Two local entrepreneurs are the new owners of The Pitch, a longtime alternative publication in Kansas City.
Stephanie Carey and her husband, Adam Carey, are the new owners. They created Carey Media LLC as the new ownership entity of the publication. Stephanie Carey will serve as CEO of Carey Media and publisher of The Pitch, overseeing strategy and day-to-day business. Adam Carey is COO of Carey Media and will provide operational support.
The couple’s purchase returns The Pitch to local ownership for the first time in nearly two decades. Carey Media purchased the publication’s assets from SouthComm Inc., the second-largest publisher of alt weeklies, in a deal that closed Dec. 31.
In 2017, The Pitch shifted from publishing weekly to a monthly glossy format. It focuses on long-form and investigative reporting and covers everything from politics to food to music. The Pitch, which employs eight people, will remain at 1627 Main St. Longtime staffer David Hudnall was named as editor. Stephanie Carey said popular features and the publication’s signature events, such as Best of Kansas City and the Bacon & Bourbon Festival, will continue.
“The Pitch is staying the independent voice of the city. More than anything, we are extremely focused on Kansas City journalism,” Stephanie Carey said. “We bring passion and respect for the craft, and our combined experience in local media, news and marketing make us the perfect new home for The Pitch.”
The Pitch launched in 1980 as “The Penny Pitch,” a monthly handout at a record store. It evolved to become the city’s alternative source for local news and events, as well as coverage of restaurants, art and local music. The publication was acquired in 1999 by Village Voice Media, which sold it to Tennessee-based SouthComm in 2011.
The Careys are Kansas City-area natives. Stephanie graduated from Blue Valley Northwest High School and most recently served as sales manager at Second Street. Adam, a graduate of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, developed the sales and marketing strategy for startup Cambrian Tech, which earned $100,000 at the LaunchKC grant competition in September 2017.
