NEW YORK — In an effort to bring edgier tone and content to its readership — and to attract a younger audience — Penthouse magazine has corralled a series of new editorial staff members from a variety of backgrounds.

With these new hires, Penthouse hopes to appeal not only to its core audience of adult males, but also to women who are curious about what their friends and husbands are reading, who want to find out the latest in gaming or the hottest music group with the best sound, or even those who want to learn tips from the magazine’s “sexpert.”

New hires on the editorial staff roster include: John Bolster, Sports Editor

Bolster says he wants to bring Penthouse readers a fresh, irreverent take on sports, balanced with insight and substance: “plenty of sizzle, but also some steak.”

Bolster’s goal is a sports section that covers cutting-edge sports like the X-Games in the same breath as time-honored events like the NCAA tournament.

Bolster comes to Penthouse from publisher TPG Sports Inc., where he served as executive editor and feature writer for the publisher’s specialty sports titles, including USA Hockey, US Youth Soccer, and Met Golfer.

He edited the “Sports Illustrated Almanac” from 1997 to 2005, and was a writer and project editor for several of the magazine’s special-edition books, including “Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century” and “Classic Rivalries.”

Rebecca Swanner has also been named, Music and Video Game Editor.

A former Blender, Stuff and US Weekly scribe, Swanner directs two of Penthouse magazine’s most dynamic sections.

“Sounds,” a four-page music section, will include interviews with artists, reviews and previews of new releases. Swanner is developing new columns for the section, and will also direct the magazine’s larger, in-depth features on major players in the music world.

The Penthouse gaming section “Joystick” reviews and previews new games, and interviews game developers and celebrities who have lent their talents to video games. She will also take a monthly look at online gaming in her column “Power Plays.”

Kara Wahlgren joins Penthouse as a staff writer. She will cover a broad range of topics and coordinate the magazine’s diverse pool of contributing writers.

Before coming to Penthouse, Wahlgren worked her way up the editorial ranks at Twist magazine where she was senior editor.

“We are confident that introducing fresh columns and sections into the magazine will attract a broader range of readers,” said Marc Bell, co-CEO, Penthouse Media Group, Inc. “Men are drawn not only to beautiful women, but also to gaming, sports, health and grooming. The additions to the Penthouse editorial staff will deliver that to them.”