In what may be a first for a mainstream newspaper, The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., has launched a monthly magazine aimed at the local gay community, which comprises more than half of residents in some of the city's neighborhoods.
The first issue of the free-distribution Desert Outlook appeared yesterday. The 68-page magazine features a cover story about the prospects for gay marriage winning federal approval this year, plus an interview with Democrat Diane Feinstein, the state's senior U.S. senator and a gay marriage proponent.
Publisher Mark Winkler told the paper that Desert Outlook would meet "a significant need in this community -- thoughtful, stylish and sophisticated coverage. I am pleased that we can deliver relevant content to an important segment of our community."
The debut issue's advertisers include auto retailers, home improvement stores, real estate agents -- and a waggishly worded ad for a thrift store called Revivals. (See, below.)
The magazine's editor, Will Dean, edits a gay blog that's also called Desert Outlook.
Palm Springs has long been a popular retirement and second-home haven for gays and lesbians from Los Angeles, which is two hours west, and from the San Francisco area, an hour north on direct flights.
The Sun's circulation is 32,858 weekdays and 40,406 Sundays.
The debut issue's advertisers include auto retailers, home improvement stores, real estate agents -- and a waggishly worded ad for a thrift store called Revivals. (See, below.)
The magazine's editor, Will Dean, edits a gay blog that's also called Desert Outlook.
Palm Springs has long been a popular retirement and second-home haven for gays and lesbians from Los Angeles, which is two hours west, and from the San Francisco area, an hour north on direct flights.
The Sun's circulation is 32,858 weekdays and 40,406 Sundays.
This is a great and bold move. The gay community is often ignored by "traditional" media.
ReplyDeleteYes, but it will be harder to find after GPS gets done.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see more of this, but it has no presence on the web site...?
ReplyDeleteCool. A good idea and actual revenue stream!
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't there a magazine for heterosexuals? This is segregation at its finest, unreal.
ReplyDeleteThere is - just about every other magazine out there. As much as we (yes I'm a hetro) won't admit it, we love to flaunt our heterosexuality. This is hardly segregation. Hetros might do well to even read this new publication to learn about our often misunderstood neighbors.
DeleteAnother ho-hum, mediocre product from Gannett. It's not sophisticated, not stylish, and the only thing "thoughtful" about it is how we can blatantly pander to this demo.
ReplyDeleteThis market already has long-established gay magazines—one for more than 30 years—plus publications from LA and San Diego that have struggled the last few years to survive. How arrogant to think we can trump the existing publications with this crap.
The text is so small it's a struggle to read it, and most of our gay crowd are older here. Content doesn't matter if people can't read it.
BOOOO!!!!
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS DISGUSTING!!
Agreed, this does not make me gay quite the contrary. This publication is insulting to our community and would rather read Playgirl than this. Probably a bunch of heterosexuals put this rag together.
ReplyDeleteLove the title.
ReplyDeleteIs Gay Deal Chicken next?
ReplyDeleteThe gay community within the Gannett properties are the hardest workers... definitely this way at the Arizona Republic (Randy Lovely for one). I hope we can embrace a demo that just might save many of our papers - and not just from the inside but also the outside. Many of our most supportive and engaged readers are those of the gay community.
ReplyDelete