Time names Advocate cover one of the year's best

Time magazine has honored The Advocate’s May 2009 “Porn Panic” cover as one of the Top Ten Magazine Covers of the Year. The Advocate was the only LGBT publication acknowledged alongside such mainstream titles such as The New Yorker, New York magazine, W, and Interview, among others.

Describing the cover, Time’s Arthur Hochstein wrote, “This clever and hilarious cover either consciously or unconsciously pays homage to the famous painting The Scream by Edvard Munch. The article it sells is about how the recession has affected the porn industry—hard times indeed! The photo suggests, among other things, that if it gets bad enough, movie producers may have to substitute blow-up dolls for flesh-and-blood actors. The movies may be rated X, but this cover gets an A.”

Jon Barrett named Editorial Director of Advocate Group

It was announced today that Jon Barrett has been named Editorial Director of the newly formed Advocate Group. Barrett now oversees the editorial voice for the brand’s numerous extensions, including The Advocate’s print, online, and television iterations and the HIV Plus brand as well as SheWired.com and PlanetOut.com, which also now operate under The Advocate Group banner.

“For 40-plus years The Advocate has grown, evolved, and transformed becoming the LGBT community’s news source of record,” said Stephen Macias, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Here Media. “As Editor in Chief, Jon Barrett injected a fresh and distinct editorial voice into The Advocate and Advocate.com. As The Advocate continues to embrace technological advances, we created The Advocate Group to encompass the new dimensions and platforms for delivering the award-winning content produced by our outstanding staff of writers and editors. We look forward to Jon’s innovative leadership extending to the expanded Advocate Group.”

More after the jump.


In his new role Barrett will grow the iconic Advocate brand as it continues its high standards of print journalism, breaks and reports news multiple times a day online, and debuts its monthly hour-long television magazine turning the Advocate lens on issues important to the LGBT audience. Barrett also takes over the editorial direction for the HIV Plus brand, which continues to provide provides the advice, tools, and personal stories to motivate readers to make the best of their friendships and relationships, work and leisure time, treatment, and overall sense of health and wellness.

Additionally, Barrett will guide the editorial direction of PlanetOut.com, which provides entertainment, travel, and lifestyle news, as well as SheWired.com, a leading women’s website providing exclusive, informative content on everything from pop culture and politics to travel, health, and lifestyle.





The Advocate takes on the Obama Administration

Advocate reporter Michael Joseph Gross closely examines the Obama Administration’s actions, or lack thereof, on issues important to the LGBT community. Looking for answers, Gross talks to a dozen gay and lesbian leaders about how we can get both the White House and Congress to act in a timely fashion on important issues such as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Defense of Marriage Act, and Marriage Equality.

Jeremy Kinser named Senior Editor of The Advocate

The Advocate has announced that veteran journalist Jeremy Kinser has been named Senior Editor of the iconic LGBT publication. In his new role Kinser will work closely with Editor in Chief Jon Barrett to bring comprehensive news analysis to the pages of both The Advocate and Advocate.com.

“I’ve admired Jeremy’s work—at other publications and his contributions to The Advocate—for years,” said Barrett. “He is a great reporter and writer and has a natural inquisitiveness that makes him an excellent addition to our team.”

Kinser joins The Advocate staff after spending the past two years leading the local Los Angeles LGBT publication Frontiers as Editor in Chief. As Editor in Chief, Kinser helped shepherd in a new tone for the Frontiers editorial. Formerly a lifestyle-driven magazine, Kinser began profiling notable LGBT figures in the Southern California region, as well as spotlighting the important issues affecting the lives of gays and lesbians living in the area.

More after the jump.


Prior to his tenure at Frontiers, Kinser spent five years as the Editor in Chief of In Los Angeles magazine. At In Los Angeles, Kinser moved the publication from a slim biweekly periodical to a must-read magazine for Los Angeles’ gay residents. Kinser developed a new editorial voice for In Los Angeles by providing analytical news coverage and landing exclusive interviews with politicos and entertainers alike.

“I am keenly aware of The Advocate’s reputation as the most important publication in the history of America’s LGBT movement and its role in defining our community,” said Kinser. “It has immeasurably helped to shape my own identity and sensibilities. I have nothing but admiration for Editor in Chief Jon Barrett and the way this venerable publication has evolved under his guidance. I look forward to being an asset to his dynamic editorial staff.”

Prior to his tenures leading Frontiers and In Los Angeles, Kinser contributed to several leading gay and lesbian publications including The Advocate, as well as Out and Paper. Kinser earned his degree from Marshall University.

The Advocate is currently available to consumers as a monthly publication via subscription or by logging on to its award-winning website at www.advocate.com.