After weeks of rumors, Buzzmedia made it official and acquired Spin, adding a legacy print magazine (founded 1985) to its near-monopoly on music blogs. Buzzmedia owns: Stereogum, Idolator, Hype Machine, Pure Volume, Brooklyn Vegan, AbsolutePunk, Buzznet, Concrete Loop, Gorilla vs. Bear, Pop Matters, Punk News, RCRD LBL, XLR8R, as well as the official websites of the Kardashian sisters.
Buzzmedia CEO Tyler Goldman told The New York Times that he will beef up Spin’s digital staff. Recently, Spin had recast itself as a multiplatform media operation, with an iPad app, Spin Play, and a more robust website, but has held on to lucrative print advertising with a retooled, larger format, bi-monthly print book. According to the Times, that print product—a source of long form reporting, criticism, and photography whose editors include Christopher Weingarten, Rob Harvilla, Patton Oswalt—now hangs in the balance.
“We believe print is important for Spin,” Mr. Goldman told the Times. “As we continue to invest in the platform, we’re going to look at defining what that role is.”
Correction: Buzzmedia does not own BrooklynVegan but does sell ads for the site.
