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Business News Media
XXL to stop magazine, live on as digital brand
By Aly Barchi | Published on Wednesday 24 September 2014
Only a week or so on from Vibe mag getting binned by its newish owner SpinMedia, another American urban music media brand, XXL, is to cease producing its printed magazine following a take-over by Townsquare Media. Active since 1997, XXL will go digital-only following a final issue released next month.
As previously reported, Townsquare looks to be a company on the rise, having previously acquired a trio of niche sites – The Boot, The Boombox and Noisecreep – from a down-sizing AOL back in 2013.
Speaking to The New York Post, Townsquare’s Chief Content Officer Bill Wilson, an ex-AOL President himself, confirmed he was keeping on eleven staffers from the XXL team, adding: “We think XXL has strong potential in both the digital and live events market”, adding that the title might well re-appear in print again via occasional special issues.
Ben Harris, President of original XXL owners Harris Publications, told The NY Post: “We incubated something digitally, but the Townsquare people can take it to the next level with their digital expertise”.
He added: “I don’t think it is a cost-cutting thing. I think it is an opportunity for Townsquare to do more with the franchise”.