Reader's Digest CEO Announces New Initiatives
NEW YORK -- Reader's Digest plans to announce a Reader's Digest-branded credit card, involvement in a direct mail and Internet pharmacy business, a significant expansion of its Quality School Plan business, and newly-created membership clubs through its recent $50 million investment in BrandDirect Marketing, Shelton, CT. Reader's Digest chairman/CEO Thomas O. Ryder announced the plan in a speech at the 14th Annual DMA Circulation Day, here yesterday.Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, New York, also went live last week with ReadersDigestHealth.com, a healthcare content and e-commerce site in cooperation with Healtheon/WebMD, six months after the publisher formed an alliance with WebMD, and invested $13 million in the company. The expected launch date for the site was originally Fall 1999. The site also features an online Health Store selling Reader's Digest branded books, videos, and magazines.
