Well, this was rather sudden and unexpected.
Gay Star News, one of the leading LGBTQ media sites based out of the U.K., just announced it’s shutting down. The site will no longer be updated but will remain online in archive form for “as long as possible.”
“We are devastated to have to confirm the reports that Gay Star News has to close, effective immediately,” the site’s co-founder, Tris Reid-Smith, writes in a letter to readers.
The site, which has been in operation for eight years, was unable to turn a profit.
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Reid-Smith explains: “We entered 2019 with every reason to be confident we were going to have a strong year. But as the year progressed, decisions have been delayed and projects people had committed to do with us have fallen flat.”
“There are a number of reasons, of course. But the biggest change was the level of confidence brands and businesses in the UK have, due to the uncertainty over Brexit.”
Reid-Smith goes on to say another problem is that many brands want gay dollars but don’t actually want to support the LGBTQ community.
“Brands which are wishing to ‘do’ LGBTI work are increasingly doing so in a tokenistic way,” he writes.
“Rather than working with us to engage and serve LGBTI people year round, many have chosen to ‘rainbow wash’. They have turned their logo rainbow colored for Pride week or month and – at best – made a small donation to an LGBTI good cause.”
Reid-Smith concludes by thanking the site’s supporters and contributors.
“We have worked hard to empower, engage, unite, inform, inspire and entertain,” he says. “We have solidly believed in the power of journalism. We have always believed in our community.”
“Gay Star News and Digital Pride have never just happened. They have been willed into being by incredible people. Until the very end we had good reason to believe we would survive. We have fought through and won through so many times. We were incredibly close. But this one has broken us, and truly broken our hearts.”
Those of us at Queerty would like to wish our friends at Gay Star News all the best in the next endeavors. We’re gonna miss you guys!
Read the full letter HERE.
Wicked Dickie
“…Reid-Smith goes on to say another problem is that many brands want gay dollars but don’t actually want to support the LGBTQ community. “Brands which are wishing to ‘do’ LGBTI work are increasingly doing so in a tokenistic way,” he writes….” See: Gay Pride Month and corporate sponsorship. Companies slap a rainbow label on products in June, and go back to regular business in July.
PinkoOfTheGange
Others have complained about ad revenue dropping in the UK because of the uncertainty of how brexit it going to pan out.
iron
The problem; economic shambles, we are all trying to survive crazy real estate values exceding the paycheck
RExxx59A
No big surprise here! Started really noticing it last year, and it increased this year. HRC does some research on companies that “love us during PRIDE”, but also make donations to anti-LGBTQ political campaigns. Various comments at many sites. Talk about taking it up the ass. Oh well, buyer beware and always FOLLOW THE MONEY!!
Cam
I have noticed that in news stands and airports, places that used to have LGBT publications no longer carry them. Tokenistic indeed!
PinkoOfTheGange
There are still GLBT publications?
Doug
I’m really sorry to see this site go. In my opinion it was the most thorough site for gay news on the web. I just discovered it a year or so ago and have been reading it every day.
RExxx59A
Always liked it. DEPENDABLE reporting!
JromeGervais09
As an American LGBTQI with our own Oliver Stone nightmare movie in the White House, maybe this is a backlash from the election of your new PM who is affected by the same disease our prez is. I call it Stupidity. The quasi LGBTQI supporting businesses seem to want to play both sides against the middle. They know our community has a very, very large spendable income in the 100 of Billions around the world. But, they also want the leaders of our respective governments to be pleased with their business actions. Just keep the LGBTQI spending without committing to our cause. Politics on both sides of the pond are dirty, aren’t they. So sad as our dumbass would say.
Brian
Maybe they should have ran more articles about Reddit discussions.
truthseeker
LOL
Jeepo1
Where is queerty going to get all or their articles now? Most of what is on here was on gaystarnews the day before
batesmotel
I’ve never heard of that publication, so it’s obviously not “major”. When you use the word “major” publication or “major” A-list star, then that implies that it’s someone or a company that most everyone has heard of on all corners of the globe, even if they don’t follow them. Sorry this media company shut down, but never heard of them and they’re not major.
Bryguyf69
Er, read the title carefully. It specifically states, “major LGBTQ media site.” In the world of “LGBTQ media sites,” it was indeed a major player — and source for many Queerty stories. The recent story about an Iranian kid rejected for asylum is Sweden is a good example. It was reported in Gay Star News first, and their piece was more detailed and had more photos.
Assuming you’re American, it’s a site in the UK so why would it matter whether you have or have not heard of it? Even if you had heard of it, how would that have helped its profitability? Have you heard of the most popular LGBT sites in France, Sweden, Australia, Italy, or even Canada? My guess is no, so why would you necessarily be expected to know a UK site?
Sorry but your geocentric ignorance and myopia is no indicator on how important or influential a site is. Being American, you are not their target audience so I’m not sure why you’d be expected to know of them. But if you read Queerty carefully and click on embedded links, you’d see that Gay Star News is a frequent target.
frankcar1965
Maybe not in your small “it’s all about me” world but I certainly have been reading it for several years. Please go crawl back under that rock you live under.
Beemerguy
You obviously are an idiot. If you were even half way well read about LGBTQ news you’d know the site. Second, to think you are aware of everything, you’re making yourself the judge. How arrogant. The closing of Gay Star News will be a loss to our community.
Desertmuscle8
And Beemerguy perhaps I should change my moneker to :Bentleyman..
lkeels
“UPDATE: Things are moving quickly and people are still coming forward with plans to rescue Gay Star News in some form or another. Naturally we will do all we can to make it happen and we are grateful beyond measure for all those trying to help.”
jlicks
Maybe a reason for not turning a profit is that many have never heard of “Gay Star News”. To be honest this is the first time I seen them mentioned on this site.
Brexit
Maybe you’ve not been reading the articles properly as they are regularly referenced on Queerty.
Bryguyf69
First of all, assuming you’re American, it’s a site in the UK so why would it matter whether you have or have not heard of it? Even if you had heard of it, how would that have helped its profitability? Have you heard of the most popular LGBT sites in France, Sweden, Australia, Italy, or even Canada? My guess is no, so why would you necessarily be expected to know a UK site?
Second, if you read Queerty more carefully, you’d see links to it all the time, especially if it’s a European story. For example, the recent story about an Iranian kid rejected for asylum in Sweden linked to Gay Star News, where it was first reported. In fact, their story was more detailed and had more photos than the one on Queerty.
Tombear
For some reason the hubby and I just gave a grand to mayor Pete’s campaign. Mayor Pete 2020, Make America better again!
Condor221
So did we.
djmcgamester
This whole tokenism thing is interesting. I guess making assumptions about who is and isn’t an ally based on rainbow colors in June doesn’t work. Time to investigate rather than take it for granted. Yes, I mean me, too.