TL;DR: PinkNews, one of the largest gay news organisations is going to move to a 'reporter free newsroom' with redundancies across it's editorial team, QueerAF understands. The brand has been besiged by serious allegations against its senior team, which they've long denied, as well as navigating changing media habits.
PinkNews, which touts itself as the "world’s largest and most influential LGBTQ+ led media brand" is to make vast redundancies across its editorial team and move to a 'reporter free newsroom', QueerAF understands.
A consultation, which has put the entire editorial staff at risk of redundancy, began this week, with meetings in which journalists were told that the news brand would move to a setup that would run without reporters. QueerAF understands at least one journalist has already decided to take voluntary redundancy.
Insiders close to the consultation have said they fear the new model will see the brand rely on clickbait, press releases packaged as news and advertorials to keep its website content offering running. The brand also generates substantial revenue from unbranded Snapchat channels, which QueerAF has been told post content that is vastly contrary to the values it claims to have.
In recent weeks, the brand's short 100-200 word social media captions below news images or short carousels have been produced by its audience team have begun to be uploaded to the website. QueerAF understands that the audience and the production team that manages this and the Snapchat content are not at risk. The brand has also been experimenting with AI use in recent years, with much of its vertical video content voiced with generative AI models.
In emails sent to journalists, it's been made clear that, under the new organisation's structure, there are unlikely to be any other available roles for journalists to move to, putting their jobs at risk.
The brand has been besieged in recent years by allegations of bullying, and more seriously, inappropriate sexual workplace conduct by the senior team, which has long been denied.
Several former PinkNews staff members told a BBC documentary they saw Anthony James, a director at the UK-based company and husband of its founder, kissing and touching a junior colleague who they say appeared too drunk to consent. Many others say founder Benjamin Cohen also behaved inappropriately towards younger male employees, and that there was a heavy drinking culture at the publication. Representatives for Mr Cohen and Dr James told the BBC the allegations are false. - BBC
Following the BBC’s release of the extensive 20 minute exposé into the toxic culture, Bedfordshire hospitals NHS foundation trust suspended James from his role as associate non-executive director - The Guardian
The brand's reputation also took a blow after comments from an audio recording of a meeting, which the senior team said were out of context, explaining why news about the Trans+ community was harming their efforts to attract more advertisers and sponsors. The meeting followed a context of an anti-Pride backlash, which has only developed amid Donald Trump's anti-DEI purge of corporations in the US.
QueerAF has asked PinkNews for comment.
Analysis: There is a growing news gap of fact-checked, quality, original queer journalism
I set up QueerAF because of the malpractice and toxic cultures I've seen at multiple gay and mainstream outlets I’ve worked for. Suffice to say, some of these included inappropriate touching and uncomfortable flirtatious behaviours from my bosses.
When stories about the brand first began to gather steam, and statements confirmed some of the allegations first shared on a PinkNews whistleblowers account, which, under threat of legal action, were taken down, my first thought was how it was indicative of a broader cultural issue in the gay media and for LGBTQIA+ journalists in the mainstream.
A culture where predatory and bullying behaviour often goes unchecked. Journalists deserve safe and supportive work environments.
As allegations from former staff members have continued to emerge over the last two years, I've spent a great deal of time speaking to and supporting a number of people close to the brand.
Journalists have had little to no well-being support amid difficult allegations, and have often been left in the dark. This, while trying to pursue the role they thought they were there to do: Producing journalism for the LGBTQIA+ community, so we can all be better informed about the growing attacks on our rights.
It's been an acutely difficult time for journalists who care about our community in the last year, with a barrage of complex changes to our rights. My thoughts amid the news are with the dedicated LGBTQIA+ journalists, who, despite toxic work culture and editorial agendas, have fought hard to do good work for our community in its newsroom.
We need more queer journalism, and whatever we may think about this brand - its further divestment from news leaves a growing news gap for our community. Something we should all be concerned about.
We need more investment in queer accountability journalism.
Our rights are under attack, and navigating how to fight back is only possible with quality, fact-checked, accessible information - written by LGBTQIA+ journalists.
We're a small but mighty publisher, and are so glad you trust us every week to bring you a selection of the top queer news, unique perspectives and content everyone's talking about in this newsletter.
If QueerAF had more resources, I can assure you - we'd double down even further on our investigations and news output, but even more so: We'd train, mentor and invest in an even bigger new generation of queer journalists.
In just four years, we've supported 150 LGBTQIA+ creatives to develop their craft and careers.
We're not going anywhere, and that work continues.
We can't do it without you, so if you can - please start your monthly or annual membership to QueerAF, so we can help even more people fight back.
