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The Jordan, Edmiston Group, Inc. (JEGI) announced today that its database of media industry mergers and acquisitions activity points to a vibrant M&A market in 2005, with $52 billion in transactions through the first three quarters of the year - a 130 percent increase over the same period in 2004. The value of transactions in the third quarter alone was some $25 billion, nearly equaling the $27 billion for the first six months of the year.

M&A activity, in terms of deal value, increased in most media and information sectors: Consumer magazines were up nearly 600 percent; exhibitions and conferences, up 218 percent; database information services, up 164 percent; newspaper publishing, up 164 percent; directory and reference publishing, up 158 percent; and online media, up 147 percent.

Of the 390 transactions in the first three quarters, JEGI itself has closed 19, according to Adam Gross, JEGI's VP of marketing.

According to the firm, the drivers of acceleration in the M&A market include the convergence of traditional media and interactive media; the drive for growth by strategic companies; persisting low interest rates; and an active private equity market.