Downe Communications was a publishing company founded by Edward Downe, Jr. that produced several popular magazines and provided subscription fulfillment services from 1967 to 1978. Downe was a trained journalist who worked at newspapers before becoming a magazine editor. In 1966, Downe purchased

Family Magazine ''Family Magazine'' is a weekly women's magazine published from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It provides news concerning women health, beauty, fashion and jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for person ...

, a newspaper insert similar to Parade Magazine. He founded Downe Communications the following year.N. R. Kleinfield. Living Poolside, and Wanting More; Insider-Trading Charges and the Southampton Summer Set. New York Times, Tuesday, June 16, 1992, on section B page 1 of the New York edition. The company acquired the Ladies' Home Journal and

The American Home ''The American Home'' was a monthly magazine published in the United States from 1928 to 1977. Its subjects included domestic architecture, interior design, landscape design and gardening."American Home", Library of Congress Catalog. History and ...

in 1968 from

Curtis Publishing Company The Curtis Publishing Company, founded in 1891 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, became one of the largest and most influential publishers in the United States during the early 20th century. The company's publications included the ''Ladies' Home Jour ...

for $5.4 million in stock. Argosy magazine was purchased that same year. Look magazine ceased publication in 1971. Two months prior, the circulation department had completed the development of its new computer system that stored the names and addresses of customers on magnetic tape. This new fulfillment system gave rise to the idea for a new business, with six Look employees looking for their first client. Publisher Edward Downe, Jr. agreed to not only be the company’s first client, but also its owner – if the company was named after him. Thus, on April 1, 1972, Downe Computer Services opened with 172 employees and one client. In 1977, the

Charter Company The Charter Company of Jacksonville, Florida was a conglomerate with more than 180 subsidiaries that was in the ''Fortune'' 500 for 11 years beginning in 1974 and ranked 61st in 1984. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in late 1984, ...

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

, started buying Downe Communications’ stock. Downe sold his controlling interest in the company to Charter for approximately $9 million in 1978. The company name was changed to Charter Data Services (CDS); today, it is known as CDS Global.

References

{{Reflist Defunct publishing companies of the United States Publishing companies established in 1967 Publishing companies disestablished in 1978 1967 establishments in New York (state) 1978 disestablishments in New York (state) American companies established in 1967 American companies disestablished in 1978