The man behind the new publication is believed to be former US Maxim editor Keith Blanchard, who left the company in 2004 after four years to become the chief creative executive for television, film and radio projects at Maxim's parent company Dennis Publishing USA. He is now working at Hearst as a consultant.
Like all US publishers, Hearst has watched closely the success of Emap's Zoo and IPC Media's Nuts in opening up a new market in men's publishing, which had previously been restricted to the monthly market.
According to US reports, the plans are at an early stage and there is no news on the tone that the title could take.
The US men's market has traditionally been more conservative in tone, but the success of Nuts and Zoo has impressed US publishers.
Time Inc is also likely to be considering such a move as well. Time owns IPC and, in the past, it has looked at the idea of launching a US version of Loaded. While Loaded's star might have waned, that of IPC's Nuts is burning bright with sales of 275,459 compared with Zoo's 240,215 in the most recent ABCs.
The move to take hold of the men's weeklies market follows plans by the group to launch a low-cost weekly women's magazine in the US, Quick & Simple.
Hearst, headed by Victor F Ganzi, has interests in magazine, newspaper and business publishing, as well as broadcasting, new media, production, distribution and real estate.
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