Wicks Acquires Vibe Magazine

Posted on July 17, 2006

The Wicks Group has acquired Vibe, an urban music and lifestyle magazine from Quincy Jones. Eric Gertler joins as chief executive officer of the company. Ari Horowitz has been appointed president. Danyel Smith has been named editor-in-chief of the title. Len Burnett will continue as group publisher. EurWeb notes that Danyel Smith's husband, Elliott Wilson, is the editor of a competing magazine, XXL.

After weeks of rumors and speculation, the sale of Vibe magazine is reportedly a done deal and Mimi Valdez is officially out as editor-in-chief.

According to the New York Daily News, the urban culture publication - launched by Quincy Jones and former Time Inc. President Robert Miller in 1993 - has been sold to the Wicks Group, a private equity firm focused on selected segments of the communications, information and media industries.

In the corporate shift, Vibe editor Mimi Valdes is being replaced by former Vibe editor Danyel Smith, whose husband, Elliott Wilson, is the editor of rival urban magazine XXL.

The Urban Network reports that the Radio & Records trade magazine was also sold. It has been acquired by VNU with an official takeover date of July 31, 2006.


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