Gay Ad Spending Rose To Record Levels in 2009

Ad revenue for GLBT publications rose to an all-time high of $349.6 million in 2009, an increase of 13.6% over 2008 totals, according to the Gay Press Report, an annual study published by ad agency Prime Access and media firm Rivendell Media.  These spend levels are in stark contrast to overall consumer magazine ad revenues which fell 15.6% to $10.53 billion, the lowest level since 1998.

The report’s findings weren’t all positive though, as the combined circulation of all GLBT publications decreased by roughly 2.4 million units – an astounding drop of 27.6% from 2008 levels.  Furthermore, gay specific ads increased a modest .5%, while the total number of ads fell 6.8%.

The report was released on the heals of Michael K. Lavers controversial article in the Village Voice on the death of gay media and Kevin Naff’s rebuttal to Lavers’ article in the Washington Blade. It looks like the Gay Press Report’s mixed findings will do little to settle the ongoing decline-in-gay-media debate.

Gay Publications Have Roller-Coaster Month

It’s been an up and down May for regional gay-oriented publications.  First, the Chicago Free Press announced it was ceasing operations after 11 years in print.  The GLBT-oriented newspaper’s owner, David Costanzo, has decided to no longer fund the publication due to declining health.

Then came the accusation that San Diego’s Gay and Lesbian Times has been inflating its circulation numbers to advertisers.  According to the San Diego News Network, the Times claims to publish 15,700 copies weekly, but invoices show that the paper has scaled back to as few as 9,000 copies per week.  The article suggests the decrease in circulation and deceptive sales tactics are a result of the publication’s dire financial situation.

On a brighter note, a new gay-oriented publication, sbi Magazine, has launched in the Atlanta market.  That brings the total number of new gay publications to six since the devastating collapse of Windows Media (publishers of Southern Voice and David) last year.  sbi – an acronym for stylish, bold, informative – publishes weekly and strives to highlight more of the “under the radar” Atlanta gay scene.

Alternet published a great article about the triumphant return of the GLBT newspaper The Washington Blade amidst the decline of another D.C. institution – conservative newspaper The Washington Times.  In a previous post, I reported the return of the Blade after the publication abruptly shut its doors in November, and it sounds like the newspaper is back and better than ever.

In that same post I commented an article in the San Francisco Gay Times that suggests there is a crisis in gay journalism as evidenced by the decline of gay newspapers.  However, this decline isn’t unique to gay publications – newspapers across the U.S. are struggling to survive in the age of the internet, and the smaller local publications are the hardest hit.  Further, gay news going more and more mainstream, and we no longer have to refer to “fag rags” to get news relevant to the gay community.  Despite the loss of some gay-oriented publications, I would contend that gay journalism is as strong as ever.

Is GLBT Media in Decline Or Are Gay Stories Going Mainstream?

An interesting article appeared recently in the San Francisco Bay Times suggesting there was a crisis in gay journalism as evidenced by the decline of local and regional gay newspapers.  The article, written by Tim Vollmer, contends that the GLBT community should be alarmed that gay media on both the local and national level is deminishing.

It’s true that “fag rags” have waned in number over the years, and those that have survived are much more focused on gay lifestyle rather than investigative journalism.  However, I’m not convinced the gay media is in decline at either the local or national level as Vollmer contends.  In fact, I would argue gay issues are at the forefront of national attention more than ever before.  Gay news stories have just become mainstream and are no longer relegated to the pages of newspapers read only by the gay community.

It’s no secret that the national newspaper industry is in serious distress, with smaller, local and regional publications the hardest hit.  More people than ever are turning to alternate means, such as internet publications, blogs, podcasts, and social media outlets, to get their news.  The fact that so many gay-oriented periodicals have adjusted to changing tastes and survived is a testament to gays’ incomparable ability to adapt.

On a related note, the nation’s oldest GLBT newspaper, the Washington Blade, will begin publishing under its old name again.  For the last five months, the publication has been issued under the name D.C. Agenda after its parent company abruptly closed in November.  Donations have kept the paper going, and in February, three former staffers bought the name, rights, and archives of the publication in bankruptcy court.