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The first issue of the Newfoundland Sportsman magazine was published in the fall of 1990, and has since grown from a local quarterly to an international bi-monthly, full-colour publication, with a sister magazine, the Outdoor Sportsman, making its way across Canada and parts of the United States since 1998. Our primary editorial focus is on fishing and hunting, plus we cover other outdoor activities dealing with snowmobiling, boating, off-roading, hiking, camping, etc. The Newfoundland Sportsman has subscribers in every Canadian province, as well as in the U.S. and even more distant countries such as Norway, England, Portugal and South Africa. Technology has played a major role in the progress of the magazine, to the point where everything, including much of the ad design, is completed in-house and turned over to the printer on CDs. Generally regarded as the leading name in Newfoundland and Labrador outdoors, Newfoundland Sportsman Ltd., after a two-year stint in the mid-1990s, re-entered the television market in 2005 with what instantly became a highly popular hunting and fishing program. The show airs Sunday afternoons on NTV and is also available via satellite. In fact, reaction from all across Canada has been overwhelming to the Sportsman’s “down-to-earth” and “real-life” style. Sportsman show co-host and magazine president Dwight Blackwood says he knew there was an interest and a need for such a program, “but we didn’t envision such a positive reaction. We were pleasantly surprised, to say the least, and since our first season became available on DVDs in the fall of 2005, they’ve been going like hotcakes!” The Newfoundland Sportsman is dedicated to promoting the use and appreciation of our magnificent outdoors. We encourage hunting, fishing and outdoor recreational activities of all sorts, and that they be done in a sustainable and responsible manner. |
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Dwight Blackwood
President / Publisher
Born in Brookfield, Bonavista Bay, 53-year-old Dwight Blackwood
acquired a taste for the outdoors at a very young age, and the
tremendous fondness he obtained has not waned the slightest amount
over the years. In fact, Blackwood’s appreciation of the outdoors grows
with each excursion. “Sometimes our wives don’t fully
understand,” he says with a smile, “that most of our fishing and
hunting trips are indeed work... It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to
do it.” With a background in accounting, Blackwood, who resides
in St. John’s, had been involved in various business ventures over the
years, including ownership of a printing company, but it was the
founding of the Newfoundland Sportsman which gave him the most
enjoyment. A father of four and grandfather of two, Blackwood
combined his love of the outdoors with his knowledge of the printing
industry 19 years ago to produce the first issue of the Newfoundland
Sportsman, and says while there were a few “rough spots” during
the magazine’s growing years, “we’re now on solid footing and
continue to make strides with every issue.” Trade shows have also
proven successful for the company. Now, however, concentration is on
the magazine and television show, both of which are true “labours of
love.” Blackwood is equally proud of the fact that virtually
everything associated with the magazine and television show is done
in-house. “We’ve had to pick up a tremendous amount of
technical skills, not to mention hardware and software over the last
number of years,” he said, “so we don’t spend all of our time fishing
and hunting. We still have to get back to the office to put the shows
and magazines together for airing and printing. We’re quite proud of
what we’ve accomplished so far.”
e-mail:
dBlackwood@newfoundlandsportsman.com
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Gord Follett
Vice President / Editor
Born and raised in St. John’s, 51-year-old Gord Follett’s
background is in the media business, having worked in various
editing/writing capacities with local newspapers. In the early 1990s he
became editor of a community newspaper owned by Dwight
Blackwood, who had just published the first issue of the Newfoundland
Sportsman, and from there they continued to put more and more focus
on the magazine until eventually deciding it was a venture worth taking
on full-time. Then came the Newfoundland Sportsman Show in 2005,
of which Follett is co-host. Together with Blackwood, they spend much
of their time fishing and hunting throughout Newfoundland and
Labrador, gathering footage and information/photos for the show and
magazine. Although quite proud of the magazine’s and television
show’s progress, Follett’s goal is to make each new issue and program
better than the last. “When I reach the point where I’m completely
satisfied with a particular issue or program and say there’s no way to
improve on them, then it’s time for me to give it up,” he said. “We have
to continuously look for ways to improve. As good as each edition of
our magazine and TV program are, I don’t believe there will ever come
a time when we’ll say, ‘Okay, this is as good as it gets.’”
e-mail:
gFollett@newfoundlandsportsman.com
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Doug Kirby
Vice President / Marketing
Another native of St. John’s, 44-year-old Doug Kirby is the
Sportsman’s vice-president of marketing. As well, he oversees the
distribution side of business. With a background in transportation
and advertising, the Mount Pearl resident believes that while
considerable inroads have been made with the magazine and television
show, “the Sportsman still has a great deal of potential. That’s where
we all come into the picture as a team.” As for the Newfoundland
Sportsman’s sister publication, the Outdoor Sportsman, Kirby noted
that after considerable discussion, fact-seeking and planning,
company officials decided in 1998 the time was right “to go for it... and
it’s been a wise move. “As far as advertising in the magazine and TV
program goes, we’ve not only proven to the local market that we can
promote their goods and services, but the national and international
markets have also recognized and taken advantage of what we have to
offer.” A lover of trout fishing, Kirby’s other favourite outdoor
activities are snowmobiling and golf.
e-mail:
dkirby@newfoundlandsportsman.com
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