Meet the Media – Peter Fish, Editor-at-Large at Sunset Magazine

Meet the Media – Peter Fish, Editor-at-Large at Sunset Magazine
1. What’s your top story for today?
Right now I’m in the middle of assigning writers and compiling a photo shoot list for a giant wine/travel story Sunset’s wine editor, Sara Schneider, is doing for our October issue. As senior editor on the story, I’m working with Sara to come up with the story’s focus and structure. And because Sara can’t hit all the wine regions we’re including, I’m reaching out to a couple of wine-savvy freelancers to contribute. It’s all fun, except that I’m going to be sitting at my desk while everybody else is driving around eating really good food and drinking really good wine.
2. Tell us about your dream assignment.
My dream assignment took place this past March. I love Alaska. I love wildlife. I love stories about the environment, especially when there’s a little good news involved. In March I got to report on a story that combined all three of my favorite elements. It was the reintroduction of the near-extinct wood bison—the larger, lesser-known cousin of the plains bison—to Central Alaska. This involved transporting 135 wood bison from the wildlife sanctuary near Anchorage, where they had been living (and breeding) the past 10 years, into special bison containers that were hauled on trucks to Anchorage airport and then placed onto a cargo jet to be flown to a tiny Native Alaskan village, Shagaluk, near the Yukon River 300 miles to the west. Then I flew out to Shagaluk and got to watch the bison arrive at their new home, and got to talk to village residents about what it meant to them to have a giant animal return to their part of the world after a 100-year absence. It was amazing in every possible way, and I hope will be a terrific Sunset Magazine story for this coming December.
3. Describe the wackiest story you’ve written.
Probably an interview/profile of a dashing Brit big-game hunter who had spent his career shooting lions in Africa and tigers in India and who had been brought to the U.S. by some wealthy Oregonians who wanted him to prove that Sasquatch aka Bigfoot really did live in the northwest woods. He convinced me that it was possible. At least while he was talking to me. After the interview was over, not so much.
4. What is your PR pet peeve?
Email pitches from people who clearly have no idea of what my magazine, which covers travel, gardening, home design and food in the Western U.S., publishes articles on. Pitches on new lines of makeup, on resorts in the Caribbean and new shows in Branson, Missouri. On the other hand, one PR email I look forward to is my daily update from the Arizona Department of Transportation, such as today’s: U.S. 60 passing lane project east of Superior starts this week. Don’t ask me why I like these. I don’t know.
5. Top trend in the industry you’re currently covering or are interested in.
Digital, clearly. How do we take what’s best about our printed physical magazine and make it work brilliantly on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.
6. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Grew up in Southern California and Utah, live now in SF, have worked at Sunset for a long time, like 25 years. I’ve always felt lucky because I landed my dream job early and have stayed with it. I love traveling, I love the American West—its landscapes, its diverse inhabitants, and its history—and I love to write. Working at Sunset has given me the chance to indulge all these passions, and even get paid (a little) to do so.
Questions or comments for Peter? Leave a comment below or send an email to [email protected].