The Bay Area Reporter (B.A.R.) is a free weekly newspaper serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Launched on April 1, 1971 by Paul Bentley and Bob Ross, the B.A.R., as it's popularly known by the locals, was originally distributed to gay bars in the South of Market, Castro District, and Polk Street areas of San Francisco. Today, the paper is distributed throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Founding publisher Bob Ross died in 2003. The current publisher is attorney Thomas E. Horn, and the current editor-in-chief is Cynthia Laird.