When it comes to San Diego’s most well-known alternative weekly, it may be time for the GLBT community to do more than read between the lines. The Reader, which is distributed in hundreds of locations countywide, has a history of denying advertising to GLBT events based on the moral beliefs of the publisher, Jim Holman.

“In 12 years, San Diego Pride has never obtained more than a calendar listing about Pride weekend,” said Frank Sabatini Jr., media coordinator for San Diego Pride. “Every year we send them full press kits and we’ve never gotten anything more than a microscopic listing”

Two years ago, Pride attempted to place a half-page ad promoting a performance by out vocal artist k.d. lang. The ad was denied even though Pride was only mentioned in the tagline. “[The ad] was specifically promoting that concert,” Sabatini said. “The Reader said they could not run the ad because it was connected to our event.”

Sabatini points out that much of the Reader’s audience is musicians and entertainers. “So many readers look to the Reader as an alternative paper – especially for its coverage of the music industry. We have an unprecedented number of musicians and entertainers [performing at Pride] this year,” Sabatini said. “If this were a truly entertainment-oriented paper we could get more than a calendar listing.”

Despite what the beliefs of his readers may be, Holman is upfront about his policy. In a February 1995 article in the Gay & Lesbian Times, Holman is quoted explaining that barring gay ads from the paper is based on his own moral beliefs. “I don’t want to encourage gay relationships. I don’t want to be an agent for that,” explained Holman. “It was my decision not to be an agent for immoral behavior.”

Holman is also the owner of the San Diego News Notes, a conservative Catholic publication. According to the Sacramento Bee, Holman has spent close to $2.2 million in support of the “Parents Right to Know Act,” which would require doctors to give parental notification before performing abortions on minors.

Although Holman’s beliefs do not affect his hiring policies, his advertising guidelines stand strong. “We don’t allow advertising of the event because our publisher, for religious reasons, does not want to promote events where alternative lifestyles congregate,” said a representative from the Reader’s sales department. “He allows calendar announcements but not ads.”

The representative emphasized that all advertising decisions concerning “alternative lifestyles” are made on a case-by-case basis and refused to explain what else falls under this classification. “I don’t want to say anything because then it will be like, ‘Oh, they’re comparing this to that,’” the sales rep explained. The advertising staff has stated that they also do not accept pornographic ads or ads for adult entertainment, such as strip clubs.

“Refusing to publish an ad for gay Pride or for people seeking partners of the same sex is tantamount to not allowing African-Americans to advertise the MLK Parade,” said law professor at Cal Western Robert DeKoven.

“The ad pages of the paper are treated the same as any business. A paper cannot refuse advertising because of the sexual orientation of the provider or the content of the ad,” DeKoven said. “No one has taken on the Reader because Jim Holman will fight this to his death, arguing that his right to freedom of religion and press protects him. In terms of resources and energy, no one wants to take on this battle.”

Nevertheless, some clients are rethinking advertising with the Reader. Viejas Casino, one of this year’s sponsors for Pride, also advertises in the Reader, although marketing representatives state that they were not aware of Holman’s ad policy. “I knew that [Jim Holman] has views like that, but I did not know it was their policy,” explained the Viejas representative. “It is something we will consider in the future.”

Currently, the Reader is at risk of losing any state contracts. “State and local law forbid agencies from advertising in or making contracts with businesses that discriminate. Ads placed in the paper by the San Diego Community College District and state agencies are violating the law,” DeKoven said.

As of Jan. 1, 2007, the Reader must provide domestic partnership benefits for its employees or lose any advertising contracts it has with the state.

San Diego Pride says that despite past results, they will continue to pursue coverage in the Reader. “I did send a press kit to the Reader again,” said Sabatini. “But I’m not holding my breath.”