• by Sara Guaglione , March 2, 2017

Emmis Communications Corporation has sold Los Angeles magazine to Hour Media Group LLC, as well as Atlantic, Cincinnati and Orange Coast magazines. LA Weekly reports that all four magazines were sold for $6.5 million.

Sources told LA Weekly that as a result of the change in ownership, Los Angeles Editor in Chief Mary Melton, Editor at Large Amy Wallace, Publisher Erika Anderson, head of digital strategy Audie Metcalf Ruyle and Copy Chief Daphne Tanyol are out.

Los Angeles did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Publishers Daily could only confirm that Melton and Wallace were leaving the magazine.

Melton tweeted, "After a 16+ year run, seven of those as editor in chief, this is my last day with @LAmag." Wallace tweeted "Today will be my last at @LAmag."

Hour Media CEO Stefan Wanczyk told The Los Angeles Times: “Of the 140 employees of the four Emmis titles, we did not offer employment to eight of the employees."

He added that Hour Media would replace the editors “in the near future.”

Emmis announced last August it would put several of its magazines up for sale to focus on core radio properties, including Power106 FM in Los Angeles. It sold one of its titles, Texas Monthly, to the Hobby family for $25 million last fall.

“It is always difficult to make a decision to sell, but this step helps us to continue to address our debt leverage and to focus on our growth initiatives,” Emmis chairman and CEO Jeff Smulyan stated

Emmis has now divested all of its publishing assets except for its hometown Indianapolis Monthly, which it intends to keep.

Hour Media Group acquired the Palm Beach Media Group in January, which includes Palm Beach Illustrated and Naples Illustrated.

Hour Media now publishes more than 70 magazines and custom titles.