Gay Star News is a news website focused on events related to and concerning the global LGBTI community. Headquartered in the UK, it is privately owned and was founded by Tris Reid-Smith and Scott Nunn in December 2011. The site reports on breaking news in international politics, religion, business, crime, entertainment and lifestyle. The site also features interviews with members of the LGBTI community. A permanent staff of internationally based professional reporters handles day-to-day story coverage but the site also includes articles by LGBTI activists, freelancers, bloggers, academics, historians, celebrities and people of prominence. The site features 'top stories', 'entertainment', 'features', 'travel', 'GSN loves' and 'comment', 'Business', 'Family, 'Support' and 'Prides and Festivals' sections. Readers could post comments, share and like stories to display on online social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Weibo and LinkedIn. On 30 July 2019, Gay Star News announced that it would be shutting down after almost eight years because of falling revenues due to an inability to monetize. However, following acquisition of the intellectual property of Gay Star News by Iconic Labs, publication of Gay Star News has resumed.
History
Gay Star News went live with the backing of investors: Goldman Sachs, PwC and National Australia Bank on 16 January 2012. Stephen Fry then tweeted his support to his 3.7 million followers, and is credited by Gay Star News for publicising their site regularly. In 2012 the site won the Stonewall UK Award for Publication of the Year. The editorial policy of Gay Star News is to publish pro-LGBTI media without activism. Commonly seen advertisers on the site are: International Fund for Animal Welfare, Direct Line insurance, Lufthansa Airways, Travelex, Lloyds Bank, Smirnoff, Blued, Manchester United, late night rooms, Alfa Romeo, Heathrow, Snickers, Hoseasons, naked wines, npower, Fujitsu, the co-operative, the London Women's Clinic, Knight Frank, DigitasLBI and several pride support groups. In 2016 Gay Star News launched - an annual, week-long program of online discussions, articles and video events to promote LGBTI Pride around the world - particularly to those in countries facing oppression. In 2017, it ran a hard-hitting series of articles on ‘chemsex’ - a slang reference for the way some gay and bisexual men indulge in drug taking and sexual activity. This included research into the prevalence of the practice and the negative impact on some men’s lives.
