T editor unleashed
Anna Cooke, Editor in Chief
here is a possibility that this is the first time you’ve ever seen a copy of The New Barker. You may be
asking yourself, ‘what is this?’ If you received a copy in the mail, you may be wondering, ‘why did I get this?” The New Barker is a Florida-based
lifestyle magazine about dogs. You received a copy in the mail because you have a dog. Someone thought you would enjoy a subscription, and possibly gifted it to you. Or maybe you’re on one of our targeted mailing lists and the magazine was sent to you with the thought that you would become a subscriber. Either way, you are very special to us. The concept for a Florida lifestyle
dog magazine began about 16 years ago. Our research and interviews with busi- nesses (potential advertisers) and dog lovers (potential subscribers) determined there was a need. Then, without anything tangible to
show but a media kit and an idea, we met with potential advertisers prior to pub- lishing the first issue in the middle of 2006. I am still in awe at the leap of faith you took with us, almost 14 years ago. Many of you are still with us as loyal advertising partners and subscribers. We’re not just putting out a blog or
social media posts of copied and pasted internet sound bites. We’re making an impact developing insightful and original stories that resonate with our readers – in print – with digital support. We’re providing a quality, cost effective medium in which our advertising part- ners are proud to be a part. If someone had warned me that pro-
ducing a magazine would be the toughest thing I would ever endeavor to do, it most likely wouldn’t have deterred me. No doubt, it is difficult work. Apparently, the need to tell a story is far greater than the struggle. It’s always about the journey. If someone had told me that my life
as a magazine editor would involve advo- cacy, fundraising, fighting for truth, and defending the underdog all those years ago, I would not have believed them.
6 THE NEW BARKER
Anna with Chloe, Dougie, Rita, and Ms. Zoe. The advocacy part was organic.
It simply became part of my job description. We’ve saved some dogs’ lives. With the help of our advertising partners, we’ve raised more than $250,000 in cash, goods and services to assist with the mission of Florida rescue groups and shelters. We’ve taken up the fight against puppy mills. Working with animal advocates like Debbie Taylor Darino, we helped bring awareness to important issues like Ponce’s Law. We helped open the pet kennel at CASA, the domestic violence shelter in St. Petersburg. We’re now working with a group of people to make sure this is something provided at more Florida- based domestic violence shelters. We’re making a living, not a killing.
A lot of blood, sweat and tears goes into every single issue of The New Barker. (Just ask my husband, business partner, and publisher Steve Cooke). There have been naysayers along the
way, questioning the validity of print versus digital. I choose to believe in the church of Mr. Magazine, Samir Husni, Ph.D., who interviewed me several years ago on the power of print. He said, “Magazines are experience-makers that will take you into a ‘me time’ journey like no other medium or platform can; engaging, appealing, pleasing, rewarding, and above all satisfying to all your senses.” To paraphrase a quote from another
one of Samir’s interviews, Simon Leslie: Stop listening to your naysayers. Believe in why you existed in the first place. Please consider yourself, now, one of
the fortunate dog lovers to have been formally introduced to Florida’s top dog lifestyle magazine. You’re in a very elite group of dog lovers. Welcome to the world according to arf! U
www.TheNewBarker.com
PHOTOGRAPH BY LAURA ALLEN STUDIOS
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