Company purchasing Village Voice, other papers

DENVER (AP) — A Denver company says owners of the Village Voice and several other alternative newspapers around the country are selling the media properties.

The new holding company Voice Media Group announced Monday that it has signed an agreement to purchase the publishing and related sales properties from Village Voice Media Holdings.

The purchase includes its alternative weekly newspapers and associated websites, as well as the national advertising arm of the company, the Denver-based company said in a press release.

The purchase is being led by Scott Tobias, who has been Village Voice Media Holdings' chief operating officer and will be chief executive officer of the new Voice Media Group.

Besides the New York's Village Voice, some of the publications include LA Weekly (Los Angeles), Westword (Denver), and New Times (Phoenix).

Backpage.com, also currently owned by Village Voice Media Holdings, is not part of the buyout.