Bent (magazine)

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Bent

Editor	Gordon Hopps
Categories	Gay press
Frequency	Monthly
First Issue	October 2004
Company	APN UK
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Website	www.bent.com
ISSN	17423030

Bent is a free magazine that targets gay men and is distributed to 400 gay bars, clubs and saunas in the United Kingdom. Published monthly by All Points North UK in Leeds, it focuses on entertainment – celebrities, film, DVD and music as well as television, comedy and “scene” news.

[edit] Description

Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of LGBT campaign organisation Stonewall, and gay rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell (famous for attempting a citizen's arrest of Robert Mugabe), are columnists, as is the current Mr Gay UK. This provides a balance of serious, news-related opinion and lighter substance. Recent additions to the magazine include Adam 'Beyonce' Lowe, formerly gay section editor at The Leeds Guide, who writes the bulk of the music reviews and interviews, as well as the more controversial Beauty & the Freaks column. Simon Says is the problem page, with a witty edge, and future issues will apparently include a sports and fitness columnist, which is untraditional in a gay magazine.

Terry George, the magazine’s Editor-In-Chief, also writes a column in Bent. He and civil partner Michael Rothwell, Publishing Director, own Leeds nightclub ClubMission and BarFibre and the Mr Gay UK brand. They also own the global Federation clubbing brand, which has nights in Belfast, Blackpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Gran Canaria and New York.

Currently the editor is Gordon Hopps, who was previously editor and has returned to replace Jenny Parkin. One criticism of the magazine was its parochialism, which has now begun to shift with its greater emphasis on the whole of the UK, as opposed to the north. This is to reflect the wide circulation, which has been as high as 60,000 copies (equal to that of Gay Times) and is normally 30,000 copies across the UK. This reflects a circulation of 0.5-1% of the entire UK population and up to 10% of the LGBT community. Readership figures may also be higher, since access to the magazine in bars and nightclubs means each copy may be read multiple times.

The magazine carries a listings section, Whatz On, that includes more than 400 club nights all over the country. There are also sections featuring gay-angled travel features and fashion, health and beauty. Towards the back of the magazine there is usually an interview with a porn actor, an erotic story and Get Netted, a round-up of porn on the web.

A five-page news section, put together in conjunction with news site Gay.com, includes “weightier” topics such as special reports. Recent topics have included drugs, education trends and changes in legislation affecting gay men and women. The magazine also carries real-life human interest features and reports about good causes and campaigns.

Bent often favours international A-list celebrities rather than male models or gay personalities for its covers. Past covers have included Anastacia, Duran Duran, Duncan James, Jennifer Lopez, Shayne Ward, Brad Pitt, Justin Timberlake, Kylie Minogue and Jake Gyllenhaal. Recently, however, this has begun to change, as recent cover stars have included Mr Gay UK and Alan Carr. The December 2006 and February 2007 issues, in a more traditional format, featured male models in place of celebrities.

In the late 80s, Terry George launched small, amateurish All Points North magazine to help promote his first gay club night, Confetti’s at the Ritzy nightclub in Leeds. It was replaced with the glossy, professional Now UK in 1998. Bent was launched in October 2004 as an independent business: advertisements for other APN services in the magazine are paid for in the same way as those booked by other organisations.

For four months during 2005, pagination was increased and the magazine was available to buy in WH Smith, Borders and some independent newsagents for four months. Now it has reverted to being a free publication, with the exception of London, where it is on sale in various specialist-interest stores.

The magazine usually features about £1,000 of music and DVDs to be won, through phone and text lines. Generally, 50% to 60% of the magazine, currently 116 pages in total, is made up of advertising – bars, clubs, music and DVD, holiday companies, health organisations, chatlines and classifieds.

Advertising provides the revenue for the production and distribution of the magazine though its sale in London now contributes. It is also available on subscription for a charge and can be downloaded online.

Bent has now expanded to become an entire brand, including Bent Live or Bent.com, which is a gay dating site designed to rival giants such as Gaydar. Bent.com's marketing slogan runs: 'Is your Gaydar letting you down?'