Windy City Times, city’s LGBTQ newspaper, to end print edition and go all digital

The Windy City Times — a newspaper that bills itself as the voice of the city’s gay, lesbian, bi, trans and queer community — announced Wednesday that after 35 years of publishing a print edition, it will be moving to a digital-only platform at the end of the month.

The biweekly newspaper, which was created in 1985, announced in a Tweet and on its website that its Sept. 30 print edition will be its last.

The newspaper will go completely online starting in October.

Tracy Baim, who co-founded the paper and is majority owner, expressed sorrow over the move.

“Our staff, freelancers and drivers have given so much to Windy City Times over the years. I thank the team for really working hard to sustain WCT. Hundreds of people worked at and supported this company through so many difficult times. Windy City Times is not closing, but losing the print paper is painful. We know many people prefer the print model, but the economics are just not sustainable,” Baim said in the announcement.

“Several staff will be furloughed as the company seeks additional resources in its pivot to digital.”

Windy City Times said the pandemic and its negative impact on the paper’s core entertainment advertisers pushed the paper to make the decision.

The paper has an established online following, with an average of 125,000 unique monthly website visitors and nearly 40,000 social media followers, according to the announcement.

The paper’s final run will feature a 35th anniversary collector’s edition.