Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
JOHNSON JOEL W
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MEREDITH CORP [MDP] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1716 LOCUST STREET		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/08/2004
(Street)

DES MOINES, IA 50309-3023		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock ($1 par value)               4,378 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 51.975 11/09/2004   A   6,000   11/09/2005 11/09/2014 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000 $ 0 6,000 D  
Stock equivalent units $ 0 11/08/2004   A   808   08/08/1988 08/08/1988 Common Stock ($1 par value) (2) 808 $ 0 9,991 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 25.8438             11/11/1997 11/12/2006 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 31.5             11/14/2001 11/14/2010 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 34.6             11/13/2002 11/13/2011 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 34.7813             11/11/1998 11/11/2007 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 36.7188             11/09/2000 11/09/2009 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 39.0313             11/10/1999 11/10/2008 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 45.275             11/12/2003 11/12/2012 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  
Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy) (1) $ 49.75             11/11/2004 11/11/2013 Common Stock ($1 par value) 6,000   6,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
JOHNSON JOEL W
1716 LOCUST STREET
DES MOINES, IA 50309-3023		   X      

Signatures

 By: Teresa T. Rinker, Attorney-in-Fact For: Joel W. Johnson   11/10/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) This option was awarded pursuant to the Meredith Corp. Stock Plan for Non-employee Directors and becomes exercisable in three equal annual installments, commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant.
(2) Stock equivalents issued at fair market value (the average of the high and low selling price of Meredith Common Stock on the issue date), pursuant to Meredith Corp.'s 2002 Stock Plan for Non-employee Directors (the "Plan"), which will be converted to Common Stock ($1 par value) on a one-for-one basis upon the reporting person's retirement from or termination of service on the Meredith Board of Directors. Quarterly dividends are accrued in the form of additional stock equivalents. Data in this footnote would normally appear in the Title, Exercisable Date, and Price columns.

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