Windy City Times
Encyclopedia
Windy City Times is Chicago
's oldest LGBT
newspaper, and the only Chicago gay
publication with an independent circulation audit current as of 2008.
Windy City Times is published weekly by Windy City Media Group, which also publishes Nightspots, a bi-weekly 4-color glossy club and entertainment guide, and Identity, a monthly online magazine. WCMG also produces a twice-weekly podcast, Windy City Queercast, online videos and a weekly e-newsletter.
In 1987, Baim left WCT to found Outlines newspaper. WCT and Outlines were the two primary gay newspapers in the region for more than a dozen years. In 2000, Baim purchased WCT back from McCourt and merged her Outlines newspaper into Windy City Times. Baim is Publisher and Executive Editor of Windy City Media Group. Andrew Davis is Managing Editor, Kirk Williamson is Art Director, Terri Klinsky is Assistant Publisher and Cynthia Holmes is Business Manager. Long-time writers include Rex Wockner
, Yvonne Zipter, Bob Roehr, Richard Knight Jr., Jonathan Abarbanel. Director of New Media is Jean Albright.
Windy City Times is a member of the National Gay Newspaper Guild
, and has received numerous honors for its work, both from journalism organizations and from the community. Awards include from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
, the Peter Lisagor Awards, and the Studs Terkel Award for Baim. Among groups honoring WCMG and Baim: Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
; ACLU of Illinois; Human Rights Campaign
; NOW
; March on Washington Chicago Committee; Dignity/Chicago; Affinity; Greater Chicago Committee; Association of Latin Men in Action; and more.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's oldest LGBT
LGBT
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...
newspaper, and the only Chicago gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
publication with an independent circulation audit current as of 2008.
Windy City Times is published weekly by Windy City Media Group, which also publishes Nightspots, a bi-weekly 4-color glossy club and entertainment guide, and Identity, a monthly online magazine. WCMG also produces a twice-weekly podcast, Windy City Queercast, online videos and a weekly e-newsletter.
History
Windy City Times was co-founded in 1985 by four people; only one is still associated with the publication. Jeff McCourt, Bob Bearden, Drew Badanish and Tracy Baim were the four original founders.In 1987, Baim left WCT to found Outlines newspaper. WCT and Outlines were the two primary gay newspapers in the region for more than a dozen years. In 2000, Baim purchased WCT back from McCourt and merged her Outlines newspaper into Windy City Times. Baim is Publisher and Executive Editor of Windy City Media Group. Andrew Davis is Managing Editor, Kirk Williamson is Art Director, Terri Klinsky is Assistant Publisher and Cynthia Holmes is Business Manager. Long-time writers include Rex Wockner
Rex Wockner
Rex Wockner is an American freelance journalist who has reported news for the gay press and mainstream periodicals since 1985. His work has appeared in more than 325 gay publications in 38 countries.-Career:...
, Yvonne Zipter, Bob Roehr, Richard Knight Jr., Jonathan Abarbanel. Director of New Media is Jean Albright.
Windy City Times is a member of the National Gay Newspaper Guild
National Gay Newspaper Guild
The National Gay Newspaper Guild was an organization of LGBT newspapers around the United States.-Member publications:*Bay Area Reporter*Bay Windows*Between the Lines*Dallas Voice*Frontiers*Gay and Lesbian Times...
, and has received numerous honors for its work, both from journalism organizations and from the community. Awards include from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association is an American professional association dedicated to unbiased coverage of gay/lesbian issues in the media...
, the Peter Lisagor Awards, and the Studs Terkel Award for Baim. Among groups honoring WCMG and Baim: Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
The Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame is an institution founded in 1991 to honor persons and entities who have made significant contributions to the quality of life or well-being of the LGBT community in Chicago. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley attended nearly every installation ceremony each...
; ACLU of Illinois; Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
; NOW
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
; March on Washington Chicago Committee; Dignity/Chicago; Affinity; Greater Chicago Committee; Association of Latin Men in Action; and more.