'Blender' Unplugged: Alpha Shutters Music Title

Alpha Media is down to one title today after shutting down Blender, the magazine launched in 2001 to bring the sensibility of British "lad" magazines to music coverage. Ad Age was first with the news.

Blender's editor in chief, Joe Levy, will stay with the company, becoming editor in chief of Maxim. He displaces James Kaminsky, who's departing, along with co-CEO Glenn Rosenbloom.

Alpha has been struggling mightily since acquiring Maxim, Blender and Stuff from founder Felix Dennis in a $240 million deal backed by Quadrangle Partners two years ago. Kent Brownridge, the veteran publishing executive who engineered the deal and fronted the new company, left last summer, and in November The Wall Street Journal reported that Alpha was likely to be turned over to its creditors as revenues plummeted. Blender's ad pages were down more than 30 percent last year.

Here's the announcement from Alpha:

MAXIM AND MAXIM DIGITAL EDITORIAL TEAMS INTEGRATED

TO ALLOW FOR MORE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND COVERAGE

Joe Levy Named Editor in Chief and Jay Woodruff Named Chief Content Officer of Maxim

BLENDER MAGAZINE CEASES PUBLICATION

New York, NY (March 26, 2009)--Maxim and Maxim.com editorial operations have been integrated, it was announced today by Alpha Media Group CEO, Stephen Duggan. Joe Levy has been named Editor in Chief and Jay Woodruff has been named Chief Content Officer of Maxim, the largest young men's lifestyle brand in America. The integrated editorial operation establishes Maxim as a leader of a 21st Century media strategy that includes print, digital, mobile, television and film.

Joe Levy was previously Editor in Chief of Blender and Jay Woodruff was Editor in Chief of Maxim Digital.

In a joint statement, Levy and Woodruff said, "The Maxim audience consumes content on multiple platforms that are constantly evolving. We are committed to delivering the Maxim experience to more and more users in ways that extend beyond the printed page and website."

Maxim is the largest young men's lifestyle magazine in America reaching more than 13 million readers each month. Maxim Digital encompasses Maxim.com, Blender.com and Stuffmagazine.com and reaches more than 3 million unique visitors each month. Maxim is published in 43 countries; Maxim Radio with Covino and Rich is broadcast on Sirius XM Satellite radio.

Separately, the company announced that Blender magazine will cease publication with the April issue; Blender.com will continue as a digital destination.
"Blender has provided unmatched music coverage and entertainment news in its unique voice to a profoundly dedicated audience of music enthusiasts since 2001. However, given the reality of the current economic climate, we are unable to continue publication," Mr. Duggan said. "We are grateful to the sales team and to the tremendously talented editorial staff for their hard work and commitment to Blender."