<em>Field & Stream's</em> Anthony Licata: ''I Don't Just Make A Magazine Anymore''

FishbowlNY interviewed Field & Stream's new EIC Anthony Licata via email about the magazine, the web site and the gig: FishbowlNY: What is the hardest thing about being the new editor at Field & Stream? Anthony Licata: One of the hardest but most rewarding -- things about being editor of Field & Stream is acting as the voice for American sportsmen. We have over 9.6 million readers, and they're passionate and vocal about their way of life. One of Field & Stream's most important roles is to give them a voice and to help them protect these sports and to stick up for wildlife and wild places. And that's not always easy when our natural resources face constant threats from development. ''The other thing that's challenging is something most modern editors face: I don't just make a magazine anymore. I'm an editor of a large web site, I produce television shows, I run events. These days to be a successful editor means mastering many different types of media.'' More after the jump ... FishbowlNY: What's your favorite aspect of the redesign? Anthony Licata: I'm very excited about the redesign, mostly because it takes our established voice and just makes it stronger and clearer. We're the largest enthusiast title in the US and comparable or larger then many men's magazines and keeping your voice and look fresh and current with all that at stake is a lot of work. ''One of the things I'm most excited about is our new front of the book section Campfire. The image of sitting around the fire trading stories, jokes, and opinions is synonymous with the outdoors, and Campfire is modeled on that. It's a place where readers can share there successes, ideas, and feedback on the magazine and it gives the editors a place to really dialogue with them. Not to mention that our readers love to see themselves in the pages of Field & Stream, so we really wanted to foster that sense of community with this new section. ''In terms of the actual design the new navigation bar that runs through most of our sections really streamlines and improves readers' experience with the magazine. At a glance, the navigation bar lets them know exactly where they are in the magazine and what's coming next, making it easier for them to find the information. And now each section opens with a powerful image that sets the tone and voice of the pages that follow. FishbowlNY: What, digitally, can we look forward to seeing at Field & Stream? AL: Our web site has exploded. In two years weÂ¹ve gone from 5 million to 30 million annual page views. We're not only the leading outdoor magazine in the country, we have the dominant web site in our category. But we're serious believers in the ethic of constant improvement, and that's why to compliment the redesign of the magazine we're relaunching fieldandstream.com later this year with a new design and new features. There's going to be a lot of cool stuff, like increased user-generated content, an innovative community, and targeted search tools to help users find exactly what they're looking for. We're focusing the new website on the three things threes we do better than anybody in our category: community, entertainment, and service.

Fishbowl

Field & Stream's Anthony Licata: ''I Don't Just Make A Magazine Anymore''

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