Multimedia Platforms (MMPW), which owns
several LGBT outlets, this week told employees that it was suspending
operations as it attempts to regain its financial footing.
MMPW, which is based in Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, owns weekly LGBT publications Florida Agenda
and Next Magazine, which is circulated throughout New York
City, upstate New York, New Jersey and Fire Island, Los Angeles
biweekly gay lifestyle magazine Frontiers, WiRLD city guides
and LGBT newssite WiRLD.com.
According to South
Florida Gay News (SFGN),
which broke the story, the staff of MMPW has been let go and there
will no print editions this week.
MMPW founder Bobby Blair told SFGN that
he was not kept in the loop over the last four months. Blair, who is
listed as chairman on the company's website, said that he was
re-appointed as CEO last week. He said that he told employees that
the company was in “suspension.”
“[N]ew management signed a
horrible deal that I have now to fix,” Blair said.
In a press release short on details,
Blair said that the company was the target of a lawsuit filed by
lenders in Massachusetts which resulted in seizure of the company's
assets. A restraining order prohibits “the company from
distributing any cash or any other assets of the company,” he said.
News of MMPW's troubles come less than
a week after the parent company of lesbian website AfterEllen.com
denied
claims that it was shutting down the site but added that going
forward it would rely on freelance writers.