Could “Will & Grace” be inspiring the gay population to come out of the closet? According to a new GLCensus Partners study, performed by Syracuse University and OpusComm Group and released yesterday, it just might be. The percentage of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) individuals who identify themselves as out has risen from 93 percent to 97 percent in the past four years, and the study’s authors say it could be attributed in part to media, such as “W&G,” portraying their lifestyle in a more positive light. The past few years have seen more accurate representations of gay lifestyles than ever in the media, leading many straights to stop fearing gays as they learn more about them. The annual study examined the buying, media usage, political and personal habits of some 5,000 GLBT respondents, most of them between the ages of 18-24. Among the study’s other findings: two-thirds of women and a third of men plan to have or adopt children in the next three years, and nearly 14 percent work for the government. Jeffrey S. Garber, president and co-founder of the OpusComm Group, talks with Media Life about the importance of targeting gays in advertising, their fondness for The New York Times, and why they like Showtime and HBO much more than the average TV viewer.
 

What did you find most surprising about this study?

I think it’s surprising on a couple of levels. Through the years there has been an increase in those who feel comfortable being out to friends, colleagues, co-workers, etc. I think the increase of the presence of children and the consideration of having them in the next three years is interesting. Also, it’s almost a 50-50 split between the gay community living in urban areas compared to suburban areas.

From a media standpoint, I think it’s a community that’s very media oriented as far as what they like.

For instance, if you look at the top networks, we asked the question “What cable networks do you watch?” There’s a gender split between men and women. With males, out of the top five, you have two premium channels, HBO and Showtime. If you were to look at the top five most popular cable networks [among the general public], I’d doubt any of them would be premium. In GLBT males you have two.

Bravo and A&E continue to be perennial favorites, as well as Comedy Central. People think it’s just about gays watching images of themselves. The answer is yes they want to, but it doesn’t mean the programming has to be all gay-oriented.
 

What patterns did you find in gays’ media usage? Does it differ from the way straights use media?
 
The question always is, is there a difference, and the answer is yes. We just talked about cable networks. HBO has shows like “Six Feet Under” and “Sex and the City,” with themes that resonate in the gay community. If we look at the TV shows, No. 1 is “Will & Grace” for males, then “Queer as Folk,” “Queer Eye,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Six Feet Under,” “The Sopranos,” and this shocks me, it’s “The Simpsons” and “Golden Girls” in syndication.

Then “South Park,” “Ellen” and “The Daily Show.” What I think is interesting with “Ellen,” it’s syndicated and mainly considered afternoon fare. Once again. if you ask general public, they’d probably list primetime shows, maybe with the exception of women listing “Oprah.”

GLBT Females say “The L Word,” then “Ellen,” “Will & Grace,” “CSI,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Queer as Folk,” “Jeopardy,” “American Idol,” “Dateline,” “Friends” and “Cold Case.” Also, “Idol” is No. 1 nationally, but it doesn’t appear in the top 10 among gay males.
 

How important is gay content in influencing gay viewers’ TV watching habits?
 
I think it’s huge. You’re talking about a community that doesn’t see a lot of their images on TV or movies. If you do, it’s with rare or false stereotypes, and there are few glimmers of things being done well. As people embrace their identity, they want to see themselves in America on TV and in the movies.

They want a glimpse into how other gays live, and they want positive representation so when friends and colleagues see it, they have a better understanding of who they are.
 

Do gay men and women have many shared tastes in magazines? Why or why not?
 
For magazines among males, No. 1 is Men’s Health, then Details, Time, Consumer Reports, Men’s Fitness, National Geographic, GQ and AARP.

What that says is they have varied interests. Health and fitness is a concern, but Consumer Reports at No. 4? That goes along with the philosophy of the gay consumer tending to research products they’re interested in. Purchase preferences are based on quality first, and Consumer Reports is identified as a prime tool for that research.

Among females, it’s People, AARP, Time, Readers Digest, National Geographic, O-the Oprah Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Consumer Reports and Cooking Light. Not sure again if Consumer Reports would be in top 10 among the general public. Time is No. 3 for both men and women, and I’m curious if within [straight] males or females there’s a newsweekly in the top three.

News is important on TV and print for the GLBT community. There isn’t a day that goes by without legislation debate about their rights.
 

What most influences their preference in newspapers? Are they big local newspaper readers?
 
The New York Times is the No. 1 national newspaper, then USA Today, The Washington Post, The Los Angles Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Dallas Morning News. Hands down, The New York Times is at 15 percent and USA Today is at 10 percent.

I think it’s a combination of both local and national, it all depends—36 states still don’t have anti-discrimination laws that protect in employment and housing, and in those areas local may be a little more important. I think it all depends on where you live. If you’re in a state that’s pretty embracing, you may read the news but may not be as driven to read it because you’re not still fighting for rights.

How much do gays take into consideration the gay-friendliness of consumer products such as beer, car rentals, insurance, etc.? Does that influence their loyalties more than say cost or customer service?
 
I think what affects the different categories is this: Is there an advertiser that’s actively courting the gay market, and if so, in a compelling way?

If you’re a beer company, you have a good chance if you’re going after the market, using gay-themes in ads and doing it within gay media.

Also, if you’re good to your own employees in terms of protecting their orientation, [that helps]. Those companies that do all of that have a great chance at going to the head of the pack. This should be exciting for advertisers because general consumers are so jaded, there’s a clamor to go for niche markets, and gay marketing is a prime example that allows that.

The common denominator across the board is the fact that quality is important. If there are two quality products, the one that advertises to the gay community will win. If they have a mediocre product but think they can bolster sales by going after the gay market, they’re in for a big surprise. There have been a few instances of this in the past few years, but it didn’t work out.

You found that 95 percent of gay respondents are registered voters. How much more politically engaged are gays than straights?
 
Well, you have to think in terms of this. The average American is concerned about politics, but once again, when there’s constant debate about can you marry, can you not, the wonderful thing in this country is you can vote periodically and voice your concerns. I think the need to be registered and active voter is very important. For the typical American, things like relationships or discrimination aren’t always an issue. 

How important is the issue of gay marriage? Has it become more important since 2004, when the presidential election brought it to the fore and some cities and states began permitting it?
 
We asked a question on social issues: when voting for a candidate, rank the importance of the following criteria. Seventy-seven percent feel marriage is important, and then 73 percent were concerned about employment protection. Then it was parental rights, followed by legal rights for adoption, then anti-hate crimes. After that is HIV funding, which is a little down the line. A lot of younger people didn’t witness first-hand the HIV breakouts, which was at a time more severe.