American Media, Inc. Appoints David Perel to Executive Vice President of Digital Content

NEW YORK, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- David J. Pecker, Chairman, President and CEO of American Media, Inc. (AMI), today announced the appointment of David Perel as Executive Vice President of Digital Content for AMI.  As the leading content provider in the celebrity, health and fitness genres amongst multiple platforms, including magazines, websites, digital editions and mobile apps, AMI is dedicated to brand expansion and diving deeper into the world of digital.  In his new role, Perel will oversee building the digital presence of AMI's stable of brands.

"We have a great opportunity to take some of America's most well-known and loved brands and increase their digital presence as well as to create new digital properties with unique and compelling content," David Perel said. "I am certain we will break ground in developing digital content that will set the agenda for what social media channels and users are talking about."

Perel is the EVP/Managing Editor of RadarOnline.com and Editor in Chief of Star Magazine.  He is responsible for re-launching RadarOnline.com in 2008 which under his direction has soared to more than 7 million monthly unique visitors, making it one of the fastest-growing entertainment news sites.  RadarOnline.com has also won a number of national awards, including Best Entertainment News web site from the National Entertainment Journalism Awards.  With Perel at the helm, Star Magazine broke many national news stories including the end of Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's marriage, Snooki's pregnancy and news of an illegal underground gambling ring including Tobey McGuire. 

In his tenure at AMI, Perel also served as Editor in Chief of the National Enquirer, leading the magazine to a Pulitzer Prize nomination for its investigative coverage of revealing John Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter and their lovechild together as Edwards was running for the presidency.

"David Perel is an elite journalist with extensive expertise in both print and digital," said David J. Pecker, AMI's Chairman, President and CEO.  "From breaking major world news exclusives to his vast understanding of the digital marketplace, Mr. Perel was the natural fit to expand exclusive and compelling digital content for AMI's core brands."

About American Media, Inc.

American Media, Inc. owns and operates the leading print and digital celebrity and health and fitness media brands in the United States. AMI's titles include Star, OK!, National Enquirer, Globe, Soap Opera Digest, Shape, Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Muscle & Fitness Hers, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health. AMI also manages 18 different digital sites including RadarOnline.com, OKmagazine.com, Shape.com, MensFitness.com, MuscleandFitness.com and FitPregnancy.com. AMI's magazines have a combined total circulation of almost 7 million and reach more than 55 million men and women each month. AMI's digital properties reach an average of 10 million unique visitors and 80 million page views monthly.

SOURCE American Media, Inc.