Editing Southern Voice (newspaper)

{{More citations needed|date=October 2011}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name                 = Southern Voice
| logo                 = Southern Voice logo.png
| type                 =
| format               =
| owners               = DRT Media Group
| founder              = Christina Cash
| publisher            = 
| editor               =
| foundation           = 1988
| ceased publication   = {{end date|2010|12|02}}
| relaunched = {{start date|2010|04|16}}
| language             = English
| headquarters         = [[Atlanta, Georgia]]
| circulation          =
| ISSN                 =
| oclc                 = 30371411
| website              = 
}}

'''''Southern Voice''''' (commonly known as '''''SoVo''''') was a [[lesbian]], [[gay]], [[bisexuality|bisexual]] and [[transgender]] newspaper in [[Atlanta, Georgia|Atlanta]] and the [[Southeast United States]]. It was founded by Atlanta native Christina Cash as an independent publication in 1988. It published until AUGUST, 1997 and was then purchased by [[Window Media]], who also bought rights to the name. Window bought and then published several gay-oriented newspapers in the United States. It focused mainly on global and regional political issues concerning [[LGBT]] persons. ''Southern Voice'' was a member of the [[National Gay Newspaper Guild]].

''Southern Voice'' claimed over 100,000 readers, the most widely read LGBT paper in the region.<ref>
 {{Cite news| title=The Southern Voice | url=http://www.southernvoice.com/kiosk/  | archive-url=https://archive.today/20071216002029/http://www.southernvoice.com/kiosk/  | url-status=dead  | archive-date=2007-12-16  | work=Southern Voice Online | year=2007 | access-date=2010-04-06}}</ref>

On November 16, 2009, ''Southern Voice'' and several related publications, including the ''[[Washington Blade]]'', were shut down as [[Window Media]] closed up shop.<ref name="queerty">
{{Cite news| author=Staff writers | title=SHOCK: Blade Publisher Window Media Closes | url=http://www.queerty.com/shock-blade-publisher-window-media-closes-20091116/ | work=Queerty | date=16 November 2009 | access-date=2010-04-06}}</ref>

The US Bankruptcy Court in Atlanta auctioned the assets of ''Southern Voice'' in February 2010. The rights to the names, trademarks, and archives of ''Southern Voice'' and ''[[David Atlanta]]'' magazine were sold to Matt Neumann, publisher of ''Gaydar'' magazine for $9.000{{Clarify|date=September 2010}}. ''Southern Voice'' was revived on April 16, 2010, though with an erratic printing schedule and complaints about quality control.<ref name="Project Q Atlanta">
{{Cite news| author=Project Q Atlanta | title=Has Southern Voice gone missing in action? | url=http://www.projectqatlanta.com/news_articles/view/has_southern_voice_gone_missing_in_action?gid=6441 | date=30 September 2010}}</ref> ''David'' ''Atlanta'' magazine reappeared on March 10.{{Citation needed|date=June 2010}}

The paper ceased publishing after the December 2, 2010, issue. ''David Atlanta'' and ''Southern Voice'' were sold in August 2011 to David Thompson. According to DRT Media Group, ''Southern Voice'' is not being considered for re-launch in the foreseeable future. ''David Atlanta'' transitioned into ''Peach Atlanta'' and is published weekly.

Christina Cash, founder of SoVo, launched GA Voice in March, 2010. Her attempt to buy the name “Southern Voice” was unsuccessful in bankruptcy court. She launched the newspaper with partners Laura Douglas-Brown and Tim Boyd. Several SoVo staff members joined the GA Voice staff. GAVO is still publishing as of February, 2022.

Early issues of ''Southern Voice'' dating from 1988 to 1995 are available online through the [[Digital Library of Georgia]].<ref name="DLG">{{Cite web| author=Digital Library of Georgia | title=Southern Voice newspaper collection | url=https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/gkj_sovo | access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref>

==Financial woes==
[[Avalon Equity Partners|Avalon Equity Fund]], an investment fund that owns several gay media outlets including ''Washington Blade'', ''South Florida Blade'', ''411'' magazine, ''David Atlanta'', ''Southern Voice'' (SoVo) and ''Genre'' magazine was found to be in a condition the Small Business Administration (SBA) refers to as "[[capital impairment]]". This means that Avalon did not maintain the necessary outside investments required under the terms of loans borrowed from the SBA totaling {{US$|38 million}}. A lawsuit filed by SBA revealed that Avalon had little or no outside capital left due to divestiture by investors, losses in revenue or asset values or a combination of the three. Avalon Equity Fund is in receivership with SBA, which will allow SBA to sell off its assets to satisfy the loans.

In November 2009, the paper was shut down because of the financial status of its parent company, Window Media and its majority stockholder, Avalon Equity Fund.<ref>{{Citation |last=Wheatley |first=Thomas |title=UPDATE: Southern Voice, David shut down |newspaper=Creative Loafin |date=2009-11-16 |url=http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshloaf/2009/11/16/southern-voice-david-shut-down/ |access-date=2009-11-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119160613/http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshloaf/2009/11/16/southern-voice-david-shut-down/ |archive-date=November 19, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = Swartz| first = Kristi| title = Southern Voice, longtime gay and lesbian newspaper, shuts down | newspaper = The Atlanta Journal-Constitution | date = 2009-11-16 | url = http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/southern-voice-longtime-gay-199719.html | access-date = 2009-11-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title = Southern Voice, David close, cease publication |url=http://www.projectq.us/atlanta/southern_voice_david_close_cease_publication?gid=4362|website=Project Q Atlanta|access-date=16 November 2009}}</ref>

==External Links==
*Online access to the [https://dlg.usg.edu/collection/gkj_sovo Southern Voice newspaper collection, 1988-1995] through the Digital Library of Georgia
*[https://archivesspace.kennesaw.edu/repositories/4/resources/245 Southern Voice newspaper collection, 1988-2010] from Kennesaw State University Archives and Special Collections

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{LGBT in Georgia (U.S. state)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Southern Voice (Newspaper)}}
[[Category:LGBT-related newspapers published in the United States]]
[[Category:Newspapers published in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Publications established in 1988]]
[[Category:Publications disestablished in 2010]]
[[Category:LGBT culture in Atlanta]]
[[Category:Defunct newspapers published in Georgia (U.S. state)]]