Playboy To Go Gay

(London) Playboy is seeing pink and preparing to enter the gay market a London newspaper reports. The Times of London says that the New York-based company will launch a gay brand in the UK. Playboy produces the world famous straight publication of the same name along with branded books and television. The Times did not say what venue the company would employ, but reports that if the venture is successful it would be implemented in other regions of the world, presumably the US. While sales of Playboy magazine have been sluggish - it barely makes a profit - the company has seen huge revenues from its TV properties. "In the UK, our television people are very interested, and I wouldn't be surprised if we launched something this year, given the importance of the market in Britain," Chief-executive Christine Hefner told The Times. "We've extended the Playboy brand to women, and where there is a meaningful gay market, launching under a different brand is something we are very comfortable doing." Hefner, the daughter of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, did not indicate when the new product would be launched.

*By by Peter Moore, 365Gay.com London Bureau