Press Pass Q, October 2006

TRANSITIONS AND MILESTONES

The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association will honor winners of its 2006 Excellence in Journalism Awards at a ceremony at Chicago’s Palmer House on Nov. 8. The following LGBT press professionals are among award recipients:

Journalist of the Year: JASON BELLINI, CBS NEWS ON LOGO

Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Media
First Place: MALINDA LO, AFTERELLEN.COM
Second Place: TODD HENNEMAN, THE ADVOCATE
Third Place: KAREN OCAMB, IN LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE

Excellence in News Writing: JAMES A. LOPATA, IN NEWSWEEKLY for “PlanetOut Bids Big for $610 Billion Gay Market” (Third Place)

Excellence in Network Television: AMBER HALL, IN THE LIFE MEDIA INC. for “I’m Still Emily” (Second Place)

Excellence in Online Journalism: PATRICK LETELLIER, GAY.COM and PLANETOUT.COM for “Arrested Justice: When LGBT People Land in Jail” (Third Place)

Excellence in Photojournalism: GIL KAAN, FRONTIERS MAGAZINE for “Center’s Senior Prom” (Third Place)

Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage: JIM RODRIGUEZ, ROCCO ZAPPA and SCOTT DILL, QTN WORLD NEWS WITH STEVE KMETKO for “Over 50 with HIV” (Second Place); BRETT ALEXANDER, JASON BELLINI and COURT PASSANT, CBS NEWS ON LOGO for “CBS News on Logo: AIDS” (Third Place)

MADELYN ARNOLD, contributor to SEATTLE GAY NEWS, has published a new book of poetry, “Pas au Courant.”

JILLIAN BOGATOR is the new editor of BETWEEN THE LINES in Michigan. She replaces D’ANNE WITKOWSKI, who left to pursue a master’s degree in poetry at the University of Michigan. The newspaper has also hired GWEN DIETRICK as a graphic designer.

LYNNE BROWN has been hired by METRO WEEKLY in Washington, D.C., as the magazine’s new director of business development, a newly created position overseeing new advertising sales initiatives.

ZACHARY CAMARDELLE, photographer with New Orleans’ AMBUSH magazine, died July 27 from a blood clot. He was 34. He is survived by his partner Starr Daniels.

MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER, co-publisher of the BLACK RESOURCE GUIDE, has released a new novel, “From Top to Bottom.”

TEE CORINNE, a groundbreaking lesbian photographer, author and poet, died on Aug. 27 of liver cancer. She was 62.

TIM DEPLANCHE is the new general manager of ACE PUBLISHING, parent company of ECHO MAGAZINE and X-FACTOR. He replaces TIM MCBRIDE, who served as general manager since 2001.

ALETA FENCEROY, who operated the FENCEBERRY newswire with her partner JEAN MAYBERRY for eight years, died Sept. 23 after a battle with cancer. She was 57.

DON HOFFMAN, editor and co-owner of website QUEER LIFE NEWS, has resigned to pursue a book deal with a major educational publisher.

STEVE KAMMON, editor and founder of CIRCUIT NOIZE magazine, died Sept. 13 following a lengthy illness.

ROB LACZKO was promoted to the position of assistant editor of OUT IN NEW JERSEY. TOMMY RANISZEWSKI is the publication’s new entertainment editor. MIKE PETTYJOHN is the new cartoon editor.

MALINDA LO, former associate editor at CURVE magazine, is the new features editor at AFTERELLEN.COM.

BETH MAPLES-BAYS, East Tennessee bureau chief for OUT & ABOUT NASHVILLE, won NLGJA’s first-ever Women’s Distinguished Service Award during NLGJA’s annual conference in Miami.

JEFFERSON MENDOZA is the new staff reporter at Ottawa-based CAPITAL XTRA.

JIM PROVENZANO is the new assistant arts editor of the BAY AREA REPORTER, replacing MARK MARDON, who left after nine years. Provenzano was assistant news editor for the newspaper from 1992-1994. He has written his column “Sports Complex” for the paper since 1996. (“Sports Complex” is syndicated by Q Syndicate, co-publisher of Press Pass Q.)

DAVE RHODES, publisher of THE LEATHER JOURNAL, was given the Christopher Street Media Award at the Mayor’s Reception in West Hollywood, Calif. He was also presented with a Commendation from California State Assemblyman Paul Koretz and a Certificate of Tribute from Los Angeles City Councilor Bill Rosendahl.

TYE, who only goes by one name, is the new fitness columnist for GAYGUIDETORONTO.COM.

DENNIS VERCHER III, senior editor of the DALLAS VOICE, died Sept. 27 from HIV/AIDS-related illness. He was 53. He is survived by his partner FARRON CAMPBELL.

BOB WITECK and WES COMBS of Witeck-Combs Communications have published a new book, “Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Gay Consumers.”

Are there important changes going on at your publication? E-mail the information to editor@PressPassQ.com.



	PRESS PASS Q A Newsletter for the Gay and Lesbian Press Professional October 2006 (Vol. 8, No. 6) A Publication of Rivendell Media and Q Syndicate TABLE OF CONTENTS Feature: Not just “gay newspapers”: Much ground covered at LGBT Media Summit in Miami Guest Commentary: Question asked in Miami: Are American military deaths a gay issue? Pressing Questions: This month - Outlook Weekly of Columbus, Ohio Letters to the Editor Transitions and Milestones Bulletin Board Staff Contributors to This Issue Contact Us FEATURE: Not just “gay newspapers” Much ground covered at LGBT Media Summit in Miami by JoSelle Vanderhooft “We aren’t gay newspapers. We’re professional papers that serve a specific community,” said Mark Segal, founder and publisher of Philadelphia Gay News, during a panel discussion. It was just one of the many provocative statements made at this year’s National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association LGBT Media Summit. For the third year in a row, NLGJA’s convention offered the one-day summit, complete with workshops and panel discussions for professionals and students working in LGBT media outlets. Held Thursday, Sept. 7, at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel just prior to the annual NLGJA convention, the summit consisted of six 75-minute breakout sessions and two plenaries. Topics ranged from queer women in entertainment writing to pursuing a career in both print and broadcast media. One of the day’s first sessions sought to guide attendees through the process of establishing a new LGBT publication. Titled “Bringing up Baby: Moving from Survival to Success in LGBT Media,” it featured founders and editors of LGBT publications, including PGN’s Segal; Tracy Baim, publisher and managing editor at Chicago’s Windy City Media Group; and Sean Bugg, editor of Metro Weekly in Washington, D.C. Panelists advised attendees about the mechanics of running a paper from the ground up. They recommended keeping a paper’s core staff small and using freelance writers to keep costs low. As well, they encouraged would-be publishers to look at alternative ways to reach their audience, including podcasts, MySpace pages and offering specialized publications, such as a nightlife guide, along with the newspaper. Segal made the point that, in order to succeed, LGBT media professionals need to think of their publications as equals with mainstream news outlets, rather than something less legitimate as a “gay newspaper.” The session “Playing the LGBT Market: A Marketing & Sales Workshop” sought to teach media professionals about their publication’s core audience in order to better train their sales staffs and increase advertising revenue. During the session, Bob Witeck, CEO of Witeck-Combs Communications Inc., presented the data his firm has collected over the past few years about LGBT consumers and their marketing preferences. Witeck explained that 6 to 7 percent of 50,000 adult respondents to surveys his company compiled identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. He said he hopes to debunk popular myths about LGBT consumers, such as their supposed tendency to buy products simply because they are marketed to them — they actually prefer to buy from companies that support LGBT rights regardless of marketing, he said — and their affluence compared to heterosexuals. Witeck was joined by John Robinson of J. Robinson Marketing Ltd.; Sue O’Connell, co-publisher of Boston’s Bay Windows; Don Williams, sales manager of Orlando’s Watermark; and moderator Libby Post, president and CEO of OutMarketing.biz. They gave attendees tips about how to create a strong sales staff and how to effectively market LGBT publications to the surrounding community. These tips included inserting special advertising supplements into the publication and encouraging sales staff to find common ground with potential clients, such as asking them if they have an interest in the LGBT community. “As a first-time attendee to the LGBT Media Summit, I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the exchange of ideas offered by a diverse group of publishing people during the sales/marketing panel,” noted Hilary Kramer, publisher and director of advertising sales of InsideOUT Hudson Valley, based in New Paltz, N.Y. “Hearing about the respective challenges and considering some of the solutions provided me with valuable insight. It was reassuring to know that I work in the fine company of professionals grappling with similar issues and inspired by a vision.” Other panels included “Playing Both Sides: How to Make Your Mark in Print and Broadcast Media,” “Beyond the L Word: Covering Queer Women in Entertainment,” “Gays Behaving Badly,” about covering issues that reflect negatively upon the community, and “Past the Posturing: Improving Your Political Coverage,” which looked at the LGBT media’s role in informing readers and candidates about political issues important to the community, as well as ways to cover electoral politics effectively. (Press Pass Q Editor Fred Kuhr moderated the latter.) Q Syndicate, which is owned by Rivendell Media (co-publisher of Press Pass Q), sponsored the day’s lunchtime plenary. Editor in chief and summit co-chair Paula Martinac interviewed Malcolm Lazin, executive director of the Equality Forum and producer “Saint of 9/11,” a documentary about the life and death of Father Mychal Judge, the gay priest who was the first identified victim in the World Trade Center collapse. Martinac said that she and fellow summit co-chair Tom Musbach wanted to showcase the film in honor of the terrorist attacks’ fifth anniversary, which fell the day after the NLGJA convention wrapped up. “One young man in the audience knew Judge personally. Father Mike was his parish priest when he was little,” said Martinac. “In fact, many people came up to me after the plenary and told me that it was very moving.” Due to a last-minute cancellation by Elizabeth Birch, who was supposed to wrap up the summit with a taping of her Here! TV talk show “Birch & Co.,” the closing plenary — featuring staff members of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and the Center for Study of Sexual Minorities in the Military — focused instead on the American military’s continued “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. NLGJA President Eric Hegedus said the organization began holding the summit three years ago because LGBT media workers were underserved by the annual convention’s programming, which focuses more generally on the needs of LGBT journalists working for mainstream media outlets. Since that time, he said the summit has become a highly successful part of the convention, and one that NLGJA will continue to support. “Quite frankly, in a lot of ways, LGBT media is leading the pack as far as coverage of LGBT issues is concerned,” he said. “Hopefully…our efforts [in supporting LGBT media] have been worthwhile.” (Next year’s convention is slated for San Diego, Sept. 6-9, 2007. For more information about the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association or the LGBT Media Summit, go to www.nlgja.org.) GUEST COMMENTARY Question asked in Miami: Are American military deaths a gay issue? by Paul Schindler At the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association convention last month in Miami, a noted practitioner-critic was asked to defend his assertion that the gay press has an irretrievable liberal slant. After several back and forths on that issue, he settled on the observation that Gay City News reports the names of American soldiers killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am confounded as to when commemorating members of the American Armed Forces who die under fire became a sign of a left-leaning sensibility. As the death notices in Gay City News indicate, just over 3,000 Americans have now died as the result of military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. The information is all based, as best we can determine from Pentagon data, on fact. Those facts have no political meaning in and of themselves. There are names, ages, hometowns, ranks, and military units. Combined with the number of Americans and visitors to this nation killed in the terror attacks on 9/11, which was just under 3,000, the total tally of those who died as the result of Al Qaeda’s decision to assault the U.S. and of this nation’s specific choices about what to do in the aftermath by some weird quirk — at this precise moment of calculation — stands at 6,000 even. Debate over interpreting those numbers and their meaning has roiled this nation’s civic discourse. Did the first 3,000 deaths make the second 3,000 necessary? Did our president ever say that they did? Have the second 3,000 deaths made deaths similar to those suffered on 9/11 more likely? Less likely? Those are critical questions, critical American questions. I have very strong — and I believe, well informed — opinions on these questions. But in this debate, I am struck, more than anything else, by the confusion among Americans about the very basic facts about the relationship between the two sets of 3,000 deaths. So it all begins with facts. Challenged with the argument that commemorating the fact of 3,000 new American deaths is not a matter of liberal versus conservative, the critic of this newspaper in Miami responded that the whole matter is not a gay issue. Having lived in Brooklyn and worked in Manhattan in the days following 9/11 — and for almost two decades before that — I find it inconceivable that this city’s LGBT community would ever attempt to be able to seal itself off from the horror of that experience, or from the debate about how our nation has responded in its wake. The events since Sept. 11, 2001, have at their essence been a New York tragedy, an American tragedy. And our integration into American life will never be full until our community recognizes its inseparability from the whole of that tragedy. The 9/11 victim who was identified as number one by the New York coroner’s office was Father Mychal Judge, the genial and well-known Fire Department chaplain. To many who knew him intimately and loved him greatly, Judge was a gay man. Yet in the weeks following the tragedy, the press tiptoed gingerly around the question of the dead Catholic priest’s sexuality. It was only when his close friend Thomas Von Essen, the former fire chief and an irreproachable heterosexual witness, talked about Judge’s sexuality in a New York magazine article, that the media let out its breath, stopped worrying about finding a man Judge had slept with, and told the simple truth. Yet, in the years since then, Judge’s friend Brendan Fay, the producer of the wonderful “Saint of 9/11,” has constantly caught flak from critics for daring to tell that truth. U.S. military policy forbids open service by gay and lesbian soldiers, though we all know that many serve, and some die. We can’t say for certain who the Mychal Judges of Iraq and Afghanistan are, but their names are somewhere on the lists we print. PRESSING QUESTIONS This month: Outlook Weekly of Columbus, Ohio by Derrik Chinn (Editor’s Note: The new feature Pressing Questions will put the spotlight on a different GLBT media outlet each month. If you are interested in being featured, send an e-mail to editor@presspassq.com with the subject line “Pressing Questions.”) Year founded: 1997 Geographic coverage area: Central and northern Ohio Print run: 15,000 weekly Staff size and breakdown: 2.5 in-house – Chris Hayes, co-publisher, editor in chief, art director; Michael Daniels, co-publisher, advertising and business manager; Danielle Buckius, part-time assistant editor and production assistant; 34 contributing writers; four contributing photographers/artists. Size of office space: 500 sq. ft. Physical dimensions of publication: 10.5” x 13” Average page count: 32 Key demographics: Gender: 44.9 percent male, 55.1 percent female Age: 18-24 - 5.2 percent, 25-34 - 32.8 percent, 35-44 - 13.4 percent, 45-54 - 24.1 percent, 55-64 - 14.2 percent, 65-74 - 2.1 percent, 75+ - 8.1 percent * PPQ: How has Outlook Weekly changed since it was first launched? Co-publisher and Editor Chris Hayes: The paper started as an arm of our local LGBT community center. It eventually became a newspaper that focused on local, state, national and worldwide gay news. Two years ago, I was brought on to change the format of the paper to a feature-oriented, lifestyle publication. PPQ: What one change would you like to make at Outlook Weekly? Hayes: Eventually we would love to be a glossy publication. PPQ: What is the most surprising thing a reader has ever said or written to you about Outlook Weekly? Hayes: Outlook made national news when, last year, "concerned father" Mark Bloom tried to ban us from a suburban library, claiming we were smut and unfit for his children to read. His protest started from a cover that showed two men about to kiss – a movie still from the film “Yossi and Jagger.” Protests and library board meetings went on for months, ultimately ending in a new magazine rack being built, Outlook being put on the top shelf, and an increased readership. PPQ: On the Kinsey Scale of 0-6 (exclusively straight to totally gay), how gay is your publication? Hayes: 5.275. We are definitely gay focused, but many of our writers and stories can relate to any community. We try to find the gay angle for all our stories. Our largest rising demographic is soccer moms in the suburbs. A lot of our old fag hags — for lack of a better term — are now married with families and are reading us to stay in touch. PPQ: What has been your most memorable feature or news story? Hayes: The issue I'm most proud of featured the crystal meth problem and rising HIV infection rates in Columbus. That issue was paired up with a public forum we presented with the Columbus AIDS Task Force, the Columbus Health Department, the Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization, and the local community center. It earned us the media award from the Ohio Department of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Services. PPQ: What kind of work were you doing before joining Outlook Weekly? Hayes: I was in magazine publishing for the past 12 years in New York and L.A. When I first moved to Ohio, I was public relations director for a local company aimed at the restoration of the central city. I still publish their quarterly newspaper, The EZ News, and run my own multimedia design firm. PPQ: What have you learned from working at Outlook Weekly? Hayes: Take everything in baby steps. We want this paper to be a viable and permanent fixture for Columbus, so laying down a good foundation and building gradually is key. Fancy offices and a large staff are great, but we'd rather stay streamlined and focused, expanding when the time is right. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Papers not restricted at Ohio library The article “Fighting a library ban: Start with publicity, then make phone calls” (Press Pass Q, June 2006) mentions that Brian Perera, a trustee for the Upper Arlington Public Library in Ohio "introduced a measure to restrict access to" publications. Not so. I know this because I am trustee Brian Perera. Another member of the board was sponsoring a resolution to ban four publications by name, and I suggested an alternative that would move all free publications to an area of the library where other periodicals were placed. Not in the basement or behind the counter, or where someone would have to request them — reported as such, yet inaccurate. After the ban motion was withdrawn, I did not pursue my alternative, so the papers continue to reside on shelves in the library, where I continue to support their presence. Many people in the alternative newspaper community were led to believe that I wanted to ban or restrict access to the papers in question. That is not true, as I am a supporter of the First Amendment and the newspapers in question. I think this issue will resurface at some point in my serving on the board, and I plan to continue to support open access to materials. Thank you for the opportunity to correct this item. Brian Perera Upper Arlington, Ohio TRANSITIONS AND MILESTONES The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association will honor winners of its 2006 Excellence in Journalism Awards at a ceremony at Chicago’s Palmer House on Nov. 8. The following LGBT press professionals are among award recipients: Journalist of the Year: JASON BELLINI, CBS NEWS ON LOGO Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Media First Place: MALINDA LO, AFTERELLEN.COM Second Place: TODD HENNEMAN, THE ADVOCATE Third Place: KAREN OCAMB, IN LOS ANGELES MAGAZINE Excellence in News Writing: JAMES A. LOPATA, IN NEWSWEEKLY for “PlanetOut Bids Big for $610 Billion Gay Market” (Third Place) Excellence in Network Television: AMBER HALL, IN THE LIFE MEDIA INC. for “I’m Still Emily” (Second Place) Excellence in Online Journalism: PATRICK LETELLIER, GAY.COM and PLANETOUT.COM for “Arrested Justice: When LGBT People Land in Jail” (Third Place) Excellence in Photojournalism: GIL KAAN, FRONTIERS MAGAZINE for “Center’s Senior Prom” (Third Place) Excellence in HIV/AIDS Coverage: JIM RODRIGUEZ, ROCCO ZAPPA and SCOTT DILL, QTN WORLD NEWS WITH STEVE KMETKO for “Over 50 with HIV” (Second Place); BRETT ALEXANDER, JASON BELLINI and COURT PASSANT, CBS NEWS ON LOGO for “CBS News on Logo: AIDS” (Third Place) MADELYN ARNOLD, contributor to SEATTLE GAY NEWS, has published a new book of poetry, “Pas au Courant.” JILLIAN BOGATOR is the new editor of BETWEEN THE LINES in Michigan. She replaces D’ANNE WITKOWSKI, who left to pursue a master’s degree in poetry at the University of Michigan. The newspaper has also hired GWEN DIETRICK as a graphic designer. LYNNE BROWN has been hired by METRO WEEKLY in Washington, D.C., as the magazine’s new director of business development, a newly created position overseeing new advertising sales initiatives. ZACHARY CAMARDELLE, photographer with New Orleans’ AMBUSH magazine, died July 27 from a blood clot. He was 34. He is survived by his partner Starr Daniels. MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER, co-publisher of the BLACK RESOURCE GUIDE, has released a new novel, “From Top to Bottom.” TEE CORINNE, a groundbreaking lesbian photographer, author and poet, died on Aug. 27 of liver cancer. She was 62. TIM DEPLANCHE is the new general manager of ACE PUBLISHING, parent company of ECHO MAGAZINE and X-FACTOR. He replaces TIM MCBRIDE, who served as general manager since 2001. ALETA FENCEROY, who operated the FENCEBERRY newswire with her partner JEAN MAYBERRY for eight years, died Sept. 23 after a battle with cancer. She was 57. DON HOFFMAN, editor and co-owner of website QUEER LIFE NEWS, has resigned to pursue a book deal with a major educational publisher. STEVE KAMMON, editor and founder of CIRCUIT NOIZE magazine, died Sept. 13 following a lengthy illness. ROB LACZKO was promoted to the position of assistant editor of OUT IN NEW JERSEY. TOMMY RANISZEWSKI is the publication’s new entertainment editor. MIKE PETTYJOHN is the new cartoon editor. MALINDA LO, former associate editor at CURVE magazine, is the new features editor at AFTERELLEN.COM. BETH MAPLES-BAYS, East Tennessee bureau chief for OUT & ABOUT NASHVILLE, won NLGJA’s first-ever Women’s Distinguished Service Award during NLGJA’s annual conference in Miami. JEFFERSON MENDOZA is the new staff reporter at Ottawa-based CAPITAL XTRA. JIM PROVENZANO is the new assistant arts editor of the BAY AREA REPORTER, replacing MARK MARDON, who left after nine years. Provenzano was assistant news editor for the newspaper from 1992-1994. He has written his column “Sports Complex” for the paper since 1996. (“Sports Complex” is syndicated by Q Syndicate, co-publisher of Press Pass Q.) DAVE RHODES, publisher of THE LEATHER JOURNAL, was given the Christopher Street Media Award at the Mayor’s Reception in West Hollywood, Calif. He was also presented with a Commendation from California State Assemblyman Paul Koretz and a Certificate of Tribute from Los Angeles City Councilor Bill Rosendahl. TYE, who only goes by one name, is the new fitness columnist for GAYGUIDETORONTO.COM. DENNIS VERCHER III, senior editor of the DALLAS VOICE, died Sept. 27 from HIV/AIDS-related illness. He was 53. He is survived by his partner FARRON CAMPBELL. BOB WITECK and WES COMBS of Witeck-Combs Communications have published a new book, “Business Inside Out: Capturing Millions of Brand Loyal Gay Consumers.” Are there important changes going on at your publication? E-mail the information to editor@PressPassQ.com. THE BULLETIN BOARD ON THE WEB. At the Press Pass Q web site — www.PressPassQ.com — you'll find back issues and subscription information. Also, at the Q Syndicate website — www.qsyndicate.com — you'll find up-to-date information on the 13 columns and features we distribute to gay and lesbian media: A Couple of Guys, Bitter Girl, Book Marks, Crossword Puzzles, Deep Inside Hollywood, Editorial Cartoons, Lesbian Notions, Now Playing, Out of Town, Past Out, Q Scopes, Sex Talk, and Sports Complex. For information about subscribing to Q Syndicate content, write to sales@qsyndicate.com or call 908-232-5974. DO YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT for the Bulletin Board? Are you trying to get your work published? Looking for job applicants? Promoting a special project? Press Pass Q is now distributed to almost 2,000 working professionals in the gay and lesbian press. Bulletin Board announcements are just a dollar (U.S.) per word per insertion, paid up front. Send a check payable to Rivendell Media, P.O. Box 518, Westfield, NJ 07091-0518. =========================================== === THE STAFF Publisher: Todd Evans, todd@PressPassQ.com Editor: Fred Kuhr, editor@PressPassQ.com Consulting Editor: Paula Martinac, paula@PressPassQ.com Associate Editor: Dave Brousseau, dave@QSyndicate.com Contributing Writers: Derrik Chinn, Robert DeKoven, Tanya Gulliver, Liz Highleyman, Bennett Marcus, Frank Pizzoli, Christopher Tittel, JoSelle Vanderhooft =========================================== CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE DERRIK CHINN is the former editor in chief of the Out in America Cities Network and a graduate of The Ohio State University with degrees in journalism and Japanese. He can be reached at derrikchinn@gmail.com. JOSELLE VANDERHOOFT is a Utah-based poet, novelist and freelance writer. She can be reached through her website, www.joselle-vanderhooft.com. PAUL SCHINDLER is editor in chief of Gay City News in New York City. His guest commentary originally appeared as a “Letter from the Editor” in the Sept. 14-20 issue of Gay City News. =========================================== CONTACT US** PRESS PASS Q is an e-mail newsletter published by Rivendell Media and Q Syndicate and distributed free each month to anyone involved with or interested in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender press. If you are not currently receiving this newsletter via e-mail, you can add your name to our mailing list at www.PressPassQ.com. To ensure receipt of the newsletter, all subscribers should add editor@presspassq.com to their address books in light of more aggressive spam filters which might screen out Press Pass Q. If you do NOT want to receive Press Pass Q, send an e-mail to editor@PressPassQ.com (or simply reply to this message) with the words REMOVE ME in the subject line, or in the body of the message. All materials published in Press Pass Q are (c)2006 Rivendell Media and are not intended for publication elsewhere. Feel free, however, to forward this newsletter to any individuals or lists who you think should see it.