YNOT – GlamorGirl magazine, a consumer-focused adult periodical based in southern California, on Wednesday severed its relationship with Adultcon, claiming the trade show demanded the print version of the magazine be altered before it could be distributed at the show.“We’ve worked with a multitude of adult tradeshows during the 10 years of our magazine’s existence but Adultcon’s Renaud West is the only adult expo promoter we’ve ever worked with who has actually started picking through our magazines, ad by ad and article by article, and attempted to dictate which advertisers and which stories we can run in the issues marked for distribution at his events,” GlamorGirl publisher Rich Hansen said. “This is censorship in its most blatant form, and we will have no part of it.
“We barter advertising space for exhibit space at about five adult expos each year, and we’ve been doing this for nearly 10 years,” Hansen continued. “If a promoter does not like the content of our magazine for any reason, they should not work with us. Period. Attempting to dictate our content is way out of bounds and totally unacceptable.”
Hansen did not specify which ads and articles West found objectionable. He did say, however, in the past Adultcon has balked at distributing magazines containing references to competing trade shows including AVN’s Adult Entertainment Expo, Erotica L.A., XFanz Expo and Exxxotica L.A.
“Adultcon promoters have also demanded that GlamorGirl editions be mutilated before distribution by tearing out pages they found to hold objectionable advertising and editorial content,” he said. “GlamorGirl executives have repeatedly refused to comply with these demands.
“Since the first Adultcon in 2002, GlamorGirl has bartered for exhibit space and magazine distribution at the Adultcon events, but it seems that with the canceling of Erotica L.A. this year, Adultcon promoter Renaud West feels he is now in a position to bully us into engaging in anti-competitive practices and dictate both editorial and advertising content in our publication,” Hansen continued. “So, we’ve made the decision to sever our ties with Adultcon rather than surrender our integrity.
“We are an adult news publication with an obligation to present news on community adult events in a timely manner. We will take whatever steps are necessary to maintain editorial control and to protect our right to free press.”
Hansen said GlamorGirl representatives plan to distribute unaltered magazines at several other trade shows this year.
Adultcon representatives did not respond to YNOT’s request for comment. The organization’s next trade show is scheduled to take place Sept. 10-12 in Los Angeles with another following Nov. 4-5 in Las Vegas.
