Sydney Star Observer turns 30!

Sydney Star Observer is proudly celebrating 30 years of publishing this week.
Publisher of Melbourne’s Southern Star, SSO is the oldest gay and lesbian newspaper not only in Australia, but in the southern hemisphere.
For 30 years SSO has given gay Sydney, and gay Australia, a voice.
SSO founder Michael Glynn emigrated in the early ’70s from the US and, seizing an opportunity, published the first issue of the Star on credit.
That issue was delivered on foot on July 6, 1979, and the Star has not missed an issue since.
Current publishing editor Scott Abrahams said that with the publication now in its 30th year, the ‘Grand Old Dame’ of GLBTI publishing is still flourishing and filling a vital space as an alternative news source.
-œThe HIV/AIDS epidemic was a key theme for the Star for many years, Abrahams said.
-œWe have also covered thousands of spectacular celebrations the community has enjoyed over that time, including the iconic Mardi Gras held in Sydney every year, which celebrated its 30th anniversary just last year.
Chairman of SSO Media Daniel Bone said the company is unique as its ownership structure for the last 21 years has been dispersed among the gay and lesbian community.
-œIt’s an intrinsic part of our organisation that we represent the community, and we have broken many highly significant stories that have affected the lives of thousands of gay and lesbian Australians.
Some of the breaking stories SSO has reported on over the years include the first AIDS case in Australia, the Mardi Gras collapse, rights activist and entrepreneur Dawn O’Donnell’s death, numerous Oxford Street bashings, the Gay Games, the formation of key organisations including ACON and the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BFG), and the battle over the age of consent.
On December 9 this year, SSO will celebrate another milestone, publishing its 1000th issue.

info: For the full story and history of SSO go to,
www.starobserver.com.au/news/2009/07/07/clutch-your-pearls-were-thirty/14310