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October 2, 2013

Loaded has fourth owner in three years with plan for more ‘stylised and subtle’ approach

By Darren Boyle

Lads mag Loaded once again has new owners after a management buyout.

The team, led by Loaded Advertising Director Jason Calder-McClaren announced that a new company Simian Publishing has taken over the title.

The magazine is also moving office to Leicester Square.

Central to the new takeover is a change of emphasis within the magazine with a greater emphasis on fashion, music, entertainment and sport. 

The title has had a troubled recent history passing through several owners and briefly going into administration.

Editor Jamie Wallis told Press Gazette: "The interpretation of what a lads' mag is has clearly changed since Loaded launched in 1994. Moving to Simian Publishing, we want to use this opportunity to embrace the magazine's twentieth year by re-positioning ourselves more in line with the modern man by concentrating on fashion, music, entertainment and sport. We will still feature girls in the magazine, however these shoots will be more stylised and subtle. 

"These changes will be effective following the publication of our delayed September issue."

Loaded was previoulsy owned by Paul Baxendale-Walker's Blue Publishing but went into administration in June and passed over to Loaded Media Ltd.

Previous owner Vitality Publishing went into administration with debts of more than £1m in April last year. Vitality bought Loaded from IPC Media in 2010.

Sales of Loaded have fallen from 350,000 in 2000 in less than a tenth that figure when it was last ABC audited in 2011.

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