seamonkey
03-02-2010, 10:05 PM
It's got to be tough signing big deals with major companies. There are a million fisherman out there. You would think the big cable networks would want a piece of the action.
Angling for a share of fishing enthusiast market
February 26, 2010
BY LEWIS LAZARE (llazare@suntimes.com) Sun-Times Columnist
»http://media1.suburbanchicagonews.com/multimedia/022610lew_cst_feed_20100225_22_16_20_13751-116-165.imageContent (javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.suntimes.com/beaconnews/business/2071179,022610lew.fullimage', 'fullimage', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,m enubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,width=650,hei ght=650'))
The World Fishing Network launched a promotion to win a fishing trip with former Chicago Cub and fisherman Andre Dawson.
Now Rubinstein is angling for the Chicago fishing market, a major one where he has yet to sign local deals with either Comcast or RCN, two of the biggest cable providers in the metro area.
Rubinstein told us he has been in talks with the Chicago operations of both cable companies for several months, but he admits "different systems have different priorities." So far, Rubinstein hasn't been able to persuade either Comcast or RCN to make the WFN channel a top priority here.
To help move along deals with both providers, Rubinstein has launched a Chicago-specific Web site, www.wfnchicago.com (http://www.wfn.tv/chicago/), where he has introduced a promotion to win a fishing trip with former Chicago Cub and fisherman Andre Dawson. The site also encourages visitors to voice their interest in the World Fishing Network to their respective cable providers.
Rubinstein knows there are plenty of fishing fa
ns in Chicago and the rest of Illinois -- upwards of 1 million of them, according to the data he has collected. His World Fishing Network aims to reel them in with a mostly exclusive menu of programming that exhaustively explores the sport of fishing, but also includes lifestyle, travel and food-related programming in its lineup. "Our content really has a global feel to it, and about 80 percent of it is ours exclusively," said Rubinstein.
The World Fishing Network's CEO also has been savvy about trying to appeal to the younger audiences in their 20s and 30s that advertisers covet, and he has found some on-air talent perfectly suited to the task. One of the the stars exclusive to the WFN that Rubinstein is heavily promoting is Mariko Izumi, niece of well-known professional angler Bob Izumi. "Mariko grew up with fishing all around her," said Rubinstein. The fetching Izumi's "Hookin' Up with Mariko Izumi" show is now in its second season on WFN, and Rubinstein obviously likes the way the show's host is able to incorporate travel, food and lifestyle elements into a show that is still about fishing too.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/business/2071257,CST-NWS-lew26.article
Angling for a share of fishing enthusiast market
February 26, 2010
BY LEWIS LAZARE (llazare@suntimes.com) Sun-Times Columnist
»http://media1.suburbanchicagonews.com/multimedia/022610lew_cst_feed_20100225_22_16_20_13751-116-165.imageContent (javascript:dc_popup_win('http://www.suntimes.com/beaconnews/business/2071179,022610lew.fullimage', 'fullimage', 'toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=no,m enubar=no,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,width=650,hei ght=650'))
The World Fishing Network launched a promotion to win a fishing trip with former Chicago Cub and fisherman Andre Dawson.
Now Rubinstein is angling for the Chicago fishing market, a major one where he has yet to sign local deals with either Comcast or RCN, two of the biggest cable providers in the metro area.
Rubinstein told us he has been in talks with the Chicago operations of both cable companies for several months, but he admits "different systems have different priorities." So far, Rubinstein hasn't been able to persuade either Comcast or RCN to make the WFN channel a top priority here.
To help move along deals with both providers, Rubinstein has launched a Chicago-specific Web site, www.wfnchicago.com (http://www.wfn.tv/chicago/), where he has introduced a promotion to win a fishing trip with former Chicago Cub and fisherman Andre Dawson. The site also encourages visitors to voice their interest in the World Fishing Network to their respective cable providers.
Rubinstein knows there are plenty of fishing fa
ns in Chicago and the rest of Illinois -- upwards of 1 million of them, according to the data he has collected. His World Fishing Network aims to reel them in with a mostly exclusive menu of programming that exhaustively explores the sport of fishing, but also includes lifestyle, travel and food-related programming in its lineup. "Our content really has a global feel to it, and about 80 percent of it is ours exclusively," said Rubinstein.
The World Fishing Network's CEO also has been savvy about trying to appeal to the younger audiences in their 20s and 30s that advertisers covet, and he has found some on-air talent perfectly suited to the task. One of the the stars exclusive to the WFN that Rubinstein is heavily promoting is Mariko Izumi, niece of well-known professional angler Bob Izumi. "Mariko grew up with fishing all around her," said Rubinstein. The fetching Izumi's "Hookin' Up with Mariko Izumi" show is now in its second season on WFN, and Rubinstein obviously likes the way the show's host is able to incorporate travel, food and lifestyle elements into a show that is still about fishing too.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/beaconnews/business/2071257,CST-NWS-lew26.article