B-to-b media companies moving in hot M&A market.(business to business, mergers and acquisitions)

Byline: SEAN CALLAHAN

How strong is the mergers and acquisitions market in b-to-b media?

It's attractive enough that two companies which have had very public struggles since 2000 have put themselves on the market: Ziff Davis Media, publisher of PC Magazine, and Penton Media, publisher of IndustryWeek.

"We're deep into an M&A cycle, and it's the best market since the late 1990s,'' said Tom O'Connor, managing director at communications industry investment bank Berkery, Noyes & Co.

High-profile deals

The list of companies that have recently completed or contemplated deals is a long one. Among the most high-profile deals:

Forbes sold a minority stake for a reported $250 million to Elevation Partners, a private equity fund whose partners include Bono, the lead singer of rock band U2.

Valcon, a consortium of private equity firms, acquired VNU, which includes VNU Business Media, publisher of Billboard, for $9.7 billion.

1105 Media, headed by Neal Vitale, bought 101communications, publisher of Federal Computer Week, for an estimated $75 million.

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