PlanetOut Pubs Losing Ads
Danny Fields’ lawsuit against Out isn’t the only problem plaguing perpetually strapped PlanetOut:
The two best-known magazines for gay readers, Out and The Advocate, suffered big drops in ad pages and newsstand sales during the first half of the year–making 2007 the second year of double-digit declines for the titles.During the first six months of 2007, The Advocate‘s ad pages plummeted 41.9%, to 251–while Out is down 20.4% to 272, compared to the same period of 2006, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. These disappointing results follow a rough 2006, when The Advocate‘s total ad pages fell 17.1% and Out 12.2%, compared to 2005.
Media Post reports that while gay ad dollars are on the rise, most of the money may be going to local publications and, of course, the internet. What’s more, “racier” mags Genre and Instinct seem to be sapping PlanetOut dry.
Did you see their 40th Anniversary Cover of the Advocate? It is an exact replica of the US Open Cover – that many of had seen at the beginning of the year. Maybe they need some fresh ideas over at PlanetOut???
I agree. That whole conglomerate is staid. PlanetOut doesn’t even listen to the its visitors. Have you ever read the complaints on the general bulletin? For instance, they had up the same poll for, I believe, over a year on their site. It never changed despite a slew of postings that quite nearly screamed change this. It’s probably indicative of the company as a whole. They’ve lost touch. Their articles became robotic and derivitive. The Advocate’s the same way. Have you seen how thin that magazine has gotten? It’s like the Nichole Ritchie of magazines.
The conglomeration of the gay media…has resulted in half assed…we’ll get what they give us…corporate mentality.
Sorry, in the days of the Internet…the Advocate is yesterday’s news by the time it shows up and OUT and Genre have insisted on really crass consumerism, featuring products that most of us can’t afford (or wouldn’t want if we could afford them).
All of these mags were once “must reads,” now I make myself read them (yeah i still subscribe, idiot) when they get piled up too high.