CHICAGO -- Windy City Times newspaper is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special edition Sept. 29. The issue will feature front pages from the first year of the newspaper, in 1985, as well as columns and articles reflecting back on its founding.
As AIDS was devastating the community and activists fought hard for a gay-rights ordinance, Windy City Times covered some of the most important events and milestones of the Chicago, national, and international gay movements. Windy City Times has won numerous journalism and community awards, and several of its writers and editors have gone on to great acclaim in mainstream journalism.
Windy City Times was founded in September 1985 by Jeff McCourt, Bob Bearden, Drew Badanish, and Tracy Baim, along with dozens of freelance writers, typesetters, photographers, and other individuals. Both McCourt and Bearden have since passed away. Baim is publisher of Windy City Media Group, which produces Windy City Times, Nightspots, Windy City Queercast, and other gay media. ( Baim left the original Windy City Times in 1987 to start Outlines newspaper, and Outlines purchased Windy City Times from McCourt in 2000. )
"We have hundreds of people to thank for their work on Windy City Times and other related gay media in Chicago," said Baim. "We also could not have done this without the support of our advertisers and our readers. We also have a wonderful team of investors who have allowed us to serve the community these 25 years."
As all media face a changing landscape, Windy City Media Group has taken on the challenge. The company uses social media tools to reach readers, has an iPhone application, and is easily readable in text or document form on the iPad and other mobile readers that access the internet. Windy City Times is among the oldest weekly gay newspapers in the country and performs consistently well on reader response surveys.
"We consider ourselves a daily media company, and we post breaking news online when it happens," Baim said. "However, it is very important to stay committed to the print edition of Windy City Times, as many of our readers still need access to the print form to get news and entertainment stories about our community. We look forward to continuing to serve the gay community we are so proud to be part of."
The anniversary issue will feature a new design, as well as columns by writers who worked in gay media, and for Windy City Times, in the 1980s. The new design is by Art Director Kirk Williamson. Managing Editor Andrew Davis is coordinating the edition, and Director of New Media Jean Albright will post online-only features. Assistant Publisher Terri Klinsky, Senior Sales Associate Amy Matheny, and Business Manager Meghan Streit round out the Windy City Media Group staff, and they are joined by dozens of other writers, photographers, delivery people, and more.
For details, call ( 773 ) 871-7610, or email: advertising@windycitymediagroup.com .
