Genre (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Genre magazine
was a New York city-based monthly periodical written for gay
men. It was owned by gay press publisher Window Media
.
lifestyle magazine with a focus on gay men with primary coverage on entertainment, travel and an occasional acknowledgement of political issues. As the magazine evolved, increasing to bi-monthly in 1992, and monthly as of 1993, it focused more on entertainment and less on politics.
Facing increasing competition from Out, Details magazine and The Advocate
for advertiser dollars in 2000, publisher Richard Settles changed editorial and art direction to became more of an urban magazine with a focus on New York's post gay movement fostered by an aging Generation X
and former club kids, as well as those who outgrew the popular circuit party
lifestyle of the 1990s. As such the publication began winning over mainstream companies such as Ford Motors, thereby proving that alternative lifestyles were a viable consumer market of society, dispelling notions of risk by association.
In yet another makeover, Genre changed editorial directions again in 2002, at the direction of co-owner and Associate Publisher, Doug Shingleton, with editorial content given larger breadth and scope. In addition to fashion, travel and entertainment as reported by most gay national glossy publications, Genre delved into personal growth of its male readership, including spirituality issues, home design & healthful lifestyle issues facing the community. This redesign resulted in significant circulation and advertising growth, prompting the first successful sale of a national gay publication in the United States. The redesign and editorial were executed by editor in chief, Andy Towle of Towleroad.com, creative director Randy Dunbar and Michael Davis.
In July 2003, Avalon Equity Partners announced its intentions to buy Genre and fold the publication into its growing LGBT media holdings under the Window Media umbrella.
In March 2004, Window Media relaunched Genre with a new logo and a new format continuing to feature fashion, travel and lifestyle articles targeting affluent gay men with monthly profiles of men from across the United States, an idea that drew upon its parent company's national resources. Genre currently focuses on regional activities in cities where the sister companies' local newspapers are located.
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
was a New York city-based monthly periodical written for gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
men. It was owned by gay press publisher Window Media
Window Media
Window Media was a gay press publishing holding company that acquired and operated gay and lesbian newspapers and magazines in the 2000s. It is not to be confused with Windows Media...
.
History
Launched in 1991 as a quarterly, Genre originally billed itself as a LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
lifestyle magazine with a focus on gay men with primary coverage on entertainment, travel and an occasional acknowledgement of political issues. As the magazine evolved, increasing to bi-monthly in 1992, and monthly as of 1993, it focused more on entertainment and less on politics.
Facing increasing competition from Out, Details magazine and The Advocate
The Advocate
The Advocate is an American LGBT-interest magazine, printed monthly and available by subscription. The Advocate brand also includes a web site. Both magazine and web site have an editorial focus on news, politics, opinion, and arts and entertainment of interest to LGBT people...
for advertiser dollars in 2000, publisher Richard Settles changed editorial and art direction to became more of an urban magazine with a focus on New York's post gay movement fostered by an aging Generation X
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
and former club kids, as well as those who outgrew the popular circuit party
Circuit party
A circuit party is a large dance event, extending through a night and into the following day, almost always with a number of affiliated events in the days leading up to and following the main event...
lifestyle of the 1990s. As such the publication began winning over mainstream companies such as Ford Motors, thereby proving that alternative lifestyles were a viable consumer market of society, dispelling notions of risk by association.
In yet another makeover, Genre changed editorial directions again in 2002, at the direction of co-owner and Associate Publisher, Doug Shingleton, with editorial content given larger breadth and scope. In addition to fashion, travel and entertainment as reported by most gay national glossy publications, Genre delved into personal growth of its male readership, including spirituality issues, home design & healthful lifestyle issues facing the community. This redesign resulted in significant circulation and advertising growth, prompting the first successful sale of a national gay publication in the United States. The redesign and editorial were executed by editor in chief, Andy Towle of Towleroad.com, creative director Randy Dunbar and Michael Davis.
In July 2003, Avalon Equity Partners announced its intentions to buy Genre and fold the publication into its growing LGBT media holdings under the Window Media umbrella.
In March 2004, Window Media relaunched Genre with a new logo and a new format continuing to feature fashion, travel and lifestyle articles targeting affluent gay men with monthly profiles of men from across the United States, an idea that drew upon its parent company's national resources. Genre currently focuses on regional activities in cities where the sister companies' local newspapers are located.