Yesterday, Sue O’Connell and Jeff Coakley, co-publishers of Bay Windows newspaper — so central to Boston’s LGBTQ community since the early 1980s — and its sister paper South End News, announced both publications are up for sale.
O’Connell and Coakley purchased the papers in 2003 and led them for 18 years. They write in a letter posted April 22 on Bay Windows’ Facebook page, “Almost immediately after purchasing [the papers], Bay Windows became the primary source of news and information related to the political, legal, and public opinion battles being waged to bring marriage equality to Massachusetts” — just as it has done for all LGBTQ community milestones, going all the way back to its first issue on February 15, 1980.
And South End News has held a similar role in the life of that community since it began printing 41 years ago.
The voices of both publications under O’Connell and Coakley’s leadership will be sorely missed.
Nevertheless, moving forward, they’re suggesting some bold ideas for both publications that sound especially right for our times. Writes O’Connell on the Facebook posting:
The business of local news has changed in the two decades we’ve owned both papers. But the news and its importance to the community has not. That is why we are inviting community leaders, business owners, nonprofits, educational institutions and others to consider purchasing Bay Windows and South End News, either separately or together.
We are committed to thinking creatively and working with potential buyers to provide an equitable path to ownership.
Models to consider including nonprofit conversion, government support, a public and/or digital media merger, and community ownership.
When we purchased Bay Windows and South End News in 2003, we’d like to tell you that we did it out of a high-minded commitment to the vital role that community newspapersplay in our communities. But that would not be true.
We bought these papers because we thought it would be fun.
Was it? Absolutely. …
Over the past two decades, we have met business owners, nonprofit leaders, artists, activists, chefs, politicians, city employees and community members. It has been the experience of a lifetime.
Now it is someone else’s turn.
We can promise you three things: It will take a lot of work to make it work. You will exercise great influence in the South End and the state’s LGBTQ community. And you will have fun.
Want more information? Email Jeff at jcoakley@baywindows.com or
jcoakley@southendnews.com.
Read Sue O’Connell’s complete letter on Bay Windows’ Facebook page.
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