Townsquare Media is expanding its digital holdings with the purchase of hip-hop focused XXL Magazine from Harris Publications.
Townsquare will convert the magazine to a digital only property following the next issue due to be released in early October. They will also acquire AntennaMag.com, a recently launched young mens lifestyle site, and relaunch the defunct King Magazine online as part of the acquisition.
All eleven staffers of Harris Publications will join Townsquare Media as it continues to bulk up on digital properties to pair with its radio holdings.
Townsquare Media, Inc. announced today that it has acquired the iconic hip hop brand XXL, along with King and Antenna from Harris Publications, a special interest media company. These well-known properties will join Townsquare Media’s category-leading national digital portfolio of over 20 premium multi-platform brands including Taste of Country, PopCrush, Just Jared, Hype Machine, ScreenCrush, Loudwire and The Boombox.
XXL, a leading Hip-Hop magazine founded in 1997, drove Harris Publications’ #1 rank in Urban/Ethnic magazine sales in 2013. Additionally, XXL has successfully transitioned into a popular digital and social media brand, generating approximately 1.3 million US monthly unique visitors in August, according to ComScore. XXL has amassed over 800,000 Likes and Followers on Facebook and Twitter and over 75,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel. Further, as part of this transaction, Townsquare is acquiring and re-launching the King brand as a digital-only property. Also included in the transaction is Antenna, a recently launched digital-only destination delivering the latest fashion, news, sports, music and pop culture content for men.
“The acquisition of XXL, King and Antenna from Harris Publications represents the continued growth of Townsquare Media’s national digital asset portfolio and our commitment to the cultivation of influential brands and original multimedia content in music and entertainment,” commented Bill Wilson, Townsquare Media’s Chief Content Officer. “We are tremendously excited to add these premium brands to Townsquare Media’s portfolio which attracts over 75 million US monthly unique visitors, allowing advertisers and agencies to better reach the incredibly important urban audience.”
Following the October edition of XXL magazine, due to hit newsstands in early October, the magazine will cease regular publication in order to focus exclusively on digital operations as well as special editions of the publication in the future. As part of the transactions, all members of the XXL team will be joining Townsquare Media.
