While other magazines are laying off employees or, in some cases, ceasing publication, Los Angeles Sports & Fitness Magazine is making its debut.

A recession and a major slump in advertising spending don’t seem to worry Danny Greenberg, president and publisher of the free monthly magazine.

Formerly the senior vice president of the Internet division at Fox Sports, Greenberg, who has spent an estimated $65,000 to start the magazine, said the troubled economic climate has led him to start off carefully and take a cautious approach to growth.

“There couldn’t be a better time to start it,” he said claiming that he can get in on the ground floor and be ready when a recovery comes.

The Agoura Hills-based magazine has five full-time employees, including Greenberg. The 42-page preview issue features stories about adventure racing and self-motivation and includes ads for the L.A. Marathon, Skechers and Sport Chalet.

“Los Angeles is the No. 1 most active community,” he said. “There’s more runners and there’s more health club members in California than in any other state.”

PR Firm Closes L.A. Office

Reorganization and layoffs weren’t enough to save Stoorza Communications’ L.A. office.

The San Diego-based public relations firm earlier this year cut its L.A. staff from nine to three employees and tried to refashion itself as a boutique firm, but the move was not successful for the local office. Stoorza recently shut down its L.A. operation and laid off the remaining employees.

Stoorza President John Spelich declined to comment on the number of accounts the company had in L.A. but did say two major accounts were recently lost and no new accounts had come on since at least August Prior to closing it’s L.A. office, Stoorza sold off three of its five business units..

“If you don’t have the business, you can’t afford to keep the office open,” he said.

Moving On

Sophia Choi, who left her post as an anchor at KCBS-TV Channel 2 earlier this month, is set to join CNN Headline News as a general assignment news anchor in Atlanta. This is the second journalist KCBS has recently lost to CNN. Thelma Gutierrez left the station to become a general assignment correspondent for CNN in L.A.

Also leaving L.A. is former KTLA-TV Channel 5 news anchor Terry Anzur, who has been hired by WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach, Fla. Despite the move, Anzur plans to continue working on her book about the history of local television news in L.A.

Claudia Peschiutta can be reached at 323-549-5225 ext. 229 or cpeschiutta@ labusinessjournal.com