Exhibit (a)(4)
                                                                  --------------
August 23, 2002

[Name]
[Address]

          RE: NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE AND CANCELLATION OF ELIGIBLE OPTIONS


Dear [NAME]:

This letter advises you that, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
the Stock Option Exchange Program Tender Offer Statement, Penton Media, Inc. has
accepted and cancelled, effective August 23, 2002, options tendered by you to
purchase _______ shares of Penton's common stock. Thus, you have no further
right or entitlement to purchase any shares of common stock pursuant to the
terms of these cancelled options.

We will grant new options to purchase _____ shares of Penton's common stock to
you on February 24, 2002, the grant date of the new options. The new options
will have an exercise price equal to the fair market value of Penton's common
stock on the grant date.

As explained in the Offer to Exchange, you must remain an employee until the
date the new options are granted to receive the new options. If you do not
remain an employee through this date, you will not receive any new options or
any other consideration for your cancelled options.

Sincerely,



/s/ Preston L. Vice
Preston L. Vice
Sr. Vice President/Secretary

PLV/gb