Metrosource magazine, which describes itself as the largest LGBTQ media brand serving the Los Angeles and New York areas, has a new owner: New York’s Davler Media Group.
The acquisition, which was announced today, closed on March 1, according to Metrosource founder and Publisher Rob Davis. The first edition under new ownership will be the June/July issue. The sale price of the magazine was not disclosed.
Davis said the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer bimonthly magazine would retain its editorial staff, headed by Editor-in-Chief Paul Hagen, but readers may see an expansion of the magazine’s online presence. He added that Davler would help leverage the Metrosource brand by producing new community events.
“They (Davler) have a number of titles and quite a few websites. They are really going to revamp and help us capture the digital market, something we have not done much with – it’s one of the real nice synergies,” Davis said.
Founded in 1990 and published in New York, Metrosource is thought to be the first glossy publication targeted for the LGBTQ market. The free magazine, boasting a circulation of 50,000 in Los Angeles, is distributed to locations catering to what Davis calls “the upscale end of the LGBT market” in West Hollywood, Silver Lake, Malibu, Palm Springs and some Orange County locations.
Davler controls New York media brands NY Metro Parents, New York Spaces, Mitzvah Market, and City Guide. Davler is also planning the launch of another LGBTQ brand, luxury lifestyle and design magazine Exuberance.
“The acquisition of this pioneering, 27-year-old brand perfectly aligns with our newest objective: to become the leading media brand serving the LGBTQ community in New York and beyond,” Davler Chief Executive David L. Miller said in a statement.
The acquisition comes the same week as the launch of a new LGBT newspaper, the Los Angeles Blade, with 20,000 copies of the first edition set to be distributed Friday in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.
Contact media and entertainment reporter Diane Haithman at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @dhaithman for the latest in L.A. business news.
