Washington Blade to Resume Publishing This Week

The Washington Post reports that  DC's weekly LGBT newspaper The Washington Blade, which closed it's doors in November after 40 years in business, will resume publishing this Friday under new ownership. Former staffers from the Blade, who founded the online news magazine dcAgenda within four days of losing their jobs, purchased the Blade's name, copyright, archives, computers and office furniture at a bankruptcy auction in late February for just $15,000.

The Washington Post article says, "The 40-year-old newspaper -- founded as a one-sheet newsletter in October 1969 just months after the Stonewall riots in New York incited the modern gay rights movement -- has published weekly editions under the name D.C. Agenda since Nov. 20, four days after parent company Window Media declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and ceased operations. Working with half the staff of the Blade (which last year had 24 full-timers) and an array of freelancers, D.C. Agenda also relied on the generosity of lawyers, accountants, advertisers and readers from around the world, many of whom contributed pro bono or financial support, according to editor Kevin Naff."
 
Naff told the Post, "A lot of people really have an emotional connection to the Blade, and the outpouring since it closed was overwhelming and was really what led us to carry on. We'll be a leaner publication and we'll grow as we can afford to grow, but Friday's issue, as of now, is 56 pages, which is remarkable considering Agenda launched with eight pages."

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