Vibe/Spin Ventures and OnRadio Launch Online Presence of Blaze

Posted on November 17, 1998

Vibe/SPIN Ventures and OnRadio, an integrated media network for more than 550 radio stations around the country, have announced the launch of Blaze.com, the online extension of popular hip-hop monthly Blaze magazine.

A launch party, featuring top hip-hop group "The Roots" and special guest appearances from a number of other top rap acts, including "A+," will be Webcast live starting at 9 p.m. Eastern on November 17 from the El Flamingo club in New York City. Anyone with Internet access can join the party by logging onto blaze.com, where live music will be streamed using Window's Media Player technology.

"Blaze.com keeps the pulse on hip-hop culture by delivering information and entertainment as soon as it happens," said Ricardo Ramirez, CEO of OnRadio. "OnRadio's urban station affiliates are excited about receiving this exclusive, cutting-edge content on their Web sites."

"Blaze.com will be a timely, exciting extension of the magazine, and OnRadio is an ideal partner because of its extensive network of stations," said Jesse Washington, Editor-in-Chief of Blaze. "Blaze.com editors will be working side-by-side with editors from the magazine. Our goal is not only to provide added daily content, but to support the stories printed in Blaze with sound bites, record listings, full interview transcripts, reader surveys, and the like. The end result will be more entertaining, useful information for our readers."

Vibe/SPIN Ventures, Blaze and OnRadio will also partner to re-launch Vibe.com in January 1999 and launch Spin.com in March 1999. In addition to original digital content, each of the VSB sites will feature a searchable database of the entire history of each print magazine. TPI, the ethnic marketing division of Interactive8, one of New York's leading interactive agencies, designed the Blaze.com Website, and will also design the others.