Vice Media to Acquire Refinery29 in Drive for Female Audiences

Vice Media Inc., the youth-oriented media company, agreed to acquire the online publisher Refinery29, seeking to reignite growth by reaching a young female audience.

The deal marks the biggest move yet by Vice Chief Executive Officer Nancy Dubuc, who has been trying to revive the once high-flying media company since taking over last year. Terms weren’t disclosed. The Refinery29 business will report directly to her.

Vice, which began as a hipster music and lifestyle magazine, got investments from some of the biggest names in the media business. But it has struggled as its cable channel, Viceland, has ...