In a world where online media is steadily replacing traditional print media, Pittsburgh’s own Jenesis Magazine is positioning itself to give the new generation exactly what they want.

Their stylish layout and exclusively online distribution merge accessibility with urban cultural relevance in a manner that is just as professional as it is hip. Co-Editor-in-Chief Brian Tolbert said, “We’re aiming to reach men and women ages 18-34; since we’re in that age range we directly relate to the people we’re trying to reach. Publishing the magazine online makes it more viable and has gained us readership in over 100 countries and 3,100 cities across the world.”

THE MEN OF JENESIS—From left: Brandon Westbrook (writer), Mario Dones (writer), Thomas Agnew, front, (co-owner, designer), Jordan Beckham (photographer), and Brian Tolbert (co-owner, founder, designer).

With 14 issues of the magazine and well over 100,000 site visits under their belt, 23-year-old co-editors Tolbert and Thomas Agnew are about using hard work to bring good ideas to fruition.

Agnew, a Freetown, Ohio, native and Pittsburgh transplant said, “We met each other at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. He (Tolbert) was in his first year and I was in my third. I’m from Ohio and Brian is from East Hills. I was looking through his designs and noticed he had some ideas for a clothing line called Genesis. As we got more acquainted, he told me he wanted to do a magazine of the same name and after that, it’s been on ever since.”

Ever since the launch of www.jenesismagazine.com and the promotional issue in January 2007, many international and local talents have graced the cover. This month’s issue of Jenesis features the world-renowned DJ sensation and Pittsburgh native, Girl Talk.

“We want to keep the focus positive. There are a lot of hard- working people here who want to achieve their dreams and aspirations but aren’t getting their voice heard. We’ve covered as much as we could from people opening shoe stores to clothing stores, and developing music careers,” said Agnew.

Both Tolbert and Agnew went on to earn their bachelor’s of arts and sciences in graphic design, a skill that makes them the driving force behind the professional and stylish look of the magazine. However, getting every issue produced and online on time is the product of a diverse staff consisting of a principal photographer, webmaster, 10 journalists and two interns.

Principal photographer Jordan Beckham is an integral part of the Jenesis Magazine operation and has also been instrumental in shaping the images of several local and regional artists, quickly earning a name for himself as go-to guy for great lighting, fresh ideas and timely production. While Tolbert and Agnew guide the content, it’s Devon Thomas who brings it to the World Wide Web.

With this team at the helm and writers from various cultural and regional backgrounds, Jenesis is making local artists look like stars and making stars look like they’ve come to the right place every month.

This month’s issue of Jenesis Magazine is a tribute to women. Agnew said, “Both Brian and I have been influenced by strong women in our life. There are a lot of women out there who are doing a lot of positive things and not getting recognized for it. Also we’re doing a model talent search contest called 15 Minutes of Fame as a promotional for the issue to bring more readers to our site and help boost the careers of women trying to get into the modeling industry.”