Celebrating a century of issues

Southern Star Observer (SSO) proudly celebrates its 100th issue this week.

SSO editor Andie Noonan thanked the community for supporting the paper since it first hit the streets in October 2008.

“If events of the last few weeks show anything, it’s that the GLBTI community needs a strong voice to ask the questions the community needs answering and we will continue to do this.

“We’d like to thank the community for its ongoing support over the last two years and look forward to a bright future.”

Publisher Scott Abrahams said in two short years the paper has made an enduring mark on Melbourne’s GLBTI community with a dedication to quality news and entertainment reporting.

“Southern Star Observer has offered a real alternative to the Victorian gay, lesbian, trans and intersex community with its commitment to solid reporting of local and national news,” Abrahams said.

“Over the 100 issues we believe the paper has reflected the true diversity of the community with our weekly columns from Victoria Police, our rural contributors, the Victorian AIDS Council, the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby and many more.”

Apart from delivering the weekly free-to-street publication, SSO has also developed a strong online presence with strong Facebook and Twitter followings.

SSO was recently nominated for two ALSO Awards, including for the most outstanding queer media report on the Royal Melbourne Hospital mishandling of two separate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) cases.

The hospital later apologised and said it would conduct education sessions with staff.

SSO is owned by Gay and Lesbian Community Publishing Limited — publisher of Sydney Star Observer — a community-owned, incorporated company.

The company’s core business is publishing weekly gay and lesbian newspapers in Melbourne and Sydney and has more than 300 community shareholders. The company is not-for-profit and any money made goes back into strengthening the company’s reach to the GLBTI community.