Editor’s note: Scott Copeland, the owner of Bethesda Magazine and the MoCo360 news site, has sold the properties to Today Media, a publisher of lifestyle magazines and websites in four East Coast markets. Below is the announcement of the purchase from Today Media.
Today Media, a leading publisher of regional lifestyle magazines, business publications and websites across multiple markets, announced Friday that it has acquired Bethesda Magazine and the news site MoCo360 from Z-Pop Media.
Rob Martinelli, CEO of Today Media, said Bethesda Magazine and MoCo360 are “a great fit” for his company, which publishes in four similar East Coast markets, including Westchester County and the Hudson Valley in New York, suburban Philadelphia and all of Delaware. “I’ve always been impressed with Bethesda Magazine and the MoCo360 news site,” he said.
Martinelli said MoCo360 was a big draw for Today Media. “I’ve seen how important the site is to the community,” he said. “We’re excited to continue the critical role of providing local news coverage in the Bethesda area.”
Scott Copeland, CEO of Z-Pop, said selling the business he acquired in 2021 from Steve and Susan Hull was bittersweet. “My endeavor was for the sole purpose of furthering community connections, and I am proud of our team’s continued and consistent commitment to that effort,” he said. “However, in the ever-changing media landscape, these valuable community assets require operational efficiencies that I believe Today Media is uniquely positioned to provide.”
Martinelli announced that Jennifer Farkas will be promoted to publisher of the magazine and MoCo360. Farkas, a Kensington resident, was most recently chief operating officer of Z-Pop and previously held a variety of roles when the magazine was owned by the Hulls.
“I am delighted to have the support and backing of such a highly respected media company,” Farkas said. “With this acquisition, I see a great path forward for us to continue our mission to serve and engage with the community through our daily news site, lifestyle magazine and events.”
Martinelli also announced the following hires:
- Kathleen Neary will be the editor of Bethesda Magazine. Neary, who lives in Kensington, was the associate editor of the magazine from 2015 to 2022. She has been a writer and editor for more than 20 years and worked at AOL, Ladies’ Home Journal, American Photo and George magazine.
- Julie Rasicot will be the editor of MoCo360. A longtime contributor and former senior editor for the magazine, Rasicot, a Silver Spring resident, was also formerly the managing editor of the news site.
- Ellen Minsavage will be the art director of the magazine. A senior designer for the magazine for the last 13 months, Minsavage previously worked for Today Media as an art director for the company’s custom publishing group in Baltimore.
Founded in 2004 and published six times a year, Bethesda Magazine covers the lives and lifestyles of residents in Montgomery County and Upper Northwest Washington, D.C. MoCo360, launched in 2014 as Bethesda Beat, is an online news site covering news in Montgomery County.
Today Media is a multi-platform regional media company serving a four-state region on the East Coast. In print, online and in person, Today Media reaches engaged consumers. Today Media publishes four monthly regional lifestyle magazines, two business publications and more than 10 specialty publications. The company also creates custom marketing solutions, develops new media business opportunities and hosts events. Today Media is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware.