Apr 1, 2008 11:00 AM
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Sat Jul 31
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Well, guys, we've got some pretty big news: We're moving. Or rather, Jezebel has been acquired by CondeNet, the online arm of publishing giant Conde Nast (Vogue, Glamour, Conde Nast Traveler, The New Yorker). We'd heard rumors last week that there were discussions going on between CondeNet and Gawker Media regarding Jezebel, and those rumors continued on over the weekend. Then, last night, I got word that there would be an announcement of some sorts today, and now it's official: As of this morning, Jezebel is part of the Conde Nast stable of online properties (which include Style.com, Concierge.com and Epicurious.com). We're not quite sure how to feel about this (although the acquisition has no doubt made our boss, Nick Denton, a much wealthier man) and even more unsure how exactly it will affect us, but we do know that the site will be welcoming an editorial consultant and some new staffers in the (very) near future. After the jump, we've got a copy of the press release with some more details.
NEW YORK, New York, April 1, 2008 /PRNewswire/ — CondéNet, the leading creator and developer of upscale lifestyle brands online, has agreed to acquire Jezebel.com (http://www.jezebel.com), a leading women's news and entertainment website founded in 2007 by New York-based Denton Media. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.Obviously, we'll keep you updated as we learn more.The deal welcomes into the CondéNet fold one of the most buzzed-about new brands in women's media. Launched in May 2007 with only three staff members, the site quickly became popular with affluent, well-educated female "tastemakers." In March 2008, a month in which the site enjoyed more than 14.5 million pageviews, Jezebel brought two prestigious Weblog Awards home from the annual South By Southwest Media conference.
"Jezebel has quickly become a go-to site for upscale, trendsetting 18-34-year old women with its promise of 'Celebrity, Sex, Fashion. Without Airbrushing.,'" said Sarah Chubb, President of CondéNet. "Of course, even the best concepts need airbrushing! We think CondéNet can introduce Jezebel readers to some of the fashion and beauty world's most aspirational brands, while leveraging the diverse national audience of CondéNet's female-targeted properties to drive more traffic to Jezebel's original content."
A unique asset of the Jezebel brand is its popular commenting function. Jezebel quickly became the most-frequently commented site in the 14-brand Gawker Media Empire and is currently developing a suite of functionalities that CondéNet will use as the basis of a sophisticated platform for social networking, user-generated content creation and grassroots marketing.
"Jezebel's vibrant and growing base of users represents a rare opportunity for CondéNet's hundreds of existing sponsors to reach passionate, trend-focused female consumers," Chubb continued. "Uniting their passion and our products, including our stable of women's magazine titles like Vogue, Glamour and Lucky, will mark the start of a fruitful relationship."
About CondéNet: CondéNet is the leading creator and developer of upscale lifestyle brands online, providing enjoyable, useful services that build upon the heritage of the world's most prestigious magazines. The company publishes online properties in the categories of fashion (STYLE.COM), men's lifestyle (MEN.STYLE.COM), food (Epicurious.com), travel (Concierge.com), and technology (WiredDigital). CondéNet is an Internet unit of Condé Nast Publications. Condé Nast Publications, a unit of Advance Publications, includes twenty-six consumer magazines and their websites, eight uniquely branded websites, the Fairchild Fashion Group, Parade, the Condé Nast Media Group, and the Shared Services Centers.
About Jezebel: Jezebel (http://www.jezebel.com) is the most talked-about new online media property targeted at women. Since its launch in May 2007, the Gawker Media weblog has established a devoted fan base of more than a million unique users, garnering more than 15 million monthly page views. It was voted one of the "World's 50 Most Powerful Blogs" by the London-based Guardian newspaper in March 2008.
Press Contacts: Denton Media: 212-655-9524 or press@jezebel.com
CondéNet: Jennifer Miller: jmiller@condenet.com
Earlier: Meet The Editors
Send an email to Anna Holmes, the author of this post, at anna@jezebel.com.
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
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