BPI Buys 'Kirkus'

-- Publishers Weekly, 8/9/1999

BPI Communications has followed up its June purchase of J. Whitaker and Sons (News, June 28) with the acquisition late last month of Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus will become part of BPI's newly formed Literary Group, which also includes the Whitaker properties and is run by BPI's executive v-p, Howard Lander.

The semimonthly publication was acquired from Kirkus Associates, LP, a Boston-based partnership headed by Kirkus publisher David LeBreton, who will remain as a consultant to the company along with H. Mason Fackert, a firm principal and former treasurer. Lander told PW that he has not yet decided if a new Kirkus publisher will be named. Kirkus, directed at the library market, publishes prepublication reviews of approximately 5000 titles annually. Lander said he sees "a tremendous opportunity to give the publication more exposure, especially overseas."