Persistent Talk that Top Managers at Globe are Gay Activists
MassNews Staff
November 8, 2002

There has been persistent talk across the state that three of the top news managers at the Boston Globe are gay activists.

Not wanting to deal in rumors, but being aware of the fact that the Globe has been the main enemy of the Protection of Marriage Amendment, MassNews decided to ask the managers themselves.

		Five persons are listed in the paper as the top executives in the news department. Three of them are reported to be gay activists. They are Richard H. Gilman, Publisher; Martin Baron, Editor; and Helen W. Donovan, Executive Editor. MassNews reporter Ed Oliver did the questioning.
Three of the four news executives are said to be gay activists.

Oliver tried Editor Martin Baron first. He got through to him directly after a couple of tries. He asked if the rumors were true that Baron is gay. "He sort of laughed and asked me why I want to know. I said because of the Globe's editorial positions. He said, 'I am not in charge of the editorials, but the news coverage.' Before I could get out another word, he quickly said, 'Anyway, it's a stupid question, go away, thanks.' Then he hung up."

Oliver talked next with Helen Donovan. "I asked Donovan in the interest of disclosure if she was gay. She said she was not going to discuss her personal life. I asked about other editorial personnel. She thought that was funny, but said there is no reason to discuss their personal lives. I asked if she didn't want to at least say no, she is not a lesbian. But she wouldn't say.

"I explained that it is a valid question because there is a National Gay and Lesbian Journalist Association which has an agenda. She said groups push them to do things or not do them all the time. I said that members of that organization also work from inside news media organizations to accomplish their agenda. She said she can see my point in asking, but nobody from their organization is doing that." Oliver was unable to get through to Publisher Gilman. "They wouldn't put me through to the publisher, Richard Gilman, insisting I had to talk to PR people.
		Fistgate was downplayed by the Globe which editorialized that the resulting outrage was merely an "Attack on sex education."

I left several messages with them and talked to one, but they have not returned my calls."

Many people are concerned at this time because of the tremendous hostility of the Globe toward the Protection of Marriage Amendment. According to the sponsors of that Amendment, the Globe has been the biggest enemy of the measure they have observed.