Economy hits Sportsman magazine

North Carolina Sportsman magazine has laid off four people, including its managing editor, Craig Holt, and leading saltwater writer, Jerry Dilsaver, who was also the promotions director for the publication.

"It's the turn in the economy," said Ty Conti, publisher of the magazine. "The magazine is selling less advertising, just like any other publication. We're just reducing our force right now."

But Conti insisted that the magazine's coverage would not change.  "Our magazine is written mostly by independent writers anyway," he said.

Holt, for example, said he would continue to do free-lance work for North Carolina Sportsman. "I'll still have my column; I'll still do features; I may do one of the regional fishing reports," said Holt, 61, who works out of his home in Snow Camp.

"They were very gracious offering me the ability to keep writing
free-lance, and I understand something had to be done because of the
lack of ad sales. The business environment is so tough right now," Holt
said.

In addition to Holt and Dilsaver, an ad salesperson and a marketing staffer lost their jobs because of the decline in ad sales, Conti said, even though he noted that readership had increased over the past year.

"Boat dealers, which are our staple, if they're not selling boats, they're not buying ads," Conti said. 

Dilsaver, among his many duties, organized the North Carolina Sportsman fishing schools, arranged for speakers and venues, and wrote saltwater fishing columns and features.

He said he had been informed he was being laid off but had not had a chance to consider how much, if any, free-lance work he would do for North Carolina Sportsman.

Holt said that Dan Kibler, a former Winston-Salem Journal journalist who was hired last year to edit the South Carolina Sportsman, will now handle editing duties for both publications, which are owned by Louisiana Publishing of Boutte, La.

Ty Conti, publisher of North Carolina Sportsman, could not be reached.