WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. – VS Media, the corporate parent of live webcams platform Flirt4Free, has branched into the online mainstream with its acquisition of Gay.com and Gay.net for an undisclosed sum.

Since 1997, Gay.com has been a personals, chat, and news resource for the gay community. After becoming part of Here Media Inc. as the result of a three-company merger in 2009, the site has focused primarily on dating and news by sourcing content from Here Media’s other properties including Out magazine, The Advocate, and Pride.com.

“This is a new venture for us, which is both sensitive and exciting,” said VS Media owner and President Gregory Clayman. “This is one piece of a larger plan to extend our brand as a technology and media company.”

Over the past 20 years, VS Media has built a robust community of millions of webcam chat users. A vibrant and engaged gay customer base is part of that. The company has affiliate relationships with many of the top gay studios, news outlets, blogs and retail products.

With these resources, the technology, and a commitment to the gay community, VS Media intends to turn Gay.com into a mainstream lifestyle site with user-generated content and interactive features, Clayman said.

“This site will take a lot of time and effort to live up to its name, but we fully intend to maintain the integrity and the community spirit that Gay.com has built up over the years,” he said.

Representatives from VS Media will attend Qwebec Expo in Montreal Aug. 4-7 and the European trade shows in September. To contact them, email sales@flirt4free.com.