Grindr Lays Off INTO Editorial Staff in Video Pivot

Grindr has let go the “editorial and social teams” responsible for INTO Magazine, its LGBTQ publishing wing, as it announces a shift to focusing on video content.

INTO has seen its fair share of controversy in recent months, both for publishing an unusual hit piece on Ariana Grande and for taking on Grindr President Scott Chen over his comments on gay marriage.

Responding to the decision, the staff published a joint statement in The Advocate. It celebrates the successes INTO had since its launch in August 2017, and thanks the readers and contributors for their time with the outlet. It reads:

“(…) we further proved what queer people have shown for decades: there is an audience, a desire, and a hunger for LGBTQ stories told by LGBTQ people. This includes all letters of the queer alphabet, including intersex, bisexual, pansexual, agender, and asexual communities that had long felt marginalized by mainstream media.

“Just as importantly, we centered the voices of queer and trans people of color after years of criticism that queer media was too white, too male, and too cisgender. We have hoped to lead by example.”

A number of dating apps have made forays into editorial content, including both Tinder and Bumble. Tinder’s Swipe Life tackles topics such as polyamory, dating at university and fetishes, while Bumble’s The BeeHive looks at safety and female empowerment.

The full email from Scott Chen, seen by Out, reads:

“Team,

As with any growing business, we have to continually evaluate what is best for Grindr. After a thoughtful and collaborative process, we decided to modify INTO’s content mix to rely more heavily on video. This decision was driven by the high user engagement and development we see through channels such as video and YouTube.

This was a difficult decision, but with this new strategic focus, several INTO employees will be leaving the company. Our leadership is proud of the work INTO has done and know that it has served an important role in our business and overall mission.

We want to thank our INTO colleagues for their contributions to Grindr and wish them well. In the meantime, we ask that we all stay focused on fulfilling our important mission together and serving the LGBTQ+ community.

In the coming weeks, we will be sharing our 2019 goals and beginning the process to redefine our mission, vision, and values as an organization.

Best,

Scott”

Read more here.