QSaltLake

QSaltLake is a gay and lesbian news and entertainment magazine printed biweekly in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S. It contains local, national and world news, an extensive opinion section, arts and entertainment, a bar guide and classifieds. Its nonprofit foundation, QCares Foundation, raises money for local gay and lesbian charities, sponsors an anti-meth campaign, and a Hepatitis immunization awareness program for gay men. The newspaper also created Pride365, a series of annual events that culminate in the Utah Pride Festival, sponsored by the Utah Pride Center. QSaltLake is published by Salt Lick Publishing, LLC, owned by Michael Aaron, who also acts as editor.

QSaltLake also publishes an annual gay and lesbian phone directory, TheQPages, and a map of gay- and lesbian-friendly businesses for tourists and business visitors, TheQMap.

History

In January, 2004, Michael Aaron approached Steven Peterson about collaborating on what he called a much-needed professional newspaper for Utah's gay and lesbian community. Aaron was a long-time Salt Lake City gay activist and had published The Community Reporter and Triangle Magazine in the 80s. Peterson published the Little Lavender Book. The first issue of Salt Lake Metro was published in April, 2004 with Aaron acting as publisher and Peterson as sales manager.

The newspaper found quick success in attracting readers and web site visitors, but the business partnership was wrought with disputes as advertising sales never brought the paper into the black. Aaron was forced to scale back on writers, editors and syndicated content. By the end of 2005, Aaron was acting as publisher, editor and art director.

Aaron left Salt Lake Metro in February, 2006, after a failed attempt to purchase the paper. The remaining newswriters, columnists and office staff went with him and QSaltLake was published two weeks later on Metro's published schedule.

The newspaper scaled back to 28 pages twice monthly through 2006 until back debt was paid off and advertising revenues increased. In December, 2006, the paper published the first QSaltLake Pages, an annual phone directory to replace the failed Little Lavender Book.

In January, 2007, the paper jumped to 40 pages and several new columnists were brought on board.

On November 1, 2007, the paper moved to new, larger offices in the Sugar House neighborhood, began publishing biweekly, announced the hiring of two new interns and released a new news portal web site.