Masters Magazine

ABOUT "MASTERS™" MAGAZINE

MASTERS™ magazine is the future of Martial Arts journalism in the United States and abroad. It will be the most authoritative magazine to cover all aspects of traditional martial arts, including leading styles from Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Europe, South America and United States. Readers will get insight from the legendary martial artist and modern masters. Empire Media LLC, parent company to MASTERS™ magazine, is comprised of the most experienced Martial Arts publishers in the world, bringing a total of 77 years in the category. This team will bring to bare its experience and pledge to make the best product possible. Readers can find MASTERS™ in bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, Borders, B. Dalton, etc..., and selected newsstands nationwide. Empire Media LLC and MASTERS™ magazine have contracted with the largest distributor in the United States and Canada, Curtis Circulation Company and the largest magazine printer in the US and Canada, Quebecore World Printing.

MICHAEL JAMES
Michael James was the publisher of Black Belt Magazine for 23 years and was at Inside Kung Fu for five Years. He also has published and managed 20 other enthusiast magazines, including Karate Illustrated, Black Belt Yearbook, Karate Kung-Fu Illustrated, Martial Arts Magazine, Martial Arts Training, Martial Arts Ninja, Fighting Stars, Grappling, Action Pursuit Games, Paintball Magazine, Karate for Kids, Martial Arts Weapons, Bruce Lee Collectors, Los Angeles Drive Guide, Guide to Oahu, Fitness Catalogues, etc... Michael James also has managed 825 Martial Arts videos and 275 book titles. He also co-managed the world’s first and leading Martial Arts book company, Ohara Publications Inc., which has 110 titles, some of which were published in nine languages. "The effects of Martial Arts on character in an individual, one’s of honor, discipline, harmony, and balance are equal to and sometimes exceed its primary function of self-defense,” he says. “At Empire Media, we publish keeping these values in mind."

JOSE M. FRAGUAS
Born in Madrid, Spain, Jose M. Fraguas founded his own book, video, and magazine company in Europe in 1986, authoring dozens of books and distributing his publications to 35 countries in three different languages. His reputation and credibility as a publisher became well-known to the top masters around the world. In 1997, he became the General Manager of CFW Enterprises, with headquarters in Los Angeles, California, and in 2006, he co-founded Empire Books LLC, of which he is President. Steeped in tradition, yet looking to the future, he desires to promote both ancient philosophy and modern thinking, which provides the motivation for his publishing approach. "If the motivation is just money, a magazine cannot be of good quality,” Fraguas says. ‘If the publication is written to just make people happy, it cannot be deep. At Empire Media, we want to publish magazines so we can learn as well as teach.”

VAL MIJAILOVIC
Val Mijailovic is a 35-year veteran of martial arts with extensive expertise in Film and Video Production as director, director of photography, lighting, sound, editing, video compression, and DVD authoring. He has been World Karate champion, World Karate Union Hall of Fame inductee, and a multi-business founder/owner and award-winning documentary filmmaker. He holds a 7th degree black belt in martial arts and is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He was the founder of Cine Sports Production Inc., Northstar Video Inc., Exclusive Pictures Inc., Heaven Fire Productions, Inc., Rainbow Tribe Productions, Inc., Ingles 2000, Inc. and Check Disc Labs, Inc. He is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles, and has a BA Kinesiology and Photography. In 1980, he won the World Karate Championship in the Heavyweight Division (International Karate Association), and he was inducted in to the World Karate Union Hall of Fame in 1999. Other distinguished martial arts achievements include: U.S. National Karate Champion (Heavyweight Division AAKF/JKA), 1981; U.S. Western Regional Champion (Heavyweight Division AAKF/JKA); five times California State Champion (Heavyweight Division AAKF/NISSI), among others. He was named in August 1998 as one of eight top traditional karate fighters of all time. He is the cofounder and President of EM3 Video.