Gay Times loses 80% of advertisers amid US anti-diversity push
Tag Warner said that the LGBTQ+ magazine had faced an advertising shortfall as brands that had previously paid for advertising campaigns to run on its website had aborted their plans amid a wider decline of support for inclusive events.
'It seems like LGBT+ inclusion was something that everybody wants to do but now hardly anybody wants to do,' said Warner.
The magazine has had to make redundancies and is appealing to readers for help
'We've seen entire Prides [events] being cancelled because they don't have funding any more. I know of hundreds of freelancers in the industry that rely on advertising and marketing campaigns to pay their bills. And now those bills aren't being paid.'
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Pandora Sykes picks this summer's top 10 beach reads
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Times
an hour ago
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Yrsa Daley-Ward on Stormzy, Beyoncé, and her new novel, The Catch
'IYA! Y'ORITE?' booms a friendly Lancashire accent when I log on to a video call with the author and 'Instagram poet' Yrsa Daley-Ward, who is sitting waiting with luminous skin, glossy lips and a smile so big and bright that it beams through the is talking from a hotel room in Washington, where she's promoting her debut novel, The Catch. Released on Thursday, it's a mysterious, dark tale of twin sisters Clara and Dempsey, whose familial bond is severed in childhood when their mother, Serene, vanishes into the Thames. The book already has a starry backing — in the UK it's being published by Merky Books, an imprint launched by the rapper Stormzy.'Stormzy is awesome,' Daley-Ward says, smiling. 'I haven't spoken to him for a while but he's incredible. 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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
HGTV star unloads on network in scathing post after show's shock cancellation
Bargain Block star Keith Bynum left fans stunned with a blistering swipe at HGTV after his show fell victim to the network's shock cancellation spree. Without warning, HGTV pulled the plug on Bargain Block, Married to Real Estate and Izzy Does It - with sources warning more changes are coming. The sudden cancellations sent shockwaves through the channel's fandom last week, and left employees of several shows fearing for their jobs. As news spread, Bynum - who starred on Bargain Block with his boyfriend of over a decade Evan Thomas - shared an Instagram post confirming the axe has fallen on their home renovation series after four seasons. Bynym then candidly expressed his feelings about the 'fickle world' of television, his career in which has taken place almost entirely on HGTV. 'Tv is full of a lot of great people but it's also full of some of the worst people I've ever encountered,' the 38-year-old tellingly wrote. 'The last six months have been a pretty wild journey,' he wrote in an Instagram post uploaded shortly after news spread of the cancelations. 'Our entire business and lives have been put through the ringer at the hands of a giant corporation, yet we persist lol,' he quipped. 'Though you may not be seeing us for much longer on HGTV, we're excited that we've built such an amazing base of followers and we're very excited about the future. Everyone always told us TV is a fickle world and they are very right,' he added. 'Tv is full of a lot of great people but it's also full of some of the worst people I've ever encountered. Evan and I have always tried hard to stick to what we know and what we're good at which is being ourselves.' Striking an upbeat tone, he told his more than 130,000 followers: 'We love you all and we're very excited to announce what's next soon!' On the Fourth of July, HGTV's Battle on the Beach joined the channel's scrap heap as co-host Alison Victoria revealed the show had not been renewed for season five. Shortly after the initial raft of cancellations, network sources spoke exclusively to about the thinking behind the move. 'We had to stop the bleeding,' said the senior source, who claimed that revenues were underperforming and the network needed to act. 'Decisions are still being made,' said the insider, who works directly with programming. 'It sucks for everyone involved but that's the TV business. Everyone understands that. Cable networks are struggling now, and we all have to make smart decisions.' Farmhouse Fixer host Jonathan Knight confirmed that his show, co-presented by Kristina Crestin, had been axed on Wednesday after three seasons. 'A lot of you have been asking about the future of Farmhouse Fixer,' he said. 'I am sad to say HGTV has decided not to move forward with another season. 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'Mike and I just landed back in the States after an unforgettable family trip through the Mediterranean, and we're met with unexpected news: HGTV has decided not to move forward with Married to Real Estate,' it read. 'While the chain of events leading up to this is disheartening, we are deeply grateful. Grateful for four incredible seasons. Grateful for our amazing crew and supportive fans.' The network insider acknowledged that the cancellations were 'brutal' but believes that all those impacted would find other projects. 'There are so many opportunities in home renovation media, whether it's on a network like HGTV or something online or something totally different. I am pretty sure everyone will land on their feet.'
