Gay folk continue to capture the collective marketing eye. And so they should!

A survey of 2,259 adults found that 68% of self-described gays are more likely to buy from a company they find gay-friendly. And there are definitely companies - and methods - coming out on top: Bravo, Apple, Showtime, HBO, Absolut, and Levi’s, are the gay-friendliest brands, while WalMart, Dunkin Donuts, Cracker Barrel, Exxon Mobil, and Samsung earn the lowest marks from gay and lesbian consumers, according to the 2008 Prime Access/PlanetOut Gay and Lesbian Consumer Study released today.
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The study also reveals that 71% of gay and lesbian consumers said they have a more favorable impression of companies or products that … Continued…

Media journalist Erik Sass finds PlanetOut’s publishing sale “embarrassing:” “In an embarrassing setback, PlanetOut Inc., a leading LGBTmedia company, is selling its magazine business for a song… Having purchased [Out and The Advocate] and erotic book business of Liberation Publications for $32.1 million in November 2004, on Thursday PlanetOut announced it is selling the magazines to Here Networks, a gay and lesbian-themed TV network, for a paltry $6 million.” [MediaPost]

The rumors were true. We hear that Regent Entertainment’s bid for PlanetOut’s magazines will be finalized today. The Los Angeles-based company simply couldn’t resist bringing Out and The Advocate into their fold, which includes gay cable network here! We’ll keep you posted as we hear more of the details.

Citizen Culture publisher Jonathan Feit drops 768-words telling us what we already know: the media hopes to pocket the pink dollar. As historically gay media companies like PlanetOut attempt to keep up with the ever-changing queer culture, Time Warner Cable, Viacom and other giants have launched a war for gay viewers. This war, he says, provides an example of a “quiet media war” in which companies are both grabbing gays and avoiding right wing outcry. It’s a delicate balance.

Well-written and thought provoking in terms of media as activism, Feit’s “A Quiet Media War” also takes a stab at historical analysis: …San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom compared today’s equality struggle with the civil … Continued…

We don’t know how we missed this story last week, but we did: PlanetOut has joined forces with Expedia.com. “PlanetOut Inc. has put Expedia Inc. in charge of travel booking on its web sites. It didn’t give financial details of this agreement. Expedia, based in Bellevue, Wash., agreed to advertise on PlanetOut sites as part of the deal, and to sponsor some of the company’s events.” [Business Times]

It’s been a little over two months since gay media giant PlanetOut put itself on the auction block. So, what’s happening with the company?

First and foremost, book wholesaler Bookazine snatched up a piece of the company’s Publishers Distributing Company, which includes Bruno Gmunder Verlag and Starbooks Press.

Meanwhile, PlanetOut’s magazines, including The Advocate and Out, remain the big mystery, with sources telling us more people were interested in a buy than executives anticipated.

While nothing’s set in stone, there are murmurs that Regent Entertainment, which owns queer cable channel here!, has been circling the gay glossies. One speculator described a sale as “imminent”.

Any one out there hearing more details on these … Continued…

Things continue to look grim for the gay media masters over at PlanetOut: “Gay and lesbian focused web media company PlanetOut Inc. reported a loss of $51.2 million for 2007.” [SF Business Times]

How many people do you think saw this ad before in it appeared on page 62 of the most recent Out? We estimate at least three (designer, copyeditor, sales representative), but possibly more.

One alerted PlanetOut staffer had this to say, “Jesus Christ,” while another offered “careless whisper”. Both responses are apt, we think.

There are big changes afoot at PlanetOut

PlanetOut’s stocks tumbled this week after the gay media company announced it may sell itself to the highest bidder. We’ve been hearing murmurs of staff shake-ups - event marketing director Chip Stevenson, media man Rich Rodriguez both out - but our details are hazy, homos!

Meanwhile, a reader has also been picking up some chatter: I’ve heard that some very prominent people over at LPI have resigned and that a few others have been let go. At The Advocate mostly. You might have already heard about this but just in case you haven’t… Any of you kids got the goods?

Gay media company PlanetOut lost even more luster yesterday. Shares of PlanetOut Inc. sank to an all-time low Tuesday after the media company… said it may sell itself.

PlanetOut shares fell $1.45, or 23.4 percent, to $4.75 in early afternoon trading. Earlier, the stock traded as low as $4.65 _ its lowest since a reverse stock split in early October. A PlanetOut spokesman wouldn’t tell the Washington Blade whether any companies have come knocking.

PlanetOut’s still struggling! Despite selling RSVP Vacations and splitting its stocks, the gay publishing company - which brings us Out and The Advocate, among others - simply can’t find the cash to stay afloat.

In an effort to keep from going under completely, the company’s reportedly looking for a sugar daddy: PlanetOut announced today that it has begun searching for potential buyers after reporting losses for seven consecutive financial quarters.
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PlanetOut also announced that it will no longer be providing quarterly or annual earnings guidance and will not hold quarterly earnings calls; instead the gay media conglomerate will report its earnings information through its periodic filings with the SEC.

The announcements came … Continued…

It’s official! Out owner PlanetOut officially signed over RSVP Vacations to Atlantis. Here’s a publicist approved note: PlanetOut Inc., the leading media and entertainment company exclusively focused on the gay and lesbian market, today announced that, in accordance with the previously announced agreement with Atlantis Events, Inc., the sale of RSVP Vacations to Atlantis has been completed. On a related note, PlanetOut’s stock has lost 24 cents since this morning.

Recommitting themselves to their media outlets, PlanetOut executives announced that they’ll sell cruise line boat chartering RSVP to former competitor Atlantis.

PlanetOut CEO Karen Magee says the company, which publishes Out and The Advocate, will get back to its roots: From a corporate perspective, we believe this transaction demonstrates to our shareholders that we are continuing to deliver on our commitment to leverage our strengths by simplifying our business model and emphasizing our core competencies. We are focused on ensuring that we are in the best position to realize our full potential as the leading media and entertainment company exclusively serving the LGBT market, while also strengthening our balance sheet. The move shouldn’t … Continued…

Legendary queer activist Larry Kramer took aim at The Advocate at last week’s National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association convention.

Taking the microphone following publisher Michael Phelps‘ celebration of the 40-year old magazine’s “new” design, Kramer - whose ACT-UP helped pave the way for the AIDS movement - implored Phelps and his staffers to do more than toying with new fonts.
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