Gay & Lesbian Media - July 2009

Australia's First Gay Paper Turns 30!

Turning 30 is a milestone in anyone’s life, but for Australia’s first newspaper for the gay and lesbian community, the 30th anniversary is a very special celebration indeed.

Dubbed “The Pearl Jubilee”, this week’s 30th anniversary of the Sydney Star Observer – or The Star as it was originally called - breaks all the records. Scott Abrahams, Publishing Editor of the newspaper said: “The Sydney Star Observer has seen many competitors come and go over the past three decades, but the Grand Old Dame of gay and lesbian publishing is proving to have the staying power not just to survive but to flourish.”

Just nine months ago, the Star expanded to publish a newspaper in Melbourne, Southern Star, and this week’s special anniversary edition in Sydney had advertisers queuing up to be involved.

A brief history lesson

The Star’s founder Michael Glynn emigrated to Australia in 1971 from the USA after being disillusioned with his country’s involvement in the Vietnam War. At the time Australia had just one gay magazine and no gay newspapers serving the country, so he saw a business opportunity and a way to foster the growing sense of community and self-awareness that had emerged on the Sydney gay scene.

Glynn published the first issue of the Star on credit, with payment promised for most ads by most of Sydney’s gay venues at the time, and used public buses and a backpack to distribute it on the night of July 6, 1979.

The next Monday everyone paid up and Glynn went back to the printers – and the Star’s never missed an issue since.

Truly a Community Newspaper

Chairman of SSO Media – which publishes Sydney Star Observer and Southern Star in Melbourne – Daniel Bone said the company has undergone a significant change in structure since Glynn’s time. ”We have a unique ownership structure among the gay and lesbian publishers in Australia, in that we are owned by the community, and that has been the situation for the past 21 years,” Bone said. ”It’s an intrinsic part of our organisation that we represent the community, and we have broken many highly significant stories that have affected the lives of thousands of gay and lesbian Australians.” Last year to coincide with the launch of Southern Star in Melbourne, the company dropped “Sydney” from its name to represent the growing national audience of its papers both in print and online. It is now known as Gay and Lesbian Community Publishing Limited.

Two Milestones in One Year

The Star will celebrate another major milestone later this year with the publication of the 1,000th issue on December 9th. Abrahams said: “We have an exciting celebration planned for the street launch of that edition, and we would love to see gay and lesbian Sydney come out to witness the historic moment.” Details of the event remain under wraps, but Abrahams is confident it will make a big splash.

Breaking Stories That Change Lives

The Star has covered countless significant stories over the past three decades, many covering the health, safety and human rights of the community it serves.”The HIV/AIDS epidemic was a key theme for the Star for many years,” Abrahams said. “We have also covered thousands of spectacular celebrations that the community has enjoyed over that time, including the iconic Mardi Gras held in Sydney every year, which celebrated its 30th anniversary just last year.”

In amongst the glitz and glamour, and the serious side of politics and health, the Star has always focused on what it can give the gay and lesbian community beyond the news. Bone said: “We are constantly reviewing our support for the community, including the many vital organisations that serve to fight for our human rights, our health, and our welfare. As a community-owned media organisation we are in a great position to give back as much as we can to the people who give us their attention every week.”

Some of the breaking stories that the Star has reported include: the first AIDS account, Mardi Gras collapse, Dawn O’Donnell’s death, numerous Oxford St bashings, the Gay Games, the formation of key community organisations ACON and BGF, and the battle over the age of consent.