Hearst Magazines and HGTV Introduce HGTV Magazine

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - Sep 26, 2011) - Hearst Magazines, one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, and HGTV, a leading home and lifestyle brand, today announced that the first test issue of HGTV Magazine, a new home/lifestyle publication, will hit newsstands nationwide on October 4. The magazine will appeal to homeowners, real-estate lovers, renovation aficionados, and HGTV fans alike and will provide unprecedented access to HGTV's stars.

HGTV Magazine's initial distribution will be 350,000 copies and its cover price will be $3.99. A second test issue is planned for February/March (on sale January 17, 2012). Sara Peterson, formerly of Coastal Living, is the magazine's editor-in-chief. Jeanne Noonan Eckholdt, executive director, Hearst Home Group, will serve as acting publisher for the test issues.

"Creating a home should make you feel happy," Peterson says. "HGTV Magazine focuses on fun decorating, easy makeovers, and real-life household advice on everything from laundry to lightbulbs -- and we talk to homeowners in a lively, conversational way."

HGTV gave viewers exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the making of the magazine's first issue during a one-hour special HGTV: The Making of Our Magazine hosted by designer Genevieve Gorder on Saturday, September 24. The special will re-air on October 7 at 9 a.m. ET and October 15 at 4 p.m. ET and will be available for viewing on HGTV.com.

"HGTV has an extremely passionate audience who connects with the genuine, helpful and entertaining advice they get every time they tune in," said David Carey, president, Hearst Magazines. "Sara and her talented team have translated that trusted voice and sense of fun into the pages of HGTV Magazine and we are confident that consumers will respond positively to the first test issue."

"Hearst has done a spectacular job of bringing the HGTV brand to life in print," said Jim Samples, president, HGTV. "This is a new kind of magazine for people who are passionate about their homes. All of us at HGTV, especially our star experts, are excited to participate in this project."

Readers will enter the magazine through the "Front Door of the Month," and every issue will feature various HGTV stars, including David Bromstad, Genevieve Gorder, Vern Yip, and Sarah Richardson. The magazine will be broken down into these key sections:

Help Wanted
Straight answers to everyday household questions. Should you hire a handyman for that home repair job or tackle it yourself? How bad is it to toss old cans of paint in the trash? What should you do when noisy neighbors are driving you nuts?

Fun Decorating
All the best ideas and tips from design pros. Learn style secrets from the HGTV shows, such as Color Splash and Design on a Dime. Tour the homes of HGTV hosts and see how they really live. (Yes, we peek inside their closets and cupboards!)

Kitchen Chronicles
See inspiring cooking spaces and learn how to get the look. Shop for fun accessories and cool tools. Pick up a few easy entertaining ideas to try.

Mission Makeover
A section devoted to awesome before and afters -- from whole house renos to supereasy spruce-ups you can do in an hour.

Real Estate Spy
Insider advice for every homeowner, including countless ways to boost the value of your property. We scout curb appeal ideas from the best neighborhoods and we go house hunting across the country -- from bungalows to beach retreats. See how much they cost!

Weekending
Get stuff done and have a little fun. Make the most of Saturday in the yard with helpful hints and the best tools for the job. Navigate flea markets and estate sales, speed through your housecleaning checklist, and learn how to shop like a stylist -- even at the hardware store!

HGTV Magazine will host three Twitter chats in October: #HGTVMag. Dates and times will be announced in the first issue. Readers can also connect with HGTV Magazine on Facebook at facebook.com/hgtv.

About Hearst Magazines
Hearst Magazines is a unit of Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com), one of the nation's largest diversified communications companies. With its acquisition of Lagardère SCA's 100 titles in 14 countries outside of France, Hearst Magazines will publish more than 300 editions around the world, including 20 U.S. titles. Hearst Magazines is a leading publisher of monthly magazines in the U.S. in terms of total circulation and reaches 88 million adults (Spring 2010 MRI). Hearst Magazines Digital Media, dedicated to creating and implementing Hearst Magazines' digital strategy, has more than 28 websites and 14 mobile sites for brands such as Cosmopolitan, Popular Mechanics, ELLE, ELLE DECOR, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire and Seventeen, as well as digital-only sites such as Delish.com, a food site in partnership with MSN; MisQuinceMag.com; and RealBeauty.com. Hearst Magazines has published nearly 100 applications and digital editions for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch, as well as the Droid platform. In addition, the company includes iCrossing, a global digital marketing agency.

About HGTV Network
HGTV, America's leading home and lifestyle brand, is one of cable's top-rated networks and is distributed to more than 99 million U.S. households. HGTV's website, HGTV.com, is the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination that attracts an average of 4 million unique visitors per month. The HGTV HOME consumer products line currently includes exclusive offerings of paint, flooring, soft goods, lighting and other home-oriented products. In partnership with Hearst Magazines, the HGTV Magazine, a home and lifestyle publication, will be available on newsstands beginning October 2011.

Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., HGTV is wholly owned by Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. (NYSE: SNI), which also operates Food Network (http://www.foodnetwork.com), DIY Network (http://www.diynetwork.com), Cooking Channel (http://www.cookingchanneltv.com), Travel Channel (http://www.travelchannel.com) and Great American Country (http://www.gactv.com).