Past Press Releases

• September 1, 2006
• August 28, 2006
• August 11, 2006
• January 20, 2006
• March 26, 2001

Company News and Announcements

WINDOW MEDIA PURCHASES WASHINGTON BLADE AND NEW YORK BLADE NEWS
Acquisition Creates Largest Gay and Lesbian Newspaper Group
WASHINGTON - Window Media LLC announced today its pending acquisition of the Washington Blade and the New York Blade News, two of the nation's premier lesbian and gay newspapers, making it the world's largest gay newspaper group. Window Media entered into an agreement March 23 to purchase Washington Blade, Inc., which owns and operates the two newspapers. The purchase is expected to be completed by March 30, 2001.

"We are honored and excited to steward these respected institutions," said William Waybourn, president of Window Media. "We hope to build upon their historic community roles, while bringing new energy to their operations and expanding their capabilities."

Founded in 1969, the Washington Blade (http://www.washingtonblade.com/) is the nation's most respected and longest continuously published gay newspaper. Originally published as a single sheet and distributed by hand to patrons of area bars, the paper now averages more than 100 pages each week. In October 1997, its publisher launched the New York Blade (http://www.nyblade.com/) to provide comprehensive coverage of news and events of interest to metropolitan New York's gay and lesbian community. The papers have a combined weekly readership of more than 200,000.

"We are confident that Window Media will take these newspapers in a direction that is consistent with their long-held mission to serve the gay community through professional journalism," said Don Michaels, publisher of the Washington and New York newspapers. "With the advantages that come from combining operations, Window Media will be able to serve readers in new and important ways."

Founded in 1997 by Waybourn and Chris Crain, the company's editorial director and chief operating officer, Window Media publishes Atlanta-based Southern Voice (www.sovo.com), the nation's largest gay and lesbian newspaper with editions covering Georgia, the Mid-South, and New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Southern Voice was named the country's best gay weekly in the 1997-98 and 1999 Vice Versa Awards for Excellence in the Gay & Lesbian Press.

Window Media also publishes the Houston Voice (www.houstonvoice.com); Eclipse (www.eclipse-mag.com), a nightlife guide for gay Atlanta, New Orleans and Texas; and SOVO magazine (www.sovomag.com), a glossy quarterly publication exploring fashion, entertainment and human-interest topics in gay Atlanta. The company's existing publications reach a combined weekly readership of more than 200,000.

"The addition of the Washington Blade and the New York Blade will bring a rich pool of resources to our newsgathering operation, enabling us to cover issues important to gay readers in ways no media company ever has before," said Crain. "Our more than two dozen, full-time professional journalists will work together to shed new light on the treatment of gays within society's mainstream institutions, as well as on the cultural forces shaping our community and our movement. Our opinion pages will serve as an ongoing virtual town hall meeting, giving voice to the widest possible array of perspectives."

"The powerful combination of these quality gay and lesbian publications comes at a time when gay-owned businesses are steadily gaining a place at the business table," added Kelly Smink, chief financial officer for Window Media. "By reaching almost a half-million readers each and every week, in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and throughout Texas and the South, Window Media publications provide an effective way for local and national advertisers to reach lesbian and gay consumers."

Ansley Securities LLC, with offices in Atlanta and Chicago, acted as Window Media's exclusive financial advisor for this transaction.

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