• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 11, 2007

The independent Outdoor Channel, which is looking to grow its advertiser base beyond niche marketers, reported a slight sales increase in the first quarter, with ad dollars up 6.4% to $6 million versus the same period a year ago. Executives said the network is on pace to post double-digit growth for the year.

President-CEO Roger Werner, a former ESPN executive, said sales are "still heavily dependent on the endemic advertiser categories .. and we continue to work to expand the base beyond the endemics to other male-targeted national advertisers."

On a conference call to announce the 1Q results, he said the network is working to establish itself in the auto category, in part through the recent hire of a new vice president to head sales in Detroit. Overall, it is looking to increase CPMs with endemics and attract higher-paying advertisers, he said.

The network is the principal asset of Outdoor Channel Holdings, and reported an overall first-quarter revenue jump of 5.6% to $11.9 million. Sub fees for the channel increased 8.4% to $4.7 million.

The company said it had a net loss of $62,000--down from $157,000 for the same quarter a year ago.

The network recently looked to spruce up its image with a new on-air look, refashioned Web site with broadband video (the full multi-channel offering is slated to launch this summer) and an "America's Leader in Outdoor TV" tagline. Competitors include Versus and ESPN, as they each air some programming in the outdoor genre, and more targeted networks such as Sportsman Channel and Men's Outdoors and Recreation network.

Nielsen says the channel is in 29 million homes. But the network claims the figure is inaccurate, although it did not offer a different figure on its conference call Thursday to announce its 1Q results.

Werner, a former ESPN executive, has said the network will focus on bolstering its programming appeal.

During the first quarter, the company sold an ancillary business, and will focus entirely on its content operations, covering on-air, online and new media.