WeHo News editor Ryan Gierach tells L.A. Weekly that his spunky online-only newspaper that covers the city of West Hollywood will soon announce a partnership with Frontiers Media.

The publishing company owns Frontiers, Southern California's oldest gay and lesbian magazine, and will now have a “majority stake” in a newly formed WeHo News LLC, says Gierach.

The merger will result with the WeHo News website going through an “exponential expansion,” according to Gierach, but the paper will continue with its independent voice.

“Frontiers recognizes we have a strong readership because of the independent voice,” says Gierach, who will remain as editor.

Over the past five years, guest columnists in the WeHo News regularly criticize West Hollywood politicians and Gierach often takes in-depth looks at controversial development projects, among other subject matter.

WeHo News, in fact, was featured in a recent L.A. Weekly cover story titled “West Follywood,” which examined the insider political culture of West Hollywood and its failings.

Gierach says the main changes will be a new website, content sharing with the Frontiers website, and possibly hiring a beat reporter, although he's not offering a paid position at this time.

Gierach expects an official announcement to be made on Thursday. The deal has been in the works for the past several months, the editor says.

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

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