Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 12:19:45 -0700 (PDT) From: Rex Wockner Subject: NC1752: Texas Triangle to close due to newsprint cost The great gay newspaper Texas Triangle is closing. Reason: Newsprint cost Rex Date: Thu, 26 Sep 1996 15:06:25 -0400 From:TxTriangle@aol.com To: rwockner@netcom.com Rex-- Some sad news from us. We're sending this out today. The Texas Triangle txtriangle@aol.com 512-476-0576 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Texas Triangle, a weekly gay newspaper with major markets in Austin and Houston,will cease publication with its October 10 issue, editor/publisher Kay Longcope announced today. We won the battle with Wyatt Roberts and the Texas branch of the American Family Assn., said Longcope, but lost the war to increased printing costs. The Triangle's printing bill jumped 33 percent last January, Longcope said. Despite increased revenues that came from Roberts' campaign against the Triangle, with many from the mainstream community taking ads to oppose perceived bigotry, the weekly could not overcome the increased cost of printing, she said. Roberts a year ago initiated a campaign against Triangle advertisers, using an hourlong program he had on KIXL, a Christian radio station. Before the campaign ended last spring, with Roberts' contract not renewed by the station, his supporters picketed First Texas Honda, a prime AFA target. First Texas Honda retaliated by renewing a yearlong contract with the Triangle. The dealership said that Roberts' campaign, which was not publicized until last December, boosted sales at a time of year when sales usually declined. On Saturday, First Texas Honda will be among recipients of awards to be presented by former Gov. Ann Richards at the annual Austin Black Tie Affair benefitting the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest political organization fighting for gay/lesbian civil rights. The award, for corporate courage, will be accepted by Mark Haworth, new car sales manager, and Jim Olmstead, general manager. The Triangle, which began publishing in October 1992, ceases publication on its fourth birthday. -end-