Following my blog post earlier this afternoon about the Pink Paper Awards, Tris Reid-Smith, Editor-In-Chief, GT (Gay Times) and Pink Paper, got back to me by telephone and then sent this formal response which I reproduce here as was promised.

Historically Pink Paper, when it was in print, didn’t distribute to Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. That was something I was hoping to change before the economic conditions here worsened and we were forced to cease printing the newspaper and go online only.

Our awards categories – and, to some extent the scope of our coverage – date back to that time when Pink Paper wasn’t available outside of England, Wales and Scotland. However, in the digital age we are obviously as accessible in Belfast and Dublin as we are in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff. Therefore I’m grateful to you for highlighting this anomaly and I’ll use your blog as an opportunity to consider how we can improve our coverage and our awards. Meanwhile, I and my news team will be very keen to hear from our readers in all parts of Ireland with their news and comments.

Alongside that, and separate to it, we also know we have a wider global audience now for PinkPaper.com and we’re working on ways to serve that audience – from outside England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – better.