Lumina Media
{{short description|American publisher}}
{{Infobox publisher
| image =
| parent =
| status =
| founded ={{start date and age|1974}} (as Fancy Publications)
| defunct =February 2020
| founder =Norman Ridker
| successor =
| country =United States
| headquarters=Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| distribution=
| keypeople =
| publications=Magazines, books
| topics =Pets, lifestyles, and hobbies
| genre =
| imprints =
| revenue =
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| nasdaq =
|url ={{URL|LuminaMedia.com}}
}}
Lumina Media was an American publisher of magazines, books, and associated websites. Throughout all its incarnations, the business has focused on the pet-keeping and -breeding market, though also with some other topical lifestyle and hobby publications. The original company was founded in 1974 as Fancy Publications (later renamed BowTie Inc.) by Norman Ridker, absorbing Kennel Club Books in 2004, which made BowTie a main competitor to TFH Publications in the pet-book market. In 2002, Bob Garfield of On the Media called Fancy Publications "the Time Warner of the pet magazine business".{{cite news |last1=Garfield |first1=Bob |author-link1=Bob Garfield |last2=Gladstone |first2=Brooke |author-link2=Brooke Gladstone |date=January 4, 2002 |title=Ferrets Magazine |url= https://www.wnycstudios.org/story/131832-ferrets-magazine |work=On the Media |publisher=WNYC Studios |access-date=August 25, 2019}} (Click the "Transcript" tab to get the transcript.) After some financial difficulties, BowTie was restructured as I-5 Publishing in 2013 under the new ownership of David Fry and Mark Harris, and took on its present name in 2016.
Over the years, the company has launched, acquired, divested, or consolidated many pet-related paper and digital publications, including a number that have been dominant in their niches among North American speciality magazines and sites during various periods, including Bird Talk, Cat Fancy (merged into the Catster website and magazine), Dog Fancy (merged to Dogster), Dog World (purchased from Primedia Inc., and originally dating to 1916), Ferrets Magazine (merged to the Small Animal Channel website), and Reptiles. Lumina has also dominated the American market for magazine-format newsstand specials about pets (usually annually issued). In 2016, Lumina sold its book division – responsible for more than 400 paper books and e-books, mostly about specific breeds – to Fox Chapel Publishing, forming the new imprint CompanionHouse Press. Some other noteworthy Lumina publications have included Motorcycle Consumer News, Veterinary Practice News (later published by Kenilworth Media), and the first magazine devoted to animal rescue, Rescue Me (later Rescue Proud). As of February 2020, Lumina Media was dissolved and had ceased their business operations. A letter was sent to subscribers without explanation as to why.
History
Fancy Publications was started by Norman Ridker in 1974.{{cite news |last=Clough |first=Richard |date=January 2, 2013 |title=Pet Publisher BowTie Sells Magazines |url= https://www.ocregister.com/2013/02/01/pet-publisher-bowtie-sells-magazines/ |work=Orange County Register |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825100822/https://www.ocregister.com/2013/02/01/pet-publisher-bowtie-sells-magazines/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019}} Ridker subsequently renamed the company to BowTie Inc. (publishing books as BowTie Press) to show his love of bow ties. By 2013, BowTie had experienced months of financial difficulties caused in part by significant decreases in readership and in advertisement proceeds. In 2013, I-5 Publishing LLC, a new company founded by David Fry and Mark Harris, bought BowTie's businesses for an eight-figure sum. I-5 started to decrease their "breeder-centric" publications in favor of rescue-focused content, and launched a topically unique magazine titled Rescue Me,{{cite news |last=Jow |first=Lauren |date=October 16, 2014 |title=Company Revamped Pet Publishing |url= https://www.ocregister.com/2014/10/16/company-revamped-pet-publishing/ |work=Orange County Register |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825100926/https://www.ocregister.com/2014/10/16/company-revamped-pet-publishing/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019}} later followed up by Rescue Proud. The company was renamed to Lumina Media in 2016.{{cite news |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=March 17, 2016 |title=I-5 Publishing Rebrands as Lumina Media |url= https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/271523/i-5-publishing-rebrands-as-lumina-media.html |publisher=MediaPost |access-date=August 26, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190826074830/https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/271523/i-5-publishing-rebrands-as-lumina-media.html |archive-date=August 26, 2019}}
=Timeline=
{{Prose|date=January 2020|reason=Integrate this into the History section, as proper encyclopedic prose, in the chronological order with the rest of it. It's completely aberrant to provide half of a company history in timeline-list form, especially since what is included in this section is completely arbitrary compared to the lists of publications below it.}}
- 1993 – Fancy Publications published the magazines Aquarium Fish, Bird Talk, Cat Fancy, Dog Fancy, Horse Illustrated, Pet Product News, Reptiles, and Wild Bird.{{cite news |last=Siegel |first=Suzie |date=May 7, 1993 |title=Half a Century of Cat Tales |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35256520/the_tampa_tribune/ |work=The Tampa Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825101904/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35256520/the_tampa_tribune/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Spadafori |first=Gina |date=August 25, 1993 |title=Unusual Pets in Print |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w1BUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6o4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4546,3873682&dq=fancy-publications&hl=en |work=Ellensburg Daily Record |agency=McClatchy |via=Google News |access-date=August 25, 2019}}
- 1998 – Fancy Publications operated the website Animal Network and published Bird Breeder magazine.{{cite news |last=Szadkowski |first=Joe |date=June 16, 1998 |title=Site Gives Pet Owners Wealth of Information |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/0EB0F31C9FF66305&f=basic |work=The Washington Times |via=NewsBank |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190825103335/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/0EB0F31C9FF66305&f=basic |archive-date=August 25, 2019 |url-status=live }}
- 1998 – Fancy Publications sued Primedia over alleged copyright infringement by Primedia's Cats magazine.{{cite news |last=Kuczynski |first=Alex |author-link=Alex Kuczynski |date=December 16, 1998 |title=Cat fight Breaks Out in Specialty World: Cats Magazine Takes on Cat Fancy, the Big One on the Block – One Lawsuit Has Already Been Launched |url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35256656/the_vancouver_sun/ |work=Vancouver Sun |agency=The New York Times |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825104347/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/35256656/the_vancouver_sun/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019}}
- 1999 – Fancy Publications published Bird Talk, Critters, Dog Fancy, Ferrets, Koi World, Natural Cat, Natural Dog, Rabbits, and Reptiles.{{cite news |last=Rivenberg |first=Roy |date=January 25, 1999 |title=Cosmo for the Cold and Scaly |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-25-cl-1343-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825105202/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-jan-25-cl-1343-story.html |archive-date=August 25, 2019}}
- 2004 – BowTie acquired Kennel Club Books, a publisher in Allenhurst, New Jersey, that specialized in dog-breed books, adding about 200 titles to their then-current collection of around 100 titles.{{cite magazine |last=Milliott |first=Jim |date=May 14, 2004 |title=BowTie Inc. Adds to Pet Book Offerings |url= https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20040517/34761-bowtie-inc-adds-to-pet-book-offerings.html |magazine=Publishers Weekly |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825092101/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20040517/34761-bowtie-inc-adds-to-pet-book-offerings.html |archive-date=August 25, 2019}} The Library of Congress has 265 books published under the Kennel Club Books imprint.{{Cite web |url= https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/search?searchArg1=Kennel+Club+Books&argType1=all&searchCode1=KPUB&searchType=2&combine2=and&searchArg2=&argType2=all&searchCode2=GKEY&combine3=and&searchArg3=&argType3=all&searchCode3=GKEY&year=1519-2019&fromYear=&toYear=&location=all&place=all&type=all&language=all&recCount=25 |title=List of Books by Publisher 'Kennel Club Books' - LC Catalog - Titles List |work=Catalog.LoC.gov |publisher=Library of Congress}}
- 2012 – BowTie stopped publishing a print version of Bird Talk magazine.
- 2012 – Thoroughbred Times magazine filed for bankruptcy and terminated operations. The Times had been started in 1985 and was acquired by BowTie in 1993.{{Cite web |url= https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/126487/thoroughbred-times-declares-bankruptcy |title=Thoroughbred Times Declares Bankruptcy |date=September 15, 2012 |first=Claire |last=Crosby}}
- 2013 – I-5 Publishing signed a 10-year deal to print and distribute Rat Rod Magazine, adding to its several auto titles, including Auto Restorer magazine.{{cite news |last=Clough |first=Richard |date=March 17, 2014 |title=Dog Fancy Publisher Adds Hot-rod Title |url= https://www.ocregister.com/2013/04/17/dog-fancy-publisher-adds-hot-rod-title/ |work=Orange County Register |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825101200/https://www.ocregister.com/2013/04/17/dog-fancy-publisher-adds-hot-rod-title/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019}}
- 2013 – Lumina Media purchased Dog Fancy and Cat Fancy magazines from BowTie.
- 2013 – I-5 Publishing acquired the Dogster and Catster websites from Say Media.
- 2013 – I-5 Publishing acquires Poultry World (previously The Poultry Magazine){{Cite web |title=Press Release: I-5 Publishing Acquires UK-based Poultry World Magazine |work=I5Publishing.com |access-date=August 11, 2014 |url= http://www.i5publishing.com/dev/i-5-publishing-acquires-uk-based-poultry-world-magazine/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140812205820/http://www.i5publishing.com/dev/i-5-publishing-acquires-uk-based-poultry-world-magazine/ |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=dead}}
- 2014 – Lumina Media launched alternating bimonthly print magazines for Dogster and Catster and stopped publishing Dog Fancy and Cat Fancy magazines.{{cite news |last=Riesman |first=Abraham |date=December 11, 2014 |title=Who Killed Cat Fancy? |url= http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/12/who-killed-cat-fancy.html |work=New York |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825100718/http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/12/who-killed-cat-fancy.html |archive-date=August 25, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Madans |first1=Hannah |last2=Gohri |first2=Imran |date=December 13, 2014 |title=Viral Pet Antics Come to Print with Two New Magazines |url= https://www.ocregister.com/2014/12/13/viral-pet-antics-come-to-print-with-two-new-magazines/ |work=Orange County Register |access-date=August 25, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190825101046/https://www.ocregister.com/2014/12/13/viral-pet-antics-come-to-print-with-two-new-magazines/ |archive-date=August 25, 2019}}
- 2016 – Lumina Media sold its book division to Fox Chapel Publishing, including 330 print books and 440 e-books to be sold under the new imprint CompanionHouse Press.{{cite news |url= https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/72685-fox-chapel-acquires-lumina-books-division.html |title=Fox Chapel Acquires Lumina Books Division |date=February 2, 2017 |first=John |last=Maher}}{{cite news |url= http://www.thefishercompany.com/news/ |title=Fox Chapel Acquires Lumina Books Division |date=December 30, 2016}}
- 2017 – Lumina Media sold Veterinary Practice News to Kenilworth Media, Inc.{{cite news |url= http://www.thefishercompany.com/news/ |title=Kenilworth Media, Inc. Acquires Veterinary Practice News from Lumina Media LLC |date=May 24, 2017}}
- 2017 – Lumina Media sold the Web publication Petcha and Reptiles magazine to PetSmart.{{Cite web |url= http://petcha.com/about |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181228111243/http://petcha.com/about/ |title=About Petcha |work=Petcha |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2018 |via=Web.archive.org}}{{cite news |url= http://www.thefishercompany.com/news/ |title=Lumina Media LLC Sells Petcha.com and Reptiles |work=TheFisherCompany.com |date=August 2017}}
- 2017 – Lumina Media sold Horse Illustrated, Young Rider, Hobby Farms, and Chickens magazines to EG Media Investments.{{cite news |url= http://www.thefishercompany.com/news/ |title=EG Media Investments Acquires Hobby Farms, Chickens, Horse Illustrated, and Young Rider from Lumina Media LLC |work=TheFisherCompany.com |date=December 18, 2017}}
- 2017 – Lumina Media sold Dogster and Catster to Belvoir Media Group.{{Cite web |url= http://www.thefishercompany.com/news/ |title=Press Release: Belvoir Media Group Acquires Catster and Dogster from Lumina Media LLC |work=TheFisherCompany.com |date=April 25, 2017}}
Magazines
{{incomplete list|date=January 2020|reason=About half of those mentioned in the timeline above are not listed here. Also needs to indicate date ranges of publication (same goes for the websites). Any noteworthy books or book series also need to be listed in a Books section. Finally, the navbox template for this publisher needs to be updated with more entries, so the template and the article are in agreement.}}
Magazines published by I-5 Publishing (monthly, unless otherwise noted) include or formerly included:{{Cite web |url= http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/rabbits/default-3112.aspx#Sec3 |title=Rabbit Information, Rabbit Care and Rabbit Health |date=March 19, 2016 |work=Small Animal Channel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160319083759/http://www.smallanimalchannel.com/rabbits/default-3112.aspx#Sec3 |archive-date=2016-03-19 |via=Web.archive.org}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.i5publishing.com/our-products/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160502095636/http://www.i5publishing.com/our-products/ |archive-date=May 2, 2016 |url-status=dead |title=Our Products |work=i5Publishing.com |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Aquarium USA (annual)
- Auto Restorer
- Bird Talk{{Cite web |url=http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160414143248/http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/ |title=Bird Talk Annual Magazine |archive-date=April 14, 2016 |url-status=dead |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Cats USA (annual){{Cite web |url= http://www.catchannel.com/cats-usa-2013-toc.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130206141129/http://www.catchannel.com/cats-usa-2013-toc.aspx |title=Cats USA 2013 Table of Contents |archive-date=February 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Chickens
- Cigar & Spirits (50% stake,{{Cite web |title=Cigar & Spirits Magazine and I-5 Publishing Form New Partnership |access-date=August 11, 2014 |url= http://www.i5publishing.com/dev/cigar-spirits-magazine-and-i-5-publishing-form-new-partnership/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140812212523/http://www.i5publishing.com/dev/cigar-spirits-magazine-and-i-5-publishing-form-new-partnership/ |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=dead}} sold back to the magazine's original founder in 2015)
- Critters USA (annual)
- Dog World (annual)
- Dogs USA (annual){{Cite web |url= http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/dogsusa/dogs-usa-articles/dogs-usa-2011.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160406070402/http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/dogsusa/dogs-usa-articles/dogs-usa-2011.aspx |title=Dogs USA 2011 |work=Dog Channel |archive-date=April 6, 2016 |url-status=dead |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Dogs in Review{{Cite web |url= http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/dogsinreview |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160418193712/http://www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/dogsinreview/ |title=Dogs in Review |work=Dog Channel |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Ferrets Magazine (bimonthly, later online-only)
- Hobby Farms
- Horse Illustrated
- Horses USA (annual)
- Kittens USA (annual){{Cite web |url= http://www.catchannel.com/magazines/kittensusa/kittens-usa-2012-2013-toc.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160403222418/http://www.catchannel.com/magazines/kittensusa/kittens-usa-2012-2013-toc.aspx |title=Kittens USA 2012–2013 Table of Contents |work=Cat Channel |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 3, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Lucky Puppy
- Marine Fish and Reef USA (annual)
- Motorcycle Consumer News
- Popular Horse (series of specials)
- Puppies USA (annual){{Cite web |url= https://www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/puppiesusa/puppies-usa-articles/puppies-usa-2012-annual.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160404185931/https://www.dogchannel.com/dog-magazines/puppiesusa/puppies-usa-articles/puppies-usa-2012-annual.aspx |title=Puppies USA 2012 |work=Dog Channel |archive-date=April 4, 2016 |url-status=dead |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Puppies 101
- Quarter Horses
- Rabbits USA (annual)
- Rat Rod (pertaining to hotrods, not rodents)
- Reptiles
- Reptiles USA (annual)
- Rescue Proud
- Road Rider
- Urban Farm (bimonthly)
- Young Rider (pertaining to horses, not motorcycles)
- Your New Horse
Websites
I-5 Publishing has operated several websites (with domain names corresponding to their titles, e.g. SmallAnimalChannel.com for Small Animal Channel) including:
- Bird Channel{{Cite web |url= http://www.birdchannel.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160422074239/http://www.birdchannel.com/ |title=Pet Birds, Parrots, Cockatiels, Macaws, Conures, Parakeets Care, Facts and Information |work=BirdChannel.com |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 22, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Cat Channel{{Cite web |url= http://www.catchannel.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160421155502/http://www.catchannel.com/ |title=Cat Fancy Presents CatChannel.com |work=Cat Channel |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 21, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Dog Channel{{Cite web |url= http://www.dogchannel.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160422053106/http://www.dogchannel.com/ |title=Dogs, Dog Training, Breed Info & More |work=Dog Channel |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 22, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Fish Channel{{Cite web |url= http://www.fishchannel.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160423001242/http://www.fishchannel.com/ |title=Aquarium Fish, Tropical Fish, Freshwater and Saltwater Aquariums |work=Fish Channel |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 23, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Horse Channel{{Cite web |url= http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-books-and-magazines.aspx |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160417051647/http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-books-and-magazines.aspx |title=Horse Books and Magazines |work=Horse Channel |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2016 |via=Web.archive.org}}
- Reptile Channel
- Small Animal Channel (devoted primarily to rabbits and rodents)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://luminamedia.com/}}
{{I-5 Publishing}}
Category:1974 establishments in the United States
Category:Companies based in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Category:Publishing companies established in 1974
Category:Publishing companies based in Michigan
Category:2013 mergers and acquisitions