Since December, the LGBT public in Recife has had yet another way to stay well informed.
As a result of the boldness of businesswoman Maria do Céu Vasconcelos, owner of the Metrópole club, Jornal Metrópole circulates in strategic points in the capital of Pernambuco, such as Praia de Boa Viagem, Galeria Joana DArc, hotels, among other places.
The free publication has a circulation of 10 thousand copies and is led by editors Henrique Felicciano and Adriana Pax (in the photo, left), with the collaboration of journalists Diogo Carvalho and Thiago Falcão, Mr. Gay Pernambuco.
To talk a little more about the newspaper, the website The Cape spoke with Adriana Pax, who is also a resident DJ and promoter at Metrópole. She reveals that there are plans to increase the number of pages and create new sections and columns for the newspaper, currently in its second edition.
How did the idea of launching a newspaper aimed at Recife’s LGBT audience come about?
It's an old idea from Maria do Céu and also a suggestion from Metrópole customers. Only now have we been able to put together a team and execute this project.
Who are responsible for Jornal Metrópole?
Supervision is by Maria do Céu, who is also a columnist for the newspaper. I am a journalism student and I was responsible for the project together with journalist Henrique Feliciano, receptionist at Metrópole. We are columnists and we both subscribe to the articles. The graphic design is by publicist Paulo Thiago Brito (DJ Paulo Marreta). In the team, we also have the participation of journalists Diogo Carvalho, from Diário de Pernambuco, and Thiago Falcão (Mister Gay Pernambuco), who has a tourism column in Jornal Metrópole. We also have the collaboration of photographer Itakatrina, in the Who is Who column, and Tereza Montarroyos (club manager), in the Copia Tereza column! Designer Fausto Barros also helps us with the images.
What topics are covered in the publication?
We cover all topics of interest to the LGBT community, partygoers and droolers on duty. In the Olha Só! column, in general, there is news related to showbiz. The Babado Forte column tells some news gossip – local or not – the Play My F*cking Song column is about music and the Copia Tereza column! reports unusual cases experienced in Metrópole by our manager Tereza Montarroyos. In the newspaper there is also a click section of the metropolitan club and the GLS points. Thiago Falcão's column always addresses the perspective of tourism in Pernambuco and the Vai Rolar session presents the Metrópole calendar. In addition to all of this, there are matters that seek to address the interests of the community. Our aim is to keep people informed not only about the club, but also to provide a service to the community in the sense of bringing content, joy and providing a good read. We have plans to increase the number of pages, opening new sections and columns.
What is the importance of another vehicle aimed at the LGBT public?
The local LGBT public needed a directed and printed vehicle that dealt with issues of interest to them with high quality and content, that was light, without losing seriousness.
At a time when newspapers are migrating their content to the internet, are you thinking about having an online version?
Jornal Metrópole is an extension of our website (www.boatemetropole.com.br). The columns Quem é Quem, Babado Forte and Vai Rolar all came from the website. We will also make JM available online. Despite all the advantages of digital media, we believe that printed media have a different type of reach. It is valid to occupy all spaces.
How will readers be able to interact with the editors and the newspaper's content?
In general, through email, as everyone has an email address and we are very open to everyone's contributions. Other than that, we are all always moving around the Metropolis, at JM distribution locations and we love exchanging ideas. Just arrive.
