Xtra!
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Type | Bi weekly (Toronto and Vancouver) newspaper Monthly (Ottawa) Newspaper |
| Format | Tabloid |
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| Owner | Pink Triangle Press |
| Publisher | Brandon Matheson (Toronto and Ottawa) Ken Hickling (Vancouver) |
| Editor | Paul Gallant (Toronto) Robin Perelle (Vancouver) |
| Founded | March 1984 (Toronto)
July 1993 (Vancouver) September 1993 (Ottawa) |
| Headquarters | 491 Church Street M4Y 2C6 |
| ISSN | 0829-3384 |
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| Website: www.xtra.ca | |
Xtra!, Xtra! West and Capital Xtra! are gay magazines, on newsprint in tabloid format, published by Pink Triangle Press in Canada.
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[edit] History
Xtra! was founded in Toronto in March 1984 by Pink Triangle Press, a not-for-profit organization. It created out of and committed to the struggle of lesbians and gay men for sexual liberation and human fulfillment. It was introduced as a four-page tabloid, as a way to broaden PTP's Toronto readership. Pink Triangle Press had previously published The Body Politic.
[edit] Content
All three publications feature news, articles of interest to the gay community, events listings and advertisements from gay-run, gay-friendly and gay-related businesses and organisations. There is also a classifieds section.
[edit] Controversy
The publications have been criticized for featuring explicit photographs, including images of erect penises; the magazine often carries advertisements for pornographic movies, magazines and websites, and sex-oriented clubs such as gay bathhouses, frequently accompanied by photographs.
The paper has also been criticized for its focus on sex-related topics: at least three regular columns in Xtra! West have sex as their primary focus. For this reason Xtra! West has been the subject of attempted bans. Pink Triangle Press also operates an online guide to cruising, or sex in semi-public locations, for men seeking sex with men.
[edit] Publications
[edit] Xtra!
Xtra! (ISSN 0829-3384) was introduced as a four-page tabloid in 1984, as a way to broaden Pink Triangle Press's Toronto readership. (Pink Triangle Press had previously published The Body Politic.) By 1985, it had become the premier source of local gay entertainment and community event listings.
Xtra!'s managing editor is Paul Gallant.
[edit] Xtra! West
Xtra! West (ISSN 1198-0613) is published in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Vancouver edition was founded in July of 1993. It has become Vancouver's largest and most widely read bi weekly publication targeting Vancouver's gay community. Xtra! West has a current circulation of 30,000 copies and reach 54,000 readers.
Xtra! West's managing editor is Robin Perelle.
[edit] Capital Xtra!
Capital Xtra! (ISSN 1195-6127) is published in Ottawa, and was launched in 1993. Unlike the biweekly Toronto and Vancouver publications, however, Capital Xtra! (which started as a monthly) is now published 15 times a year, with a publication schedule that varies from three to four weeks between issues depending on the time of year. The Ottawa edition has a current circulation of 20,000 copies which reach 36,000 readers.
Capital Xtra!'s managing editor is Gareth Kirkby. Kirkby was managing editor of Xtra! West from 1996 until January, 2005.
[edit] Other Publications'
The Press also operates Xtra.ca, Xtensions, as well as Squirt.org, an online guide to cruising, and Cruiseline, the popular gay chatline and talking classifieds phone systems.
