WASHINGTON (May 5, 2003)–Starting with the May 2003 issue, National Geographic will bring its global adventures to readers in Romania, broadening the international reach of the magazine that has set the standard for excellence in reporting, photography and mapmaking.
The Romanian-language edition of National Geographic magazine, under the editorship of Cristian Lascu, will be produced in partnership with Sanoma Hearst Romania, srl., and will be the 23rd local-language edition of National Geographic magazine. Sanoma Hearst Romania is the top magazine publisher in Romania.
Parent company Sanoma Magazines International, the fifth-largest magazine publisher in Europe, also publishes the Czech- and Hungarian-language editions of National Geographic magazine through its subsidiaries Sanoma Prague in the Czech Republic and Sanoma Budapest in Hungary. The company publishes over 250 magazines in nine European countries.
The Romanian-language edition of National Geographic magazine will be published monthly under license from the National Geographic Society and will follow closely the editorial content of the English-language original, in the same format with the familiar yellow-bordered cover.
The official journal of the Society, National Geographic provides in-depth editorial coverage of cultures, nature, science and technology. Published in English since 1888, the magazine is now also published in Japanese, Spanish (separate editions for Spain and Latin America), Italian, Greek, Hebrew, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese (separate editions for Portugal and Brazil), Turkish, Thai, Czech and Hungarian. The magazine has a total circulation of nearly 10 million and is read in every country of the world.
“Giving people a window to the world in their own language through National Geographic’s incomparable photographs and storytelling is a compelling way to extend the Society’s mission to spread geographic knowledge,” said National Geographic Society President and CEO John Fahey. “Launching a Romanian edition is an important step in our expansion throughout Europe with National Geographic magazine, National Geographic books, DVDs, videos and the very successful National Geographic Channel.”
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. The 115-year-old Society reflects the world through magazines, books, maps, television and interactive media. The Society has funded more than 7,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. The National Geographic Channel is received in more than 200 million homes, in 145 countries, in 25 languages, including Romanian.
