Subject: Queer Broadcasts Banned In Florida
From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 94 15:55:13 EST

The first commercial broadcasts of regularly scheduled queer programming were
cancelled last week by WEYS in Key West after the Trinity Broadcasting
Network, which buys time on that station and seven others owned by the same
individual, threatened to pull its programming off all of them unless the
queer stuff went away.

The station had planned an entire prime-time evening of gay and lesbian
programming on Fridays beginning in March, but at the time of the
cancellation, only Network Q, a two year-old queer videomagazine distributed
all over the US and in 12 foreign countries, and The Open Closet, a locally
produced talk show, were affected.

The situation is significant because it had represented the first opportunity
to generate signifcant advertiser support for a regular block of gay shows,
as well as convenient access to the programming. Network Q, for example, is
primarily available on tape by subscription, and has been working to create
an environment which will support commercial broadcast or cable distribution
of high quality programming.

We're looking for reporters who will write about this, and for phone calls to
the station, which fired its manager over the issue (and whom, by the way, is
straight -- but was an advocate of the gay slate because of the demographic
makeup of the Key West area, estimated to be 60% queer). 

To register a complaint with WEYS, phone 305.296.4969. The station owner is
David Drucker, and he lives in Denver, but messages to him at that number
will still be effective.

We also have a press release which goes into more detail, and is available
via email or fax. You may also email me with any questions.

David Surber
Executive Producer
Network Q