Outlook Media was a

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

-based

lesbian A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

bisexual Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...

(

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

) lifestyle and advocacy company for the Ohio

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

and allied community from 1995 until late 2017. Their flagship product, ''Outlook Columbus'' was a news, politics, and lifestyle magazine. Outlook Media also published ''High Street Neighborhoods'', managed Columbus' LGBT and allied business networking group, Network Columbus, and partnered with the

Ohio Historical Society Ohio History Connection, formerly The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society and Ohio Historical Society, is a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1885. Headquartered at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio, Ohio History Connect ...

to form the Gay Ohio History Initiative. In 2015, Outlook Media began to publish The Love Big LGBT Wedding Expo Guide, and began holding Love Big LGBT Wedding Expos throughout

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

Publications and Community Initiatives

Outlook Columbus

''Outlook Columbus'' was a monthly lifestyle and advocacy magazine geared toward Ohio's LGBT and

urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

progressive communities.

Editorial An editorial, or leading article (UK) or leader (UK) is an article written by the senior editorial people or publisher of a newspaper, magazine, or any other written document, often unsigned. Australian and major United States newspapers, suc ...

coverage includes politics, small businesses, arts & entertainment, health & wellness, faith, fashion, sports, interviews, horoscopes, events and community news. With content that contains both locally and nationally focused features.Outlook media.
Retrieved 7-20-10 The publication replaced ''Outlook Weekly'' as the company's primary publication. With over 25,000 print copies distributed monthly, the magazine can be found for free in over 3,000 locations throughout Ohio, including local libraries, restaurants, and night clubs or by paid, home-delivery subscription. ''Outlook Columbus'' differentiates itself from similar LGBT publications by its advertising. ''

Outlook Outlook or The Outlook may refer to: Computing * Microsoft Outlook, an e-mail and personal information management software product from Microsoft * Outlook.com, a web mail service from Microsoft * Outlook on the web, a suite of web applications ...

'' doesn't limit its partners to gay-owned or gay-themed advertisers but also gay-friendly or straight owned but open-minded type businesses including national advertisers

Bank One Bank One Corporation was an American bank founded in 1968 and at its peak the sixth-largest bank in the United States. It traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the stock symbol ONE. The company merged with JPMorgan Chase & Co. on July 1, ...

Time Warner Warner Media, LLC ( traded as WarnerMedia) was an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. It was headquartered at the 30 Hudson Yards complex in New York City, United States. It was originally established in 1972 by ...

, and

American Express American Express Company (Amex) is an American multinational corporation specialized in payment card services headquartered at 200 Vesey Street in the Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. The company was found ...

among local businesses. The magazine's content is diverse as well, targeting a large cross section of the community while at the same time speaking to specific groups under the large LGBT umbrella. According to studies listed on their corporate website, ''Outlook Columbus'' is the number one media choice for the

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

LGBT and allied community, the number one media choice for newcomers to Columbus who have been in the city for 5 years or less, and the number two print choice for

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

in Columbus. Outlookohio.com was the magazine's online counterpart. Boasting 100 times the content of the print publication, the website keeps readers engaged all month long with fresh daily content, news, event photos, contests, polls, videos and reader comments. In 2015, Outlook celebrated 20 years of publishing. In June 2017, Outlook ceased publication.

Love Big LGBT Wedding Expos

Ohio's only LGBT and allied wedding expo series, Love Big Expos offer a safe and welcoming place for LGBT couples to meet vendors who are committed to

marriage equality Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same Legal sex and gender, sex or gender. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 33 countries, with the most recent being ...

and excited to serve the LGBT community. Love Big relieves the added stress of coming out to potentially non-supportive vendors by putting equality-minded businesses all in one place. Because Ohio still does not legally recognize marriage equality, LGBT couples have to go out of state to get their licensing. However, more and more Ohio LGBT couples are choosing to hold their big religious ceremonies and receptions in the state. Events are free and open to the public. Straight couples are welcome, too.

''Love Big LGBT Wedding Guide''

Ohio's first print and digital LGBT wedding guide & directory, Love Big Wedding Guide is a free, full color, perfect bound 9″ x 10.875″, premium paper stock magazine featuring equality-minded vendors servicing the

market. The

advertorial An advertorial is an advertisement in the form of editorial content. The term "advertorial" is a blend (see portmanteau) of the words "advertisement" and "editorial." Merriam-Webster dates the origin of the word to 1946. In printed publications, t ...

-focused guidebook is complemented by original industry focused content. Over 50,000 copies will be distributed statewide annually to wedding vendors, shops, universities, restaurants, coffee houses, libraries, community centers and subscribers.

High Street Neighborhoods

''High Street Neighborhoods'' is a bi-annual, community based saver-magazine whose audience is the general public that resides within the

urban core. Each issue is divided into community based sections where local advertisers present coupons. These communities include

Merion Village Columbus, the state capital and Ohio's largest city, has numerous neighborhoods within its city limits. Neighborhood names and boundaries are not officially defined. They may vary or change from time to time due to demographic and economic variabl ...

German Village German Village is a historic neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, just south of the city's downtown. It was settled in the early-to-mid-19th century by a large number of German immigrants, who at one time comprised as much as a third of the city's ...

, the

Brewery District The Brewery District, traditionally known as the Old German Brewing District, is a neighborhood located in Columbus, Ohio. Located just south of the central business district and west of German Village, it is bounded by Interstate 70 on the north, ...

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

, the King Lincoln District, the

Arena District The Arena District is a mixed-use planned development and neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. The site was developed through a partnership between Nationwide Realty Investors, Ltd. (a subsidiary of Nationwide), the City of Columbus and private inves ...

, the

Short North The Short North is a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, United States, centered on the main strip of High Street immediately north of the Arena District and extending until just south of the University District and Ohio State University. It is an ea ...

Arts District, the University District, Clintonville,

Worthington Worthington may refer to: People * Worthington (surname) * Worthington family, a British noble family Businesses * Worthington Brewery, also known as Worthington's * Worthington Corporation, founded as a pump manufacturer in 1845, later a dive ...

, Grandview, Franklinton, and Old Town East. Features also include a travel guide, service directory, and pet directory. The publication is distributed to more than 200 Columbus locations where it can be found for free including recreation centers, Columbus

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

, an
Experience Columbus
visitors centers.

Live Local Columbus

Live Local Columbus Magazine was a joint venture with Columbus, Ohio's shop local program, The Small Business Beanstalk. Live Local focused on the authentic experiences of Columbus locals, telling their stories and curating the best possible Columbus experiences for readers.

Network Columbus

''Network Columbus'' has been dubbed Central Ohio's 'gay chamber of commerce.' The organization, with 3000 members, provides networking events, educational programs, business advocacy and linkages with other business and professional organizations with the purpose to lead and support economic growth within the central Ohio LGBT community.

Gay Ohio History Initiative

''Outlook Media'' and ''The Ohio Historical Society'' created this initiative to include memorabilia and memories for gays across the state. As of summer 2010, two exhibits, Remembering the Berwick Ball, and The International Drag King Community Extravaganza Exhibit, have been curated by the Gay Ohio History initiative. A traveling exhibit is in the works.

Past Publications and Initiatives

Radio Outlook

''Radio Outlook'' is a weekly GLBT talk-radio show and the first of its kind in Ohio. Hosted by Chris Hayes and Chad Frye, the show has a leftward lean, targeting the GLBT community but is enjoyed by a larger audience who enjoyed current events and friendly, informed banter.

TV Outlook

''TV Outlook'' is similar in format to ''Radio Outlook''. It was available on WDEM-CD.

Outlook

''Outlook'' was the company's first publication. It was a bi-weekly newspaper and followed a newspaper approach in layout based in strong journalism and professional design, rather than serving as a promotional publication for the Greater Columbus LGBT community. Circulation was between 8,000 and 12,000 and distributed to over 200 locations.

Outlook Weekly

''Outlook Weekly'' replaced ''Outlook'' as the companies primary publication. Published every week rather than every other week, the newspaper had similar content and format. In 2004, the publication switched content slightly, from just a news tabloid to a lifestyle tabloid as well.

History

Outlook Publishing, Inc. was founded by co-owners and publishers Jeffrey D. Cox and Jim Ryan in the spring of 1995 with the primary purpose of publishing their paper titled ''Outlook''. Ryan was editor and managed distribution while Cox managed finances, layout, and design from his home. The paper relied on volunteer initiative and freelance reporters to operate. Before ''Outlooks establishment, the only other GLBT focused publications in Ohio were the ''

Gay People's Chronicle The ''Gay People's Chronicle'' was a free, biweekly newspaper published by KWIR Publications, reporting news and current events concerning the gay community of the state of Ohio. It was founded in February 1985 by Charles Callender, a Case Western ...

'', which was based out of

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, and a monthly publication from

Stonewall Columbus Stonewall Columbus is a nonprofit organization serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) population of Columbus, Ohio. The organization is located in the Short North district of Columbus. Established in 1981, Stonewall C ...

. ''Outlook'' was created to fill the void as a news voice for the Columbus community. Under Cox, and Ryan's ownership, the newspaper quickly became respected as a professional news source. In the fall of 1998, ''Outlook'' earned five writing awards, called the Vice Versa Awards for Excellence in the Gay and Lesbian Press, from the National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association and received third place for Best Newspaper in the weekly or bi-weekly category. These awards were given for the paper's approach to controversial topics and the effect they had on the Columbus community. For example, when ''Outlook'' published a piece about anti-gay harassment by members of the

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

wrestling team, the OSU Athletic Department created mandatory sexual orientation cultural competence training for all its employees. In early 1999, Outlook Publishing, Inc. was sold to Lynn Greer, Jose Rodriguez, and Malcolm Riggle operating from Riggle's offices in

Worthington, Ohio Worthington is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, and is a northern suburb of Columbus. The population in the 2020 Census was 14,786. The city was founded in 1803 by the Scioto Company led by James Kilbourne, who was later elected to ...

. Within the year Rodriguez sold his share of the company to Greer and Riggle. In the fall of 2003, Malcom Riggle assumed sole-ownership of company operations. Under his leadership, ''Outlook Weekly'' became a lifestyle tabloid. That November, Outlook Publishing, Inc. changed names to Outlook Media, Inc. Two years later, in the fall of 2005, Outlook teamed with the

to form the ''Gay Ohio History Initiative''. Also within the year, the magazine saw controversy in a surrounding

suburb. Some members of the

Upper Arlington Upper Arlington, often known by its initials U.A., is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, on the northwest side of the Columbus metropolitan area. The Old Arlington neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. ...

community tried to ban the newspaper from its libraries, but after library board discussions the paper was decided to remain available to patrons. In 2006, Outlook Media changed ownership after seven years under Malcom Riggle. Chris Hayes and Michael Daniels bought the company and moved Outlook's offices to

The Short North The Short North is a neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, United States, centered on the main strip of High Street immediately north of the Arena District and extending until just south of the University District and Ohio State University. It is an ea ...

. Under their leadership, ''Outlook Weeklys audience expanded to the Columbus progressive community while still maintaining its readership base in the GLBT community.Kemper, Kevin. August 12, 2010
Outlook Weekly expands reach
''Columbus Business First''. Retrieved July 20, 2010 In the summer of 2008, Outlook Media started its radio program, ''Radio Outlook'' which lasted one year. ''Outlook Weekly'' changed format to a monthly magazine in 2009, changing names to ''Outlook Columbus''. The final issue of ''Outlook Weekly'' was released on March 25, 2009. The monthly format changed the look of the publication by upgrading to paper stock and including more in-depth features while still remaining free to the public. ''Outlook Columbus'' has had successful pieces including an article interview with

Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...

football coach

Jim Tressel James Patrick Tressel (born December 5, 1952) is an American college football coach and university administrator who is currently the president of Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. Before becoming an administrator, Tressel was the ...

that reached national acclaim. The piece was reprinted on March 3, 2010 in ''Outsports'', which caters to the gay sports community. From here, news of the article reached

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

, where it was reprinted again on March 4. ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...

'' then picked up the story and positively commented on the Tressel interview on March 8, 2010. After the ''Sports Illustrated'' article, the story went viral across the country including reports by the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' and '' The Advocates '150 Reasons to Have Pride' among others.June–July 2010
150 Reasons to Have Pride in 2010.
''The Advocate.'' Retrieved July 20, 2010. In July 2012 Chad Frye and Bob Vitale of the Columbus Dispatch joined Christopher Hayes as Co-owners and Co-publishers. The additional partners created capacity to re-launch the publication across the entire state of Ohio, with major distribution hubs in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton, Youngstown, Canton, and Akron. In June 2016, Co-publishers Chad Frye and Robert Vitale exited the company, leaving Christopher Hayes as sole owner and publisher. In July 2017 Outlook ceased publication, and the assets of the company were liquidated.