TONY Adds Sex and Dating Section, Newsstand Sales Climax

“I like women who are open-minded and spontaneous, and comfortable with the skin they are in. Inner beauty and depth hold just as much importance as outer beauty. I tend to be physically attracted to dark and exotic features, with a great body to match,” writes Patrick, a model, dancer and go-go boy from Astoria, Queens.

Sounds like something from the more polite cut of Craiglist MSW listings, but no: It’s a personal ad from Time Out New York.

Halfway through his second year as editor in chief, Michael Freidson has learned the limits and rewards of sexy content in TONY by experience. Earlier this year July, Freidson added a “Sex and Dating” section to the magazine — a marked departure from movie reviews and party listings.

From the New York Times:

The magazine, a weekly better known for its exhaustive cultural and restaurant listings, introduced a “Sex and Dating” section in early July. Along with articles on finding strippers and getting checked for sexually transmitted diseases, it features photos of local singles in the hunt, with e-mail contact information.

“I want sex and dating to be another brand for us, just like we cover theater, music, film and museums,” said Michael Freidson, who became editor in chief of the magazine in February 2008. “But I don’t want it to be the dominant category.”

Oh, and by the way, he doesn’t mention that sex really does sell: TONY‘s newsstand sales are up almost 25% over last summer.

Even though the magazine has picked up some new readers, some of the title’s faithful following are less than pleased to see sexed-up content. One reader wrote on TONY‘s website, “I think I am in the demographic that this is supposed to appeal to, but I really just want to see listings and articles about NY. Not porn.” The next time Freidson prints something like nude reader photos, look for them in the back pages.

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.