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After 20 years of reporting on hip-hop, R&B and fashion, the print version of Vibe magazine has ended amid layoffs at Spin Media Group.
According to Capital New York, Spin Media is going through a major reorganization plan to focus more on their digital platforms.
CEO Stephen Blackwell told Capital that 19 positions were eliminated mostly in the video, photo and sales departments.
“If we’re not going to be putting together print pages anymore and designing print, we really don’t need those design platforms,” said Blackwell. “We really don’t need the capacity to negotiate with printers.”
The news follows a hectic year for Spin Media. The beleaguered company hired Blackwell back in August after his predecessor, Dale Strang, stepped down. Blackwell said that the goal of the company is to develop the company’s digital brands.
“When I look at what was going on here prior to my tenure, I think that some of the resources…if we’re directing resources toward print, that intrinsically means that we’re directing resources away from digital,” he told Capital. “I’m here to commit to directing all of our resources toward the digital side of Vibe.”
Although the print version, which was founded by Quincy Jones in 1992, is dissolving, the brand will live on in the digital space. According to Blackwell, Vibe.com receives six to seven million unique visitors per month and has a combined 1.4 million followers on Facebook and Twitter.
This isn’t the first time the magazine has folded. In 2009, the print version ended but was revived later that year when current Editor-In-Chief, Jermaine Hall, was in charge.
Nevertheless, Vibe magazine — the print version — will always be remembered for their eye-popping covers. Some of their legendary cover shots of artists include Naughty By Nature’s Treach, an afro-wearing Ice Cube, Jay Z, Tupac Shakur, TLC, Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Toni Braxton and many more.
Executives at Vibe magazine had no comment on the matter.
