In a move to stay relevant in the changing media landscape, The Boston Phoenix will merge with its sister publication, Stuff, today. The new pub, called The Phoenix, will combine The Boston Phoenix’s news content with Stuff’s coverage of lifestyle topics. The newspaper has suffered in recent years due to classifieds moving to the Web, and hopes that the new format will attract more advertisers. Editor-at-large Peter Kadzis told The Boston Globe that though the paper does not have a readership problem, “a sizable number of style-related advertisers—fashion and high-end liquor, for example—prefer glossy pages.”

The alt-weekly’s fate seemed precarious when its president, Brad Mindich, departed after five years. His father Stephen, who founded the paper, decided to take a more active role after his departure. Stephen Mindich told the Globe he is convinced that the new pub is right for its times. He estimated that it would contain “65/35 or maybe 70/20 ‘news/culture’ to ‘lifestyle/fashion’” in terms of content.

Like the paper, the glossy will be distributed for free on a weekly basis. And its staff is maintaining a cherry outlook: “It’s not a surprise this has been portrayed as the sky is falling,” editor Carly Carioli told the Globe. “But that’s not what it feels like to be here.”

(H/T The Boston Globe)