Windy City Media Group goes 'green and global'
Windy City Media Group ( WCMG ) , the producers of Chicago's award-winning gay newspaper Windy City Times, is leading the way in the GLBT community by going 'green and global' this summer.
The trend of newspapers seems to be moving to mobile newsrooms, creating 'mojos' or mobile journalists. WCMG already uses the work of more than 50 journalists and photographers from all over the globe, from South Africa to China, Germany to Mexico, to write for the publication. The approach of using writers from all parts of Chicago and the world has served the publication well for more than 24 years, which is why the company is now going completely mobile as part of move to be more 'green.'
Mobile journalists from WCMG will be able to be out in the community more often with their laptops and cameras capturing the stories as they happen, writing them immediately and getting even more breaking news onto www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com . WCMG already took a step towards being greener as they kicked off 2008 with their entire publications ( Windy City Times and Nightspots ) also being available on their Web site, ads included, as downloadable PDFs. This allows thousands of additional people to read the paper without having to print more issues on newsprint. The Web site also includes full archives going back to 1998.
Going mobile is not completely new to WCMG, as they have spent two years developing and leading the way with their Queercast, a GLBT bi-weekly podcast. Host Amy Matheny has been 'out on the streets' gathering stories, photos and premiere interviews from Chicago and Las Vegas to New York and Toronto, of which can be found on www.WindyCityQueercast.com . It's only natural that the print journalists of WCMG would follow suit in this age of getting information to readers as quickly as it happens.
Mojos are the key to staying ahead of the competition. 'We have always prided ourselves on being out in the community,' said Publisher Tracy Baim. 'This change will give our writers and photographers much more freedom and flexibility, and allows them to save time and money. Why waste energy going to a physical, static office, when they can work out in the community where they live? With the energy crisis adding costs to delivery and distribution, it only makes sense to move resources from a physical office and have our editorial team working out in their communities.' The ad sales and business teams of WCMG went mobile two years ago.
The media landscape in Chicago and around the U.S. is changing rapidly. WCMG has stayed ahead of the curve by providing comprehensive and original content for more than 24 years. Dozens of reporters and photographers provide unique content to WCMG publications each week. WCGM does not rely on any wire services for the news. Rather, it has developed a pool of award-winning professionals to develop original reporting on news, entertainment and features. 'Content' is the buzzword of the new media world, and WCMG provides a large of volume of new content each week to its print and web readers and listeners. Other Web sites, including Chicago Pride and Edge, also utilize the original content of WCMG.
Windy City Times will continue to be delivered weekly to more than 600 distribution outlets in and around Chicago. Windy City Times is the only Chicago gay publication that is independently audited, by Verified Audit Circulation.
Windy City Media Group produces Windy City Times, Nightspots, OUT! Resource Guide, Identity online, and Windy City Queercast. Windy City Media Group is also the producer of these annual events: Windy City Gay Idol, 30 Under 30 and the Windy City Times Theater Series. See www.WindyCityMediaGroup.com for a listing of journalistic and community honors.
