BBC Acquires Travel Information Company Lonely Planet

BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the British broadcaster, announced on Monday that it has acquired Lonely Planet, the publisher of travel guides and other travel-related media, for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1972 by Tony and Maureen Wheeler, who will retain a 25% shareholding in the company, Lonely Planet publishes about 500 print titles and sells over 6.5 million books annually. The company also develops programming for international broadcasters, such as "Lonely Planet Six Degrees," which is in its third season with Discovery Networks. The company's LonelyPlanet.tv travel site attracts 4.3 million unique monthly visitors, and features both professional and user-generated travel videos.
http://dmwmedia.com/news/2007/10/01/bbc-acquires-travel-information-company-lonely-planet