DTN buys The Progressive Farmer

DTN news information service today announced it has acquired The Progressive Farmer (PF) magazine from Time Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

PF has been a mainstay ag publication in the South since its founding in 1886. It's hard to read about the history of Southern agriculture, in fact, without running across references to the publication. In recent years, it has developed into two publications, one directed mainly at farmers and another focusing on rural landowners and parttime or hobby farmers.

It has a total subscription base of 600,000 and has expanded its coverage area into parts of the Midwest.

According to a press release this afternoon, the publication and staff will continue to be based in Birmingham, Ala. The sale evidently did not include PF's sister magazine, Southern Living.

"The acquisition of The Progressive Farmer supports DTN's goal of expanding its media presence in a vibrant rural America," said Robert D. Gordon, CEO of DTN. "The future for rural America is very bright, driven by the economic impetus of new investment in renewable fuels, the expansion of high-speed internet communications and a growing demographic seeking to enjoy the long cherished values of farm life.

"The Progressive Farmer provides DTN a leading position in meeting the information needs of the farm lifestyle market, allowing us to expand beyond our traditional commercial agricultural information products."

It had been rumored that PF was on the block as its parent company, Time Inc., divested itself of tightly focused specialty publications.