Posted on 11/16/2009 11:21:49 AM PST by GoldStandard
Gay newspapers in several U.S. cities, including the Washington Blade, shut down on Monday, as the company that owned them, Window Media, abruptly went out of business. Window Media had been in serious financial trouble, but employees said they had expected a reorganization or sale, not a liquidation.
“We found out when two of the corporate officers were waiting for us when we got to work this morning,” said Kevin Naff, editor of the Blade, a 40-year-old paper that was one of the most important publications written for a gay audience. “It’s not a complete surprise. The abruptness of it was what was surprising.”
The paper’s roughly 20 employees “are determined to come back and make of a go of it as an independent entity,” he said. “Our first meeting is tomorrow.”
Employees at Southern Voice, an Atlanta-based gay paper owned by Window Media, found their offices locked on Monday, and a note posted on the door saying that the company had ceased operation. It told the workers to return Wednesday with boxes to collect their belongings.
(Excerpt) Read more at mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com ...
I guess they blew it...
Ah, gay has been so ruined.
It must have been those Mormons. /s
And no one noticed...
The recession made them bend over?
it is too dangerous for normal business to advertise in sex newspapers.
They just couldn’t make it in the end.
How wide an audience could they have had? I don’t know how they lasted this long, unless the left have been subscribing out of loyalty to the cause. Perhaps they’ve been pumping in funds for the disruption of society factor.
Oh, honey-a BOX? that's so low-rent. I'm taking this darling little aquamarine tote bag that's just to DIE for!
Depending upon which source you find accurage, the Gay population is between 3 and 7% of the total population. A newspaper that has a target demographic of only 3-7% of the total population is a recipe for disaster.
Of the 3-7% of the population, what market penetration could they reasonably expect? 3-15% would probably be somewhat reasonable, so if we multiply 7% x 15% we wind up with a best case scenario of ~1% of the population purchasing this paper.
I see no business case where this could be a viable enterprise. To claim that homophobia is behind the collapse of a poor business plan, is simply not true. They may not claim that at this point in time; but I’ll wager that the allegation will be made.
That's queer, in this terrible economy, serious financial trouble usually means bankruptcy. I wonder who gave 'em the bum information?
The owners were too anal-retentive.
“They just couldn’t make it in the end.”
They did suck it up, though, even though they were all choked up...
They’ll need some creative financing to stay in business. Do you think they can find some through the back door ?
A few less media outlets to attack Carrie Prejean now...I guess they could not get off any more....issues....
LOL
The paper’s roughly 20 employees “are determined to come back and make of a go of it as an independent entity,” he said. “Our first meeting is tomorrow.”Give 'em credit for that.
They could just as easily whinged on about being victims and demanded a bailout.
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