Time, Inc. Buys QSP Fundraising
August 7th, 2008 by tsullivanThis is a huge deal for the fundraising industry, a deal which is sure to have effects on PTOs and PTAs. Time — through its Time Direct Ventures group – has been successfully integrating magazine subscriptions into traditional fundraisers for the past several years. And now they’ve purchased the largest of the traditional magazine fundraising companies. Very interesting.
Short-term, we’re hearing that there will really be no changes for groups. But we’ll keep an eye on how this all plays out for you.
August 11th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
In the last few years QSP has had at least 5 different CEO’s and has been held by Reader’s Digest, the holding company, and now TIME. It seems to me this may be the best time to look at another company. Although QSP has been out there for a while they are losing ground for a reason and this shows their instability.
August 11th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Steve -
Sounds like you may be a fundraising insider (which is fine, but it’s a best practice to be clear if you have a vested interest in a comment), but — even so — I think I’d disagree with your assessment.
Yes, there has been a lot of change with QSP over the past 4+ years, but it’s hard to argue that QSP finding a home within Time, Inc. is a sign of *more* instability. Rather, i’d suggest that this is likely a more stable home. Time is certainly a very stable, well-funded, well-run company.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Time, Inc. and QSP are well-respected and will be a great combination for schools. QSP isn’t losing ground. If anything, QSP will be stronger than ever.