# F+W

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**F+W** (formerly **F+W Publications** and **F+W Media**) was a media and e-commerce company headquartered in [New York City](/source/New_York_City). Founded in 1913 in Cincinnati, F+W published [magazines](/source/Magazine), [books](/source/Book), digital products (including e-books and e-magazines), produced online video, offered online education, and owned and operated e-stores, as well as consumer and trade shows.[1][failed verification]

## History

F+W was named after two of its early publications: *Farm Quarterly* and *[Writer's Digest](/source/Writer's_Digest)*.[2] The company grew though a series of acquisitions, including book publisher [David & Charles](/source/David_%26_Charles), [Krause Publications](/source/Krause_Publications) in 2002,[3] *[Horticulture](/source/Horticulture_(magazine))* magazine, and Adams Media in 2003. The private equity firm ABRY Partners purchased F+W in 2005.[4] In August 2012 F+W Media acquired Interweave, an arts and crafts media company based in Loveland, Colorado.[5] In 2014, F+W Media acquired New Track Media,[6] renamed itself F+W,[7] and was acquired by the private equity company Tinicum.[8] David Nussbaum, CEO, departed the company to become the CEO of America’s Test Kitchen, a year after the acquisition.

In 2008, the company began to focus more on [e-commerce](/source/E-commerce) activities and offering products and services related to the content of its magazines.[9] The e-commerce business grew from one store with $6 million in revenue in 2008 to 31 e-commerce stores with more than $65 million for 2015, when Tinicum purchased the company.[9] In May 2017, some creditors received a 97% stake in the company in exchange for debt relief and a new line of credit.[10][11]

## Demise

In January 2018, with the CEO and two other [top executives](/source/Executive_(management)) leaving the company,[12] F+W slashed its workforce by 40%.[11]

F+W filed for [Chapter 11 bankruptcy](/source/Chapter_11,_Title_11,_United_States_Code) protection on March 10, 2019.[13] The book publishing assets of the company were won by [Penguin Random House](/source/Penguin_Random_House) at a bankruptcy auction in June 2019.[14] The grouping of the assets drew criticism.[15] Several properties including *[Sky & Telescope](/source/Sky_%26_Telescope)* were sold individually.[16]

## Overview

F+W Media was a special interest content provider and marketer of enthusiast magazines, books, conferences, trade shows, and interactive media properties.

F+W's special-interest categories included [art](/source/Art), [crafts](/source/Crafts), [mixed media](/source/Mixed_media), [writing](/source/Writing), [genealogy](/source/Genealogy), [antiques](/source/Antiques) and [collectibles](/source/Collectibles), [graphic design](/source/Graphic_design), [hunting](/source/Hunting).[1][failed verification] In 2011 the Company entered the fiction market with the acquisition of Tyrus Books.[17] In 2012, the company launched imprints in romance (Crimson Romance)[18] and young adult fiction (Merit Press).[19]

Publications were organized around some 20 community-based units, each of which focuses on a particular special interest category. The company also published about 600 new book titles annually, and had a library of some 4000 titles.

Its brands were [David & Charles](/source/David_%26_Charles), [Impact Books](/source/Impact_Books), [Krause Publications](/source/Krause_Publications), North Light Books, *[Writer's Digest](/source/Writer's_Digest)* and [Interweave Press](/source/Interweave_Press).[20]

## Situation after dissolution

In June 2019, the assets of F+W were sold at bankruptcy auctions.[16]

Ownership structure after dissolution of F+W[21] Assets New owner F+W Books Became an imprint of Penguin Random House's Penguin Publishing Group division[14][22] F&W Media International Became David & Charles again in a management buyout[23] Crafts segment including the magazines: Beadwork Burda Style USA (50%) Creative Machine Embroidery Easy Quilts Interweave Crochet Interweave Knits Knitscene Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Love of Quilting McCall's Quilting Quick Quilts Quilting Arts Quiltmaker Sew News Peak Media Properties[24][25] Handwoven PieceWork Spin Off Long Thread Media[26] Fine Arts segment including the magazines: Artist's Magazine Pastel Journal Southwest Art Watercolor Artist Peak Media Properties[24][27] Construction Trade segment including the magazines: Frame Building News Metal Roofing Rural Builder Shield Wall Media[28] Family Tree Yankee Publishing[29] Horticulture Popular Woodworking Writer's Digest Active Interest Media[29] Collectibles segment consisting of the magazines: Antique Trader Bank Note Reporter Coins Goldmine Military Trader Military Vehicles Numismatic News Old Cars Price Guide Old Cars Weekly Sports Collectors Digest World Coin News Active Interest Media[21] Sky & Telescope American Astronomical Society[21] Outdoors segment including the magazines: Deer & Deer Hunting Trapper & Predator Caller Turkey & Turkey Hunting Media 360[30][31] Print Print Holdings LLC

Various assets of F+W were sold prior to the bankruptcy filing.[32]

Magazines sold prior to bankruptcy filing Date Magazine New owner Oct 2015 World Tea News Penton[33] Oct 2016[34] Gun Digest Caribou Media Group[35] Jun 2018 Blade Caribou Media Group[35]

## References

1. ["F&W Publications Retains Veronis, Suhler & Associates to Explore Strategic Options"](https://www.writenews.com/f-w-publications-retains-veronis-50319992). *The Write News*. May 3, 1999. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. [F&W Publications, Inc.](http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history/En-Ge/F-W-Publications-Inc.html)

1. Baker, Don (July 2, 2002). ["F&W Inc. to Acquire Publisher Krause"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121105202709/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-88244031.html). *[The Cincinnati Post](/source/The_Cincinnati_Post)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-88244031.html) on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2011-04-05.

1. Newberry, Jon (August 9, 2005). ["F&W Publications Now Owned by Media Group"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121105202727/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-135003359.html). *[The Cincinnati Post](/source/The_Cincinnati_Post)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-135003359.html) on 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2011-04-05.

1. ["F+W Media Announces Acquisition of Interweave"](http://www.fwmedia.com/press-room/interweave). *Press Release*. F+W Media. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120803003238/http://www.fwmedia.com/press-room/interweave) 2012-08-03 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. [F+W Media Buys New Track Media](http://www.foliomag.com/2014/f-w-media-buys-new-track-media)

1. [F+W Media Undergoes Corporate Rebrand](http://www.foliomag.com/2014/f-w-media-undergoes-corporate-rebrand)

1. [F+W Sells Majority Stake to Private Investment Firm Tinicum](http://www.foliomag.com/2014/f-w-sells-majority-stake-private-investment-firm-tinicum)

1. Wilson, Denis (August 1, 2015). ["Corner Office: F+W Chairman & CEO David Nussbaum on the Company's Decisive Strategic Shift Toward Ecommerce"](http://www.pubexec.com/article/content-change/). *Publishing Executive*. NAPCO Media. Retrieved 2019-09-22.

1. Silber, Tony (March 12, 2019). ["Two Years At F+W Media: Behind The Scenes At A Company In Chaos"](https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonysilber/2019/03/12/two-years-at-fw-media-behind-the-scenes-at-a-company-in-chaos/). *[forbes](/source/Forbes)*. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Kelly, Keith J. (March 12, 2019). ["Writer's Digest and Popular Woodworking publisher files Chapter 11"](https://nypost.com/2019/03/12/writers-digest-and-popular-woodworking-publisher-files-chapter-11/). *[New York Post](/source/New_York_Post)*. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Anderson, Porter (January 9, 2018). ["F+W Media Staffers Learn in a Memo That Top Executives Have Left Company"](https://publishingperspectives.com/2018/01/fw-media-executives-exit-greg-osberg-interim-ceo/). *Publishing Perspectives*. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Yerak, Becky (March 11, 2019). ["Specialty Publisher F+W Media Files for Bankruptcy, Plans to Sell Business"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/specialty-publisher-f-w-media-files-for-bankruptcy-plans-to-sell-business-11552329196). *[The Wall Street Journal](/source/The_Wall_Street_Journal)*. Retrieved 2019-03-11.

1. Milliot, Jim & Maher, John (June 7, 2019). ["PRH Acquires F+W Book Group Assets At Auction"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/industry-deals/article/80380-winner-of-f-w-book-group-auction-to-be-announced-soon.html). *[Publishers Weekly](/source/Publishers_Weekly)*. Retrieved 2019-06-10.

1. Hoffelder, Nate (June 8, 2019). ["PRH Buys Half of F+W Media At Auction, Including Half of Writer's Digest"](https://the-digital-reader.com/2019/06/08/prh-buys-half-of-fw-media-at-auction-including-half-of-writers-digest/). *The Digital Reader*. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Dool, Greg (June 17, 2019). ["F+W Media Reveals Winning Bidders at Bankruptcy Auction"](https://www.foliomag.com/fw-media-announces-winning-bidders-bankruptcy-auction/). *Folio*. Access Intelligence, LLC. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Milliot, Jim (April 27, 2011). ["F+W Buys Tyrus Books, Launches Crime Vertical"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/47023-f-w-buys-tyrus-books-launches-crime-vertical.html). *[Publishers Weekly](/source/Publishers_Weekly)*. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Milliot, Jim et al. (July 13, 2012). ["Digital Imprints Take Root"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/53006-digital-imprints-take-root.html). *[Publishers Weekly](/source/Publishers_Weekly)*. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Deahl, Rachel (May 8, 2012). ["Mitchard to Launch YA Imprint for F+W"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/51867-mitchard-to-oversee-ya-imprint-for-f-w.html). *[Publishers Weekly](/source/Publishers_Weekly)*. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. Hovorka, Alan. ["F+W Media may lay off 66 people, close Krause Publications' Stevens Point office"](https://www.stevenspointjournal.com/story/news/2019/04/05/krause-publications-stevens-point-may-close-f-w-media-may-lay-off/3368539002/). *stevenspointjournal.com*. Retrieved 14 March 2020.

1. ["Landing Page"](https://www.fwmedia.com/). *fwmedia.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190907083848/https://www.fwmedia.com/) 2019-09-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2019-09-12.

1. ["F+W Books / Overview"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200805054223/https://www.penguin.com/publishers/penguin-publishing-group/fw-books/). *Penguin.com*. Penguin Group USA. Archived from [the original](https://www.penguin.com/publishers/penguin-publishing-group/fw-books/) on 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Pullen, Fiona (July 31, 2019). ["F & W Media International Purchased and Renamed David & Charles"](https://craftindustryalliance.org/f-w-media-international-purchased-and-renamed-david-charles/). *CraftIndustryAlliance.org*. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. ["Peak Media Properties acquires Fine Arts & Crafts assets of F+W Media"](https://www.peakmediaproperties.com/news/peak-media-properties-acquires-fine-arts-crafts-assets-of-fw-media). *PeakMediaProperties.com*. July 28, 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-19.[dead link]

1. ["Peak Crafts"](https://www.peakmediaproperties.com/communities/crafts). *PeakMediaProperties.com*. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Glassenberg, Abby (August 1, 2019). ["Long Thread Media Buys Spin Off, PieceWork, and Handwoven"](https://craftindustryalliance.org/long-thread-media-buys-spin-off-piecework-and-handwoven/). *CraftIndustryAlliance.org*. Retrieved 2019-09-22.

1. ["Peak Fine Arts"](https://www.peakmediaproperties.com/communities/fine-art). *PeakMediaProperties.com*. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Thatcher, Sharon (July 2, 2019). ["Shield Wall Media Takes Ownership of F+W Media Construction Brands"](https://www.constructionmagnet.com/news/shield-wall-media-takes-ownership-of-fw-media-construction-brands). *Construction Magazine Network*. Shield Wall Media LLC. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Barber, Kayleigh (July 23, 2019). ["Why Active Interest Media Salvaged 14 Titles From the F+W Bankruptcy"](https://www.foliomag.com/active-interest-media-salvaged-14-titles-fw-bankruptcy/). *Folio*. Access Intelligence, LLC. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. DDH Staff (July 2, 2019). ["Media 360 Buys Deer & Deer Hunting"](https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/articles/deer-news/media-360-buys-deer-deer-hunting). *Deer & Deer Hunting*. Media 360, LLC. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Sorensen, Steve (July 15, 2019). ["A Corporate Take-Over Taken Back"](http://jamestowngazette.com/corporate-take-taken-back/). *Jamestown Gazette*. Chautauqua Marketing Solutions, Inc. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Silber, Tony (March 11, 2019). ["F+W Media, Citing Debt, Decline And Mismanagement, Files For Bankruptcy Protection"](https://web.archive.org/web/20190312125742/https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonysilber/2019/03/11/fw-media-citing-debt-decline-and-mismanagement-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/). *[forbes.com](/source/Forbes.com)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonysilber/2019/03/11/fw-media-citing-debt-decline-and-mismanagement-files-for-bankruptcy-protection/) on March 12, 2019. Retrieved 2019-09-22.

1. Mickey, Bill (October 6, 2015). ["Penton Buys World Tea Media From F+W"](https://www.foliomag.com/penton-buys-world-tea-media-fw/). *Folio*. Access Intelligence, LLC. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. ["Gun Digest Promotes Luke Hartle to Editor-in-Chief"](https://www.thetacticalwire.com/story/e5b5ce5e-0b42-4b7d-bdcd-5e69645441d0). *Tactical Wire*. Outdoor Wire Digital Network. July 26, 2018. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

1. Curci, Nick (June 1, 2018). ["Caribou Media Group Acquires BLADE Events"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180816202219/http://tradeshowexecutive.com/archive/industry-news/caribou-media-group-acquires-blade-events/). *TradeShowExecutive.com*. Archived from [the original](https://www.tradeshowexecutive.com/archive/industry-news/caribou-media-group-acquires-blade-events/) on 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2019-09-19.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [F+W](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%2BW) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%2BW?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.