Willow based dog mushers Robert and Michele Forto are the new owners of Mushing Magazine. Publishing is a new endeavor for the couple, but Robert Forto says they have a lot of experience as podcasters.
“We’ve been podcasting since 2009. Primarily we started out as a dog training podcast, and when I moved to Alaska, we started a show called “Mush You Huskies” where we covered the Iditarod in early March. That ended up becoming a weekly show over on KVRF here in Palmer, and ever since we’ve been doing interviews, race coverage, all sorts of behind-the-scenes stuff.”
Forto says the print magazine will continue to be published bi-monthly, but they plan to offer new online content daily.
“That’s our big goal, is to do a really interactive, multi-media site. And on our print content we’re going to use things like QR codes, and that sort of thing, to be able to provide much more in-depth interviews, videos, audio and the like.”
Forto says they are working on a plan to produce a special feature during the 2024 Iditarod.
“Called ‘The 24 hours of Iditarod’, which is going to be print, digital, audio, all of that. Just really covering the race from midnight to midnight one day and then offer that as a feature.”
Forto says 70 percent of all Mushing Magazine content will be available free online, with the rest accessible to paying subscribers. He adds that their coverage of racing and other dog sports will also include what’s happening outside Alaska.
Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.
