After an incredibly successful tenure, James Frost has announced he is to step down from his position as Chairman of GAY TIMES, and negotiated a transfer of ownership of the business to the current senior leadership team, led by Chief Executive, Tag Warner.
Frost became the sole owner of GAY TIMES back in March 2017, successfully helming the iconic LGBTQ+ brand during a challenging period in the publishing industry as consumer behaviour dramatically shifted. Over the past five years he has set about reimagining the function of a modern-day LGBTQ+ media brand and who it should serve, and in doing so presided over the most radical changes in the title’s 38-year-long history.
Up until 2019, during his time as CEO, Frost was responsible for a successful repositioning of GAY TIMES Magazine which delivered a renewed commitment to the amplification of all queer voices in the community. He continued this vision during his time as Chairman from 2019 to present, supporting the GAY TIMES team to positively transform the business further.
In 2017, GAY TIMES was a traditional magazine publishing business, but now it is a multi-faceted media organisation that reaches millions more people than ever before. GAY TIMES is a digital-first content business that includes daily news reporting and original features on GAYTIMES.co.uk; is No.1 for LGBTQ+ media on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook; publishes the monthly digital edition of GAY TIMES Magazine; and produces GAY TIMES Original Podcast Series, including the hugely popular Drag Race discussion series Snatched! GTX is an award-winning creative and partnerships agency that works with global brands on their LGBTQ+ campaigns, as well as producing the biggest LGBTQ+ night of the year, GAY TIMES Honours. Amplifund is a philanthropic initiative that supports people in countries where being LGBTQ+ is daily challenged, including Iraq, Jamaica and Armenia.
To make this happen, Frost was responsible for assembling a strong and visionary senior team – led by Chief Executive, Tag Warner – to help make his ambition for GAY TIMES become a reality. It is this team that Frost is passing over the baton to as part of a long-term plan to take GAY TIMES into a bold new era.
“I am delighted to support Tag and the management team, as they take this exciting step into the future,” Frost says. “It has been a real honour to be a custodian of this historically important brand, which has so much meaning for so many of us. I am now delighted to pass on the baton to Tag and the team at GAY TIMES, and I leave the business with a bright future ahead of it.”
Frost adds: “Gay media had historically been very geared towards servicing the needs of white gay men. I wanted to create a truly inclusive publication, where all LGBTQ+ people could see themselves represented. My proudest achievement has been to create a publication and voice for those who are most vulnerable and marginalised in our community.”
Frost will retain a minority shareholding in the business as it embarks on a new strategy to further empower the lives of LGBTQ+ people.
GAY TIMES is the most recognised LGBTQ+ media brand, and its total reach in 2021 was 402 million.
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