Grindr, a leading hook-up app for gay and bisexual men, on Tuesday unexpectedly shuttered its digital publication Into.
The layoffs came just months after Into published a story calling out Grindr President Scott Chen's comments on same-sex marriage.
According to LGBT glossy The Advocate, Grindr has laid off the publication's editorial and social media staff.
Grindr explained in a statement that Into would be pivoting to video content.
"After a thoughtful and collaborative process, Grindr's leadership decided to modify Into's content mix to rely more heavily on video. This decision was driven by the high user engagement and development we see through channels such as Twitter and YouTube. With this strategic shift in focus, several Into employees will be leaving the company. This was a difficult decision and one that we do not take lightly. We want to thank these colleagues for all of their contributions to Grindr and our community," the company said.
In a goodbye letter, Into staff called the publication's demise "a tremendous loss for LGBTQ media, journalism, and the world."
Into came online in 2017. It earned a GLAAD nomination and won an award from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF).
In November, Into quoted Grindr President Scott Chen, who is straight, as saying in a deleted Facebook post: "Some think marriage is between a man and a woman. I think so, too, but it's a personal matter."
Chen defended his remarks, saying that their meaning was lost in translation (his original post was in Chinese). The incident led to the resignation of Landon Rafe Zumwait, Grindr's head of communications, who said that as a gay man in love he refused to defend "a statement that goes against everything I am and everything I believe."
(Related: Grindr exec resigns after president says he's opposed to same-sex marriage.)
The layoffs came just months after Into published a story calling out Grindr President Scott Chen's comments on same-sex marriage.
According to LGBT glossy The Advocate, Grindr has laid off the publication's editorial and social media staff.
Grindr explained in a statement that Into would be pivoting to video content.
"After a thoughtful and collaborative process, Grindr's leadership decided to modify Into's content mix to rely more heavily on video. This decision was driven by the high user engagement and development we see through channels such as Twitter and YouTube. With this strategic shift in focus, several Into employees will be leaving the company. This was a difficult decision and one that we do not take lightly. We want to thank these colleagues for all of their contributions to Grindr and our community," the company said.
In a goodbye letter, Into staff called the publication's demise "a tremendous loss for LGBTQ media, journalism, and the world."
Into came online in 2017. It earned a GLAAD nomination and won an award from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF).
In November, Into quoted Grindr President Scott Chen, who is straight, as saying in a deleted Facebook post: "Some think marriage is between a man and a woman. I think so, too, but it's a personal matter."
Chen defended his remarks, saying that their meaning was lost in translation (his original post was in Chinese). The incident led to the resignation of Landon Rafe Zumwait, Grindr's head of communications, who said that as a gay man in love he refused to defend "a statement that goes against everything I am and everything I believe."
(Related: Grindr exec resigns after president says he's opposed to same-sex marriage.)
Article provided in partnership with On Top Magazine
