<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0000884382 <NAME> PRIMEDIA INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1997 <CASH> 22,978 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 236,819 <ALLOWANCES> 37,530 <INVENTORY> 27,597 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 322,500 <PP&E> 209,812 <DEPRECIATION> 93,451 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,485,990 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 468,745 <BONDS> 1,656,541 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 470,280 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 785,865 <OTHER-SE> (943,712) <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,485,990 <SALES> 1,487,595 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,487,595 <CGS> 341,879 <TOTAL-COSTS> 341,879 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 1,166,509 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 136,625 <INCOME-PRETAX> (159,124) <INCOME-TAX> (1,685) <INCOME-CONTINUING> (157,439) <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> (15,401) <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> (172,840) <EPS-PRIMARY> (1.84) <EPS-DILUTED> (1.84)