Downe Communications
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Edward Downe, Jr. |
| Defunct | 1978 |
| Fate | Sold to Charter Company and renamed Charter Data Services (CDS) |
Key people | Edward Downe, Jr. |
| Products | Popular magazines, subscription fulfillment services |
Downe Communications was a publishing firm established by Edward Downe, Jr. that operated from 1967 until 1978, specializing in popular magazine production and subscription fulfillment services.
Edward Downe, a journalist by training and former editor of magazines, acquired Family Magazine in 1966 and launched Downe Communications the following year. In 1968, the company bought Ladies' Home Journal and The American Home from Curtis Publishing Company for $5.4 million in stock. That year also saw the acquisition of Argosy magazine.
Following the discontinuation of Look magazine in 1971, Downe Communications utilized its newly developed computerized system for managing customer information to start a new venture. In April 1972, Downe Computer Services was created with a workforce of 172 employees, with Downe himself as its inaugural client and proprietor.
In 1977, the Charter Company began purchasing shares of Downe Communications, leading to Downe’s sale of his controlling stake for approximately $9 million in 1978. Subsequently, the company was renamed Charter Data Services (CDS), which currently operates under the name CDS Global.