- Mike Shields, Mediaweek

NEW YORK Glam Media, which has demonstrated meteoric growth over the last few years in building a network of small- to midsize female-focused Web sites and blogs, is expanding into the African-American women's market.

The company announced the launch of Glam Black Life (blacklife.glam.com), a similar collection of long-tail sites focused on beauty and fashion targeted at black women. Among the 50 sites included in the new network -- which Glam claims in aggregate reaches 4 million unique users -- are Shake Your Beauty, Afrobella and The Fashion Bomb.

To lead Glam Black Life, the company has tapped current Glam beauty editor India-Jewel Jackson to oversee all original editorial content, while Tamera Reynolds, formerly of Sahara Media's Honey Magazine, will serve as director of the network. In addition, former BET director of national sales Asten Morgan Jr. will head up national sales efforts for new venture.

Glam, which was recently named to AdweekMedia's Digital Hot List, has landed Lexus as Glam Black Life's initial sponsor. The auto company will roll out its Luxuryawaits.com campaign this October.