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Gay and Lesbian

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Saved by PBworks
on November 2, 2007 at 4:00:19 am

My sector to research is gay and lesbian’s magazine websites and how they experiment with new media forms. I have been searched for more than 30 gay and lesbian magazines website, I am going to list 7 of them as examples to disuses the methods that magazines doing now. Gay and Lesbian’s magazine has three different types: 1 for gay’s magazine, 2 for Lesbian’s magazine, 3 for gay and lesbian’s magazine.

1. QX Magazine (Gay Magazine) http://www.qxmagazine.com/

In this website front page it shows two methods to view this magazine: PDF format which is the old fashioned way. PDF, this software allows you to view, create, modify and print PDF documents, which is created by Adobe and is the most efficient way to exchange information. People can download this software for free from their official site at http://www.pdf-2008.com/acrobat/. The other method to view this magazine is Adobe Flash Player, (Adobe’s Site, 2007) “is the high-performance, lightweight, highly expressive client runtime that delivers powerful and consistent user experiences across major operating systems, browsers, mobile phones, and devices”. People will able to download from Adobe Flash Player’s official site at http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/, and it is free.

This site is also offering chat room, it require signing up for an account but it is 100% free.

The advantage of this magazine site compares to the paper magazine in the high street, which is you will able to view all the weekly issues that these magazines have published before since 2004 to now.

I have also found out this magazine has also offer essential guide to London’s Gay Villages and the secret gay history of London, a great promotion for customers to remember what was happening.

In the travel sector it also shows travel forum in the other places, such as UK&Ireland, Europe, Americas, others.

Although they are not any advertisings on this QX official site, but they have contact information on this site, people will easier to find rate cards (which shows the size and the price of the advertising on their magazine), it is a good way to communicate with business people without to contact the company they will directly know this information from their site.

The homepage of this site is basically taking colour from the title of its magazine, using it as background on the webpage, it tried to keep company theme.

2.Scotsgay http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/

http://www.scotsgay.co.uk/

The Magazine from Scotland for Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals, was set up in December 1994 as a bi-monthly magazine in Scotland.

‘One way to get people involved with you and your music is to give them something to do while they’re at your web site. That’s why you should add some kind of interactive element, such as a poll, guest book, message forum, e-cards, etc.’ (p7, Banker, B) Banker’s view will support my opinion of this site, as they have guest book in it, which allow people to read through the comments that other people have left previously, and people are free to fill in the form at the bottom of their guestbook page to add a new comment of their own. It keeps a good link between site and audiences.

This site also offers an on-line subscription service, which will allow this company to notified by e-mail each month when the new issue of ScotsGay is published, customers are also able to de-subscribe if they do not wish to continue receive the notified email.

This website carries text files of all issues, but since 2005 PDF files are able to view too.

ScotsGay magazine has Myspace as well. It is good to keep in touch with net friends, and it will allow people to communicate better who are like this magazine too. On Myspace it shows it has 1060 friends. As Banker’s view to sign up a Myspace account it is a good way to increase your sales.

http://www.myspace.com/scotsgaymagazine

This site has two main advertisings on it, they are gay dvd’s store, and the UK’s biggest gay shopping site. It also promotes their own magazine, 6 issue subscribe for UK and European buyer will cost £8, but £15 for overseas readers.

3.Boyz Magazine

http://www.boyz.co.uk/

Boyz, it is a free, London magazine. It targeted at gay men and same as QX magazine offer free copy through gay bars, clubs and saunas in the United Kingdom weekly. This magazine has also have Myspace, they have 1495 friends so far. It also offers blog on their Myspace page.

This site is showing different events across London to audiences. People can view their issues with PDF format.

4. The Gay Men's Health Charity http://www.gmfa.org.uk

GMFA is the UK’s leading gay men’s health charity, reaching over 140,000 men with their interventions. On this site you will find details about GMFA's history and principles, summaries of the work that we currently do, and information about the organisation, volunteers and staff. You can also find details about becoming involved with GMFA, either as a volunteer or as one of our regular donors.

This magazine is also able to view in PDF format, and people are able to subscribe for updates information.

5. Sports Out Loud

http://www.sportsoutloud.com/index.html

Sports Out Loud offers the gay community the latest, best and most comprehensive sports information both locally and globally. We connect and inspire our readership to get involved and participate in the sports scene.

I like the way they edit their subtitle, when you move your mouse on it, they will change to the other colour, but the animation pictures they edit in here, which is same as when you read book or newspapers.

6. DIVA

http://www.divamag.co.uk

Diva is a leading lesbian magazine in the United Kingdom, which was launched in 1994 by Millivres Prowler Group Ltd, who also produces the Gay Time magazine, which I will discuss later.

It has its own blog, chatting (blue room), and its own online store, they also offer jobs opportunities on their site.

DIVA's Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/divamagazine

Their magazine is about 100 glossy pages of vital information, it will cost £3.15 per issue.

Their store offers plenty of products to their targeting audiences.

7. GT

http://www.gaytimes.co.uk/

Gay time magazine offer video clips, flatsshare, dating, forums, blogs and wallpaper download free.

From the research of gay and lesbian’s magazine websites, I have found out most of the magazines have digital magazine, which is an important tool for this net world, it used to communicate with different groups. It is original using text but it also using video, PDF, flash to promote their magazines. Because magazines website has texts, pictures, colour, films, 3d event on advertising, which allow customer to view the advertising and understand the products easier.

Online magazine is also able for the customers in the worldwide. Advertising is cheaper then the paper magazine, but it reaches more people then the paper magazine. Online magazine can download to you PC then you do not need to always get online.

In conclusion after research these gay and lesbian’s magazine website, I have found out most of these magazine website allow people to download their issues for free, but DIVA and Gay Time Magazine only offer for pay to order it by phone or subscription. QX, Scotsgay, Boyz magazines which are able to pick up from gay bars, gay clubs and other gay venues. Sport out Loud offer subscribe with them today people will receive a free cd courtesy of their friends at Centaur music, as we all know nowadays lots of sites offer subscribe with them, keep update information, then people have too many sites that they need subscribe. But this Sport Out Loud offer free cd which tried to encourage people to subscribe with them.

(Gauntlett, D. 2004) ‘Having money can enable a company to make a stylish multimedia website, and generate awareness of it through conventional media and promotions, but if the website has no engaging content, it won’t win much attention.’ His view of economy attention would support my view of this opinion, if this site did not offer subscription with a free cd, it may not attractive more audiences as membership with them, they will not receive new update information, and it will lose a boat. Diva also offers promotion when people subscribe with them, who will save up to 20%.

One of the main sources of income for website is advertising, which are normally place on the header, footer and the sides. It tried to make their web site’s home page is the welcome mat of their online presence. The first introduction to potential fans which is clearly with cool design, and they do not make their site too graphics heavy, they make their site look attractive without overwhelming a visitor’s eyes and browser display.

Most of the sites have added some interactivity to their web site, such as guest book, message forum, blog, etc. They use the software which is similar like Mister Poll, Sparklit or Bravenet tool to create those functions. It tried to have some interactivity with their audiences. Most of the websites have the mailing list, eZine director is a very well tool to manage this system automotive for this sites.

From these magazines website’s Myspace blog, it also shows they have developed relationships between each other. As I can easier find the other gay magazine from their Myspace friend’s list.

‘Myspace is one of a growing number of ‘social networking’ sites.’ (p12, Baker, B 2006). Myspace is a site works by connecting people, as in Myspace friends who will share similar interests. It will spread news to thousands of people fast.

Bibliography

Baker, B. 2006. 50 Simply Things You can Do to Promote & Sell Your Music on the Internet. [online] Available from: http://www.TheBuzzFactor.com [Accessed 29^th October 2007]

Gauntlett, D (2004). Web Studies: What’s new in David Gauntlett & Ross Horsley (2004) Web Studies 2^nded. London: Edward Arnold, p3-23

Adobe Flash Player

http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

Boyz Magazine

http://www.boyz.co.uk/

Boyz Myspace

www.myspace.com/boyzmagazine

Bravenet

www.bravenet.com

DIVA

http://www.divamag.co.uk

DIVA Myspace