User:Risa77/Bay Windows Draft

= Bay Windows =

Bay Windows is an LGBT-oriented newspaper, published weekly in Boston, Massachusetts and distributed at over 400 locations throughout the greater Boston area and the entire New England region of the United States.

The paper is a member of the New England Press Association and the National Gay Newspaper Guild.

Founding in 1983
Bay Windows was created in 1983 by the founding publisher Sasha Alyson. Former longtime arts and entertainment editor Rudy Kikel has been credited with giving it its name. It began as a monthly free paper primarily distributed in preexisting gay and lesbian spaces like bars and businesses, and eventually moved to its weekly schedule. Alyson was a reader of the Gay Community News, and founded Bay Windows with an eye toward creating a gay and lesbian newspaper that covered more local news and provided more AIDS coverage along with general political coverage.

1985 purchase by James Hoover
It was purchased in 1985 by James Hoover who was then publisher of the South End News. Editor Jeff Epperly was brought on, and the newspaper became more professional and traditionally journalistic. Hoover founded and became president of the National Gay Newspaper Guild at this time, making Bay Windows an early part of the organization.

2003 purchase by Jeff Coakley and Sue O'Connell
Bay Windows was sold by an ailing Hoover to Jeff Coakley and Sue O'Connell in 2003. Susan Ryan-Vollmar was brought on as editor at this time. During this time Bay Windows’ readership moved further into the suburbs, so the paper responded by moving its distribution into major supermarket chains and news boxes.

2008 recession
Like many other organizations, Bay Windows also felt the effects of the 2008 recession, cutting its distribution to save on printing costs by around 12%. The paper also relocated to South Boston from its previous offices in the South End so it could pay less rent for its offices. Bay Windows’ longtime rival gay newspaper The New England Blade did not survive the recession, however, which enabled Bay Windows to expand its distribution from 2,000 to 20,000 and have an influx in new local advertisers that were previously partnered with the Blade.

2011 acquisition of Golden Rainbow Times
In 2011, the paper acquired Golden Rainbow Times, a monthly newsletter oriented toward LGBT senior citizens. The publication became a monthly insert in Bay Windows.

Funding
For 30 years Bay Windows got 75% of its funding from local businesses that would take out around 100 ads in the weekly paper. In 2013, Bay Windows switched their model to have supplemental reader-funding in addition to its already existing advertising revenue.

Mitt Romney
Bay Windows’ coverage of former Massachusetts governor and two-time Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his early support of the gay community garnered national attention.

Pope John Paul II
After the death of Pope John Paul II, the paper released an issue called The Holy Father’s Homophobia, which received wide praise and honors from the New England Press Association.

Format
The first issue of Bay Windows was 32 pages, and currently runs between 20 and 44 pages, with a 100-page issue at the time of Gay Pride Week.