USA’s oldest LGBT newspaper shuts down
November 17th, 2009
The USA’s largest LGBT publishing company has shut down, causing the immediate close of five LGBT newspapers and magazines.
Amongst the publications affected is the Washington Blade, the USA’s oldest LGBT newspaper, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in October 2009.
Media company Window Media LLC has been forced into bankruptcy and liquidation due to financial difficulties. The move came as a surprise to staff, many of whom had not been warned they might lose their jobs.
Laura Douglas-Brown, editor of Window Media-owned newspaper Southern Voice newspaper only found out what had happened when she found that the locks to her office had been changed, and a note was displayed stating that Window Media LLC had closed down.
“From my understanding, there was just no more money to keep these companies running,” Douglas-Brown told the Guardian. “We had all been told that the companies would be sold. The fact that we were shut down was a complete shock.”
Window Media LLC owned LGBT newspapers Washington Blade, South Florida Blade, Southern Voice and Houston Voice, plus magazines David Atlanta and The 411 Magazine. All publications have now been closed.
The UK’s only dedicated LGBT newspaper, The Pink Paper, stopped printing in June 2009 due to financial difficulties.
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