PINK PAPER STOPS PRINTING

The UK’s only national gay and lesbian newspaper, the Pink Paper, has closed down due to the economic recession. As a free newspaper, Pink Paper relied almost entirely on advertising income.

“This time last year it was a very successful business but since then organisations have slashed their spending on print advertising, meaning the paper has been unable to cover its costs,” said Tris Reid-Smith, Editor of the Pink Paper, in an official news statement.

The publishers say that they hope to start printing the newspaper again when the economy recovers and the advertising market improves.

An online version of the fortnightly paper will remain, as well as a weekly newsletter Pink Paper Xtra.

“The decision to suspend fortnightly print and distribution of Pink Paper has been one of the toughest we have had to make in a long time but in order to ensure that we can continue providing a service to the LGBT community in future we have taken the decision now, rather than when the situation has worsened to a point that we would need to cease Pink Paper all together,” said Kim Watson, media director of MPG, which publishes the publication.

Prominent gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has voiced his disappointment at the newspaper’s demise.

“The loss of the Pink Paper is a big blow to the lesbian and gay community. We have lost a major source of news and information. It was an invaluable forum for debate and helped us coordinate campaigns against homophobia,” he said in a statement.

“Without the Pink Paper, the lesbian and gay community is likely to become more fragmented and isolated, with people in one part of the country being much less aware about what is happening in other parts of the country,” said Tatchell.