I’ve noticed the disappearance of some gay-sports media outlets in recent weeks. Gay.com’s Sports blog has apparently been abandoned as nothing’s been posted there since Aug. 10 and emails to the editor got bounced back. Gaysports.com hasn’t been updated since June, and that wasn’t about sports. Now comes news that Window Media, which owns the Washington Blade, Southern Voice and David Atlanta, among others, has closed down. The publications’ Web sites have already been taken down.
It’s disappointing to see all these news outlets cease reporting. But it’s not surprising. With the economic recession and ad market where it’s been, many publications have been forced to downsize or shut down. I had a strong personal and professional connection to Window Media, having been the sports editor for Genre and the associate editor of the New York Blade while the company owned them. I even appeared on the cover of David Atlanta to promote Outsports Revolution. Shocking, I know.
We’re proud that Outsports is still strong and running, and we appreciate the support of all our readers for that. Our thoughts also go out to the many reporters, editors and sales people who lost their job due to the closing of Window Media. It hurts, and you have our sympathy.
Hat tip to Towleroad.
on Nov 17th, 2009 at 1:14 AM
It’s sad but I sincerely hope you guys are able to stay afloat… I’m not saying this cuz I’m a regular visitor to your site, but honestly, it’s one of my favorite websites. It’s informative, to the point, opinionated but most importantly it brings us some pretty amazing and inspirational stories.
Keep up the great work guys.
on Nov 17th, 2009 at 6:48 AM
The death of the gay book store hasn’t helped this situation either. A lot of gay people won’t buy gay publicatons in a regular store.
on Nov 18th, 2009 at 11:47 AM
Its not only the gay media disappearing – its gay specific businesses in general. Church Street here in Toronto has been hit by a ton of gay businesses closing in the last year. Right now most 2nd floor retail space in the heart of the gay village now sits empty. Crews/Tango – one of the largest gay bars in town has closed, many bars, restaurants and smaller gay businesses including Zelda’s have closed or moved out of the village because rents are too high. This Ain’t the Rosedale Library gay bookstore had to move out of the gay village last year.
The somewhat ironic thing is that one of the big reasons gay specific businesses are struggling – at least here in Toronto – is because of the gay rights movement being so successful resulting in younger straight people having no issues hanging and partying with their gay buds. So if you talk to most gays under 30 who live here in Toronto they feel very little need for a ‘gay village’. They hang and party with all their straight friends – and fit right in – in many of the dance clubs and bars in the ‘straight’ entertainment district in Toronto – and many will tell you they don’t even need a gay specific place to go to.
I was at a town hall meeting round table discussion last year with the topic being gay travel and it was remarkable some of the comments from gays under 30 in the crowd. Some of them could not understand why there was such a thing as all gay cruises. They didn’t get it and did not sense a need for such a product. Very different from how almost anybody over 30 at the meeting felt.
It will be quite interesting to see how this all pans out over the next 10-20 years.
on Nov 24th, 2009 at 12:14 AM
EvenRupert Murdoch hasn’t figured out how to monetize information. Maybe we will go back to the older system where major institutions like churches and political parties sponsor news generation and absorb the losses.That’s the only business model that works