The Vineyard Gazette announced late yesterday the purchase of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine from WEM Publishing Inc. The newspaper will take control of the magazine effective June 1.

 

William E. Marks, publisher and founder of the five-year-old publication, will bring out his last issue of the magazine late this month. The first issue of the magazine under Gazette direction will appear on newsstands and in the mailboxes of subscribers in July.

 

Vineyard Gazette publishers Mary Jo Reston and Richard Reston said they plan to print the glossy, four-color magazine on a quarterly basis. It is now published three times a year. The newspaper publishers said they are committed to a new and completely redesigned format for the magazine, now the only Island publication of its kind on the Vineyard.

 

Martha’s Vineyard Magazine under Gazette editorial control and management will be devoted solely to Island interests and will rely on distinguished writing and superb color photography.

 

Mr. Marks issued the following statement: “The reason I am selling the magazine is that this is the right time in my life to make a change. For a long time I have had this environmental philosophy developing and now I wish to pursue that full time. I want to devote time to thinking and writing and traveling in pursuit of new goals.

“The posture of the Gazette in relation to the Island environment is one I feel comfortable with. I am very pleased the Gazette is taking over and carrying on. Martha’s Vineyard Magazine has been for me a wonderful vehicle for meeting and sharing time with the people of Martha’s Vineyard.”

 

From the Gazette publishers came this statement: “We are excited by the purchase and believe Martha’s Vineyard Magazine is a perfect complement to the 144-year publishing tradition of the Vineyard Gazette. The Gazette already is in the magazine publishing world with its other smaller format publication, the Martha’s Vineyard Guide, circulated free to more than 300,000 Island visitors each summer season.”