- Jonathan Sposato has announced the acquisition of Seattle magazine from Tiger Oak Media
Jonathan Sposato has announced the acquisition of Seattle magazine from Tiger Oak Media. Under the ownership of Tiger Oak Media, Seattle magazine has been an influential voice in the region for over 40 years. And Sposato’s purchase will bring editorial control and ownership of the publication back to Seattle after being based in Minneapolis for about 30 years.
This transaction is expected to close soon with the first issue under Sposato’s leadership hitting newsstands and online in late spring. And Sposato intends to redefine the conversation around Seattle and grow Seattlemagazine’s focus on what is most unique and worthy of celebration about the city.
Plus Sposato plans to significantly scale the publication’s digital presence and expand Seattle magazine’s existing team to support growth. Sposato will be adding multiple new hires immediately.
today i am excited and honored to announce my acquisition of Seattle magazine, which brings editorial control and ownership of the publication back to seattle after nearly 30 years in minneapolis. with help from the… https://t.co/QukP2rfhpG
— Jonathan Sposato (@jonathansposato) March 2, 2020
Currently, Sposato is Chairman of GeekWire.com — which is the top technology news site in the region along with PicMonkey, one of the world’s largest online photo editing services. And Sposato is an active angel investor and is known as the first entrepreneur to have sold two companies to Google (Picnik and Phatbits).
A few years ago, he became the first tech investor to declare he would only invest in companies with a female co-founder or CEO. And in 2017, Sposato authored the national bestselling book on gender equity called “Better Together: 8 Ways Working with Women Leads to Extraordinary Products and Profits.”
“All the great ideas from Seattle end up influencing the rest of the world, and it’s time we defined ourselves with more swagger as the world-class city we’ve become. Seattle magazine will become the richest source of untold and provocative stories that shape this incredibly diverse and culturally rich city,” said Sposato. “I was raised here and watched Seattle transform from a city known for sasquatch, Bruce Lee, coffee and airplanes, into a world-class metropolis on par with other iconic destinations across the globe. Not only are we home to the most valuable technology companies in the world, this city has also given birth to the most famous musicians, performing artists, business leaders, athletes, and of course Oprah’s favorite Mac “N” Cheese. Seattle is not dying, it’s thriving.”
Sposato added that he deeply appreciates the work Craig Bednar and his team at Tiger Oak put into Seattle magazine.
“I’m now eager to write the next chapter in the story of this important publication, which was founded by Harriet Bullitt in 1966,” added Sposato. “The Bullitt family, along with Walt Disney, saw Seattle’s massive potential when they started KING Broadcasting more than 70 years ago. I am buying Seattle magazine because I do not want it said that in the years when my generation came of age, that Seattle lost its voice. I believe Seattle’s best days lie ahead andSeattle magazine will tell the stories that shape our city for generations to come.”
