Seven West Media takes Pacific Magazines digital rights back in-house from Yahoo7

Seven West Media has taken the digital assets for its Pacific Magazines properties back from Yahoo7, in a sign the digital joint venture could be set to unravel.

The move sees Seven take sales and editorial control for the digital elements of mastheads including Better Homes and Gardens, Marie Clare, Girlfriend and Who back from Yahoo7, with the company also set to rebrand Pacific Magazines.

Speculation over the future of Seven’s joint venture with Yahoo has been intensifying in recent months as the US internet giant looks to create a new strategic direction for the company and sell off large parts of its existing business. 

In 2013 Nine Entertainment bought Microsoft out of a similar arrangement as digital revenues became tighter and digital rights became increasingly important and tied up with linear broadcast rights. Seven recently took control of digital rights for the Australian Open tennis creating a stand-alone app outside the Yahoo7 arrangement.