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 Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits Half of Nation's Top 100 Newspapers Now Doing So Including 8 of the Largest 10 Newspapers in the USA |
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Compiled By GayToday
Washington, D.C.-- Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the country with 98 U.S. papers as well as 22 television stations, for its decision to offer its gay and
lesbian employees domestic partner benefits beginning January 1, 2002.
Gannett is also publisher of ^USA TODAY~, the nation's largest-selling newspaper with a circulation of 2.3 million. The far-reaching decision will cover the same-sex or opposite-sex unmarried partners of its 53,400 employees and their families. The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association issued congratulations to the company. A seven-year education effort by employees of the company, aided vigorously by NLGJA leaders and members, provided Gannett with detailed information and statistics to support their decision to offer equal benefits to partners and families of their gay and lesbian employees. "By providing its gay and lesbian employees domestic partner benefits, Gannett puts its nondiscrimination policies into practice," said NLGJA Executive Director Pamela Strother. Strother added:
NLGJA member Anita Manning, and a Gannett reporter since 1979, remarked, "NLGJA was with us every step of the way. We cannot be more grateful for their resources, dedication and steadfast support, especially through the commitment of Sherry Boschert and J. Ford Huffman. This is a profound and very important victory for all of us." Following this decision, more than half (57) of the top 100 newspapers in the country will now offer domestic partner benefits to their employees, including eight of the top 10 papers: ^The Wall Street Journal ~(Dow Jones), ^USA TODAY~ (Gannett), ^New York Times ~(NYT Company), ^Los Angeles Times~ (Tribune Company), ^Washington Post~ (Washington Post Company), ^Chicago Tribune~ (Tribune Company), ^Newsday~ (Tribune Company), and the ^Houston Chronicle~ (Hearst Corporation) regard benefits for gay and lesbian partners and families as equally imperative as those of opposite-sex married couples and their families. NLGJA now reports that at least 75 U.S. media companies and unions offer domestic partner benefits to employees at more than 1,300 newspapers, stations, online new outlets and other operating divisions. "With more than half of the top 100 newspapers now offering domestic partner benefits, the time has come to declare that DP benefits are the industry standard," said NLGJA President Robert Dodge. "Newspapers and other media that do not offer DP benefits are not only behind the times, but they are also behind in their own industry." The NLGJA directory of media companies providing domestic partner benefits may be found online at www.nlgja.org. Printed copies are available to the public for $3 per copy from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association, 1420 K Street, NW, Suite 910, Washington, DC 20006. |
