Washington Post says 2 dozen readers drop subscriptions over front-page photo of men kissing
By APWednesday, March 10, 2010
Post: 27 drop paper over front-page gay kiss photo
WASHINGTON — The Washington Post says more than two dozen people have canceled their subscriptions over a photo of two men kissing that ran on the front page.
The photo was taken last Wednesday, the first day same-sex couples could apply for marriage licenses in Washington, and ran in the newspaper the next day.
The paper’s ombudsman, Andrew Alexander, reports on his blog that 27 subscribers canceled their subscriptions, specifically citing the photo. He wrote that while complaints usually subside quickly, in this case complaints lasted through Tuesday.
Readers suggested the photo should have been placed in the paper’s Metro section or not run at all.
Alexander disagreed and defended the paper’s decision to run the photo prominently.