This cruel web: The death of the Washington Blade

The announcement came suddenly, apparently. From Washington City Paper's site this afternoon:

Just hours ago, the staff of the Blade learned that its parent company, Window Media, had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, that the Blade was closed effective immediately, and that the paper’s two dozen employees were all out of work.

Yow. A media institution and a gay institution, gone in one swoop.

It's hard to imagine who is going to survive by the time this media revolution is over. Or how.

The story mentions Lou Chibbaro Jr., the Blade’s longest-running employee, who has been there thirty freaking years. I had the pleasure of getting to know him while covering both Matthew Shepard murder trials in Laramie. Smart guy, good guy, great reporter.  What is he going to do now?

I was also impressed, at the time, that The Blade flew him out to cover those trials. It was important. There was also one reporter there who had set up a freelance assignement for The Advocate--which probably would not have covered it without his setting it up, and probably would not have the cash to do it today.
That was it for the gay press. Who is going to cover these stories now?

Is there a gay press anymore? Do we still need one?
I think so. It's one of those situations where the purpose of a gay press is hopefully to help make it unnecessary. The day we are equal, we won't need a separate voice to advocate for us. I don't think we're there yet.

But that doesn't stop the audience from drifting away. I know I read the local gay rags much less than I used to. Almost never, actually. They're not very good, but that didn't stop me from flipping through before.
But now I flip through very little in paper, except for books, and I follow most of the gay stories much less because we have come a long way, and it's less a burning issue.

As a consumer, I feel less urge to partake. But my needs as a day to day consumer are very different than my needs as a member of society. I need someone out there pushing every day when I'm not, and I also need good reporting when the big stories come up and I am interested.

But most of us are no longer consuming, which leaves no revenue, no budget, and media institutions are folding.

I know a senior editor at one of the biggest, most respected pring mags in the country who left recently, because he sees their days numbered.
This situation is going to get much worse. 
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Photo of former Blade employees by Darrow Montgomery