Exhibit 99.1

THE READER'S DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC.
Media: William Adler, (914) 244-7585  william.adler@rd.com
Investor Relations: Richard Clark, (914) 244-5425  richard.clark@rd.com



                 THE READER'S DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC. COMPLETES
                       $300 MILLION SENIOR NOTES OFFERING


Pleasantville, NY, March 3, 2004 - The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. (NYSE:
RDA) announced today the successful completion of a $300 million senior notes
offering, consisting of 6 1/2 percent senior notes due 2011. The company intends
to use all of the net proceeds of this offering to repay a portion of
outstanding indebtedness under its senior credit facilities.

The senior notes were offered only to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to
Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and
to certain non-U.S. persons pursuant to Regulation S of the Securities Act.

The senior notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state
securities laws and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the
United States or to a U.S. person except pursuant to an exemption from the
registration requirements of the Securities Act and any applicable state laws.

This announcement is neither an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer
to buy the senior notes and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale,
nor shall there be any sale, in any jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation or sale is unlawful.

The Reader's Digest Association, Inc. is a global publisher and direct marketer
of products that inform, enrich, entertain and inspire people of all ages and
cultures around the world. Global headquarters are located at Pleasantville, New
York. The company's main Web site is at www.rd.com.

This release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements
inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future
results and occurrences to differ materially from the forward-looking
statements. The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.'s filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including its reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K,
contain a discussion of additional factors that could affect future results and
occurrences. Reader's Digest does not undertake to update any forward-looking
statements.