WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Distribution Services, Inc. (DSI) announced this week that they will assume newsstand marketing and distribution responsibility for Playboy magazine, Playboy Special Editions and Playboy Calendars effective with the March issues.

In announcing the agreement, DSI President Mike Porche said, “DSI is extremely pleased to have the opportunity to represent one of the world’s most recognizable brands. We are flattered that the management of Playboy Enterprises has chosen American Media, Inc., and by extension DSI, to help them navigate through one of the most challenging times in newsstand history.”

DSI has the largest field force of any publisher or national distribution in the newsstand magazine business with over 1,300 full and part time employees. This considerable resource will be used to increase newsstand sales by improving displays and uncovering new retail accounts for Playboy magazine and its brand extensions.

“AMI is a proven leader in the publishing industry with an extremely impressive operational history,” said Jimmy Jellinek, editorial director of Playboy magazine and Playboy.com. “The opportunity to marry Playboy’s tradition of editorial excellence with AMI’s tremendous distribution platform will give us new leverage in the marketplace, and will help us to continue to produce one of the world’s leading magazines and online destinations for men.”

DSI’s significant impact on the newsstand market is underlined by Playboy’s decades-long history with their current distributor.