Former Washington Blade staff launches 'DC Agenda'

November 20, 7:35 PMInternational LGBT Issues ExaminerKelvin Lynch

Previous Next

6 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the International LGBT Issues Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Former Washington Blade staffers launch D.C. Agenda

dcagenda.com

Following the decidedly unceremonious demise of the Washington Blade earlier this week, some former staffers have voluntarily worked together to start a new publication called D.C. Agenda.  The first issues were hand-delivered this morning.

On its website, D.C. Agenda, says, "The former staff of the Washington Blade remains united, and DC Agenda represents our effort at continuing the important mission and work of the Blade. It will grow and evolve to include a much larger and more diverse group of voices. But the core of the Washington Blade’s work remains unchanged. We will cover Congress, the White House, the LGBT rights movement, the D.C. marriage fight, local hate crimes and other political issues important to the LGBT residents of the city".

The pioneering, 40-year-old Washington Blade was considered The New York Times of LGBT news.  The sudden revelation that parent company Window Media was shuttering and liquidating its entire stable of newspapers came as a complete shock to the staff, who were told the company was being sold.  Some of them had devoted their entire careers to the paper, which had become an institution.

"We were ushered out the doors of our offices with no severance, canceled paychecks and more questions than answers about why this was allowed to happen," said a spokesperson in the wake of the bloodbath. Workers at Atlanta's Southern Voice were actually locked out of the building.

The staff is asking supporters to visit savetheblade.com for informational updates, and to make donations to D.C. Agenda.

On the site, the group says, "The Blade's importance to our area cannot be overstated. From the HIV/AIDS epidemic to hate crimes to the drive for marriage equality, the paper reported stories that the mainstream press initially didn't or wouldn't cover. And in the quest for fairness, it held people accountable -- gay and straight, elected officials and community leaders. Because of that, the Washington Blade, with more than 250,000 unique visitors to its Web site each month and a circulation of 23,000, was considered the paper of record by gays and lesbians across the country. Control of its archive of papers and photographs at its offices in the National Press Club is now in the hands of a bankruptcy trustee. Every effort should be made to keep the archive accessible to researchers and historians."

Don't let quality gay media die because of Window Media's mismanagement!

For more information:

• Make a donation at Buy a Brick
• Check out D.C Agenda
• Visit Window Media (if you can get through)

Click "Subscribe" above to have articles delivered to you.  Your email will never be shared with a third party.

For all things LGBT-related worldwide, visit my Home Page.