform marketing operations, including the expansion of Meredith Integrated Marketing. --Erik Sass