LOTL publisher says magazine sale is 鈥�110% for the better鈥�
THE聽publisher of Australian lesbian magazine LOTL says she sold the publication in order to ensure its future survival.
Silke Bader, whose Avalon Media company had owned LOTL since 1999, confirmed to the Star Observer that the title has now been sold to a newly-created not-for-profit company called L Media.
The announcement was made as the magazine published its anniversary issue, 25 years after the publication launched under the Lesbians on the Loose name.
Bader said although LOTL was profitable 鈥渨e had been banging our heads against the wall鈥� trying to find new growth opportunities.
鈥淲e鈥檙e speaking to more people in print and digital than ever before but the income hasn鈥檛 increased,” she said.
Bader said she was confident of the title鈥檚 future despite its sale with new ownership bringing access to different revenue streams such as crowdfunding and grants.
However, she said the primary reason behind the sale was to ensure more people were involved in the magazine鈥檚 future which, up to now, has been almost solely run by Bader.
鈥淚t is a lot of weight for my shoulders so for me to have a board who can support me will see LOTL fly,” she said.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen what鈥檚 happened to the Feminist Bookshop and other organisations that are reliant on one of two people and I wasn鈥檛 content to let LOTL idle away.
鈥淚 can 110 per cent honestly say the change is only for the better.鈥�
Future plans will include extending distribution beyond the major east coast cities to Adelaide and Perth.
Asked whether she had benefited from the sale of the magazine, Bader said: 鈥淭he bottom line is myself and the shareholders have lost a lot of money.鈥�
The new board, which is all female and all gay, includes people with marketing and finance backgrounds.
Bader will continue to own the LOTL name which will be licenced to L Media.
She is also likely to be elected as the chair of L Media at a meeting on the weekend and will remain as the publisher of LOTL.
Bader said that US-based lesbian magazine Curve will remain under her ownership.
O my I remember. The first.issue lol