here! TV dumps GLAAD over gay-media ban

March 20, 2007

From:
Stephen F. Macias
Senior Vice President, Corporate and Marketing Communications
here! Networks

To:
Neil Giuliano
President
Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
248 West 35th St., 8th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Via Messenger

Dear Neil,

Thank you for clarifying GLAAD's decision to exclude here! Networks from
submitting our gay and lesbian programming for a GLAAD Media Award. Since
you reference your Board of Directors as the group that made this
decision, I am copying your Board on this correspondence. Additionally,
as a point of reference, following is your response to our inquiry around
clarification:

"The GLAAD Board of Directors made the determination to continue the focus
of the Media Awards on mainstream media last year after this same issue
was raised by the folks at Logo. A special ad hoc committee of the board
met several times and then made a recommendation to the full board of
directors. It was a long and thorough discussion that the board had at
that time, and all views were aired. In addition, I am aware that some
members of the LGBT media did contact members of the GLAAD board to
discuss the issue. This is the view they aligned with after much review,
so this remains the approach of the GLAAD Media Awards program at this
time. Of course, any board action/direction is subject to further
review/action by a future board and I suspect the overall issue will
continue to come forward. Personally, I think we should work to create a
way to recognize LGBT-focused media, and am hopeful someday we will do
so."

As I replied to you in our response, we completely disagree with the
organization's position. Our request was simple, to be allowed to submit
our programming to be judged on its merits, not on its origin. GLAAD's
position of excluding a television network that serves the gay and lesbian
audience is counterproductive to its mission statement and an archaic
interpretation of its application in the new media space. The mission
statement does not include the word "mainstream" anywhere in it, nor is it
comforting to know GLAAD is defining "mainstream" and gay as mutually
exclusive places to be in American culture.

Media has changed dramatically over the years because of the blood, sweat,
and tears of brave LGBT activists, yet GLAAD has not adjusted its policies
and strategies to account for this as it relates to the high profile Media
Awards. In the absence of strategic change from GLAAD, the organization's
largest event is on the verge of becoming irrelevant and the millions of
dollars raised wasted when LGBT Americans need strong leadership more than
ever.

Why we see excluding gay media from the GLAAD Media Awards as the wrong
choice:

Your mission statement and the justification for the exclusion of gay
media are completely at odds with each other. GLAAD has altered its
mission statement for the GLAAD Media Award's process only, an alteration
that excludes gay media. Nowhere in GLAAD's mission statement, the mission
statement that theoretically should be the basis for any non-profit's
work, does it say that GLAAD should be solely focused on "mainstream"
media. In fact, also per your email:

"GLAAD's primary mission is to advocate for fair, accurate, and inclusive
LGBT stories in mainstream media. We want mainstream media outlets to
include us in their stories and programming - and to do it well. The GLAAD
Media Awards program is designed to help GLAAD achieve that mission, and
is the logical extension of - and in many ways the culmination of - our
work with media outlets throughout the year." NG.

Is GLAAD defining mainstream as only "Straight" outlets? Your Media Awards
logic suggests that. It is a defining moment when a LGBT civil rights
organization equates mainstream and straight as synonymous implying that
fringe and LGBT are also synonymous.

GLAAD should either change in its mission statement to clearly state that
it is only promoting straight/mainstream media programming or discontinue
the exclusion of gay media from submitting work for a GLAAD Media Award.
Gay media has changed dramatically in the past five years. A New Gay Media
has emerged and is relevant like never before. Gay television has wider
distribution than 80% of all other content providers in the United States.
here! Networks has secured partnerships for distributing LGBT stories with
EVERY primary and secondary cable company in the country and is also
available via Telcos like Verizon's FIOS TV, accessible through hundreds
of thousands of hotel rooms through partnerships with Lodgenet and
downloadable through numerous IPTV providers like AOL, MSN and Google
Video. This is something that most other "mainstream" cable nets cannot
claim. In fact, here! Networks has now launched in Canada in what will be
the start of an international roll out of our programming to LGBT
audiences around the globe. Our reach, our platform, and our impact grow
every day. While we are LGBT- themed, we are also part of the new
mainstream media landscape, as are many other gay media companies. The New
Gay Media has arrived, yet GLAAD remains mired in an old, conventional
mindset that is an obstacle to our community's growth.

Gay networks are raising the bar around what mainstream media should
consider fair, accurate, and inclusive work. No longer is the LGBT
community beholden to "mainstream" media as the only place where we might
catch a glimpse of ourselves. We salute those outlets that in the past
have included our community in their programming, and now LGBT media joins
them in expanding our stories. Finally, our community can set examples of
what LGBT should look like in a proactive way, not reacting to something
that we either "applaud" or "condemn.". We strongly urge GLAAD to march
forcefully into the 21st century, not relying on strategies that were
based on a world where we had very little day to day control on how our
stories were told.

Gay and lesbian artist's groundbreaking work should not be excluded from
being recognized by the GLAAD Media Awards. In some cases, gay media is
the only media covering diverse parts of our community. Last year Logo's
now-cancelled Noah's Arc was the only Black, gay show on television, yet
it was excluded from the submission process. This year here! Network's The
DL Chronicles will be the only scripted Black, gay show on broadcast or
network television. New standards are now being set by a new generation of
LGBT storytellers, yet GLAAD refuses to recognize and empower those
voices.

We believe that all gay media companies should be allowed to submit work
for consideration. That collective group of LGBT voices in print and
online journalism, radio, television, Telco, podcasts, and videocasts are
quite literally changing the world. The New Gay Media has grown, matured
and in many cases is taking the lead on groundbreaking points of view, yet
GLAAD remains entrenched in old "mainstream" thinking.

Inspiring closeted gay Americans to come out and be themselves is one of
the most important results that fair, accurate, and inclusive media can
have on American culture. While you can legislate equal protection under
the law, it is television that has the ability to change the hearts and
minds of all people, including gays and lesbians. Gay television now comes
into the homes of millions of Americans with programming that not only
entertains, but also inspires and gives people confidence to come out of
the closet, be themselves and lend their proud voice to change. Seeing
themselves and their stories being told on screen is a powerful and is
helping to change lives across America.

Contrary to your e-mail cited above, here! Networks also raised this issue
last year after we submitted a large package of programming for
consideration. When I received a call from Nick Adams indicating that we
were not eligible as a gay media outlet to submit our LGBT content, I
specifically asked if Logo took issue with that choice. I was informed by
Adams that they did not really care one way or another. Apparently, that
was not the case as you indicate Logo did indeed raise this issue. We were
told that we would be given the Gittings Award while GLAAD addressed its
policy. The late Ms. Gittings worked very hard to make significant change
for our community. We hope that the award named after this proud activist
is not simply a mechanism to pacify the gay media at the GLAAD Media
Awards.

Finally, Black Entertainment Television (BET) is not excluded from
submitting programming to the NAACP's Image Awards. Why are gay television
networks prohibited from submitting programming for a GLAAD Media Award?
It has been impossible for us to answer that question, especially when the
organization's mission statement does not lend itself to your choice.

In the past we have provided media coverage, supported GLAAD as a major
sponsor, purchased large blocks of tickets in multiple cities, and
provided collateral and network talent for fundraising events. As a result
of GLAAD's archaic, short sighted and ghettoizing policy directed at gay
media we will no longer be supporting the GLAAD Media Awards or GLAAD
until this policy is changed to be fair and inclusive. We have sent out a
notice to all of our actors, writers, directors and producers to this
effect as well. That e-mail was issued today. In addition to the creative
list, we are also copying their individual teams of agents, managers, and
publicists explaining our position and asking for them to support that
decision.

In closing, we hope the Board of Directors recognizes the important role
that the New Gay Media represents. We exist because of the successes of
those that have come before us, and we will honor those LGBT activists by
stepping out of the shadows and demanding our rightful place at the media
table. Oddly enough, our distribution partners across the country have
made room for us, yet GLAAD continues its exclusion. If GLAAD would like
to have a meaningful conversation about change, please do not hesitate to
call. We truly believe that generations who have yet to take up the fight
will look back and wonder why GLAAD excluded gay media from participating
at the Media Awards, but will proudly remember when GLAAD changed its
policy that empowered and propelled our community's media voices.

Sincerely,
Stephen F. Macias
Senior Vice President, Corporate and Marketing Communications
here! Networks