#MediaMonday – Erik Merkow
Each Monday, we are posting a blog to help our readers get to know the media just a little bit better.
With a TWIST!
No, we aren’t posting story pitch tips or media lists, but instead great stories from the media themselves about their lives, their work and other little known facts! Think of it as your first “networking” opportunity of the week!
[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]Today’s #MediaMonday comes to us from Erik Merkow, CEO and Founder of @AZFoodnWine[/inlinetweet] – who also happens to be a fellow Desert Ridge resident!
So, Erik, time to share!
What do you want to tell the blogosphere about yourself today?
I came to Arizona back in 1987 (so I believe I qualify as a native) to go to ASU and the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism where I studied photo journalism. Photography has always been my passion and I eventually turned it into a profession with www.merkowphotography.com where I was voted one of the Top 10 Wedding Photographers by The Knot readers two years in a row.
I always had a love for media after my brother launched Fox Sports Arizona and later I had the opportunity to jump into the arena with 944 Magazine as the publisher of the Phoenix market, and then moved to vice president of sales for all of our publications. I absolutely loved the industry, but was constantly hearing how print media was dying (which was the farthest thing from the truth). Print was just going through an evolution both on the front and back side (see my post on LinkedIn “Print Media Isn’t Dying!” for further explanation).
I then had the idea of launching a platform and [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]new online magazine focused on food, wine & drinks in Arizona…Az Food & Wine[/inlinetweet]. We are a content network driving toward finding great dishes and sharing them with our community. We don’t post anything negative and solely focus on the great dishes, drinks, atmosphere, and people in Arizona creating wonderful things in this community. One of our featured sections is called Cause Cooking, where we feature chefs and restaurateurs doing great things in Arizona. These folks typically don’t stand on tabletops and tell others what they are doing, so we do it for them! J
My little known fact, I can balance just about anything on my nose!
You can find us on Twitter @azfoodnwine, Instagram @Azfoodandwine and me on www.azfoodandwine.com or via email at erik@azfoodandwine.com . Bring on all your great news! And, if interested, we would love to send you our latest rate card, just email us!
eat + drink + share
Erik
