Todd Merkow
President, Digital Media
Outdoor Channel
Why Him? Merkow’s re-launched OutdoorChannel.com integrates a heightened consumer video experience with greater national and local outdoor resources. Since its debut, ad sales revenue has grown 5 times vs 09 and gained market share.
It Takes A Engaged Village: “Our immediate goal is to grow our online community by actively engaging audiences through our Web site,” he says. “Outdoor Channel’s fan base has a great passion for the outdoor lifestyle. We are optimizing those experiences through greater interaction with various touch-points, including the addition of new platforms.”
What You’d Like Digital Devices To Do: “Access, manage and interact with content found on multiple platforms whenever and wherever, in a seamless manner. For instance, I can’t wait for the day that mobile devices are able to provide touch capabilities on top of the TV screen and act as a fully-connected device.”
Most Valuable Traits for a Digital Executive: “Be open to new ideas and evolution, but filter carefully. The digital environment moves so fast that understanding change and the immediate effects it could have on your business is vital in determining new directions. But, through changes in the market, we must remember our main focus is on our audience.”
