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The COPA’s have become the tip of the spear for the Canadian digital publishing industry to help promote Canadian talent to the world. The COPA’s is now the largest Digital Publishing Awards program in Canada.
The 2021 COPA Judging has now been released on the COPA website and there are over 90+ judges this year along with 30 new ones to help determine who is the best in Canada. The COPA Judges is a volunteer panel and has participation of all geographic regions in Canada. Some of the new judges this year are shown below and they offer a blend of expertise that includes digital publishing, podcaster, art director, photographer, marketer, publisher, editor, journalist and academia. Industry Participation from all sectors is growing each year.
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Paul Deegan
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In his role, Mr. Deegan will be accountable for the day-to-day operations of News Media Canada and for providing a broad range of programs and services to its members. He will also be accountable for News Media Canada’s critical policy files and advancing its positions on a range of important policy matters facing the news media industry, including taxation, employment standards, recycling, freedom of information, privacy, and copyright, as well as threats to the industry posed by unregulated digital players such as Google and Facebook.
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The Canada Periodical Fund will see $21.5 million in 2021-22 to assist free, digital and small-circulation magazines and weekly newspapers. As well, $10 million will be allocated in 2021-22 to allow a top-up for all eligible periodicals under the Aid to Publishers component.
The federal government also announced $10 million over two years (2021-22 and 2022-23) to the Local Journalism Initiative to hire more journalists in underserved communities.
You can read the full release here.
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This follows on earlier announcements that both Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines, both of which removed magazines from flights as a precaution early in the pandemic, will not bring the titles back.
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Google announced it will launch a product called Google News Showcase this fall and pay news organizations for access to content, give media companies the ability to sell advertising around their stories, and sign up new subscribers. This is part of an initiative from Google parent, Alphabet Inc., and its US$1 billion commitment to global media.
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Sloly is asking for $150,000 in damages and a court order to remove the content from the internet, claiming the article is malicious, false, and part of a “bizarre campaign” to ruin his reputation.
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The Canadian Association of Journalists is a professional organization with more than 900 members across Canada. The CAJ's primary roles are public-interest advocacy work and professional development for its members.
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Wow, Torstar really seems to be on a mission to bankrupt one magazine after another.... |
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Make Sure you Enter the COPAs this year. We have a FREE Covid-19 News category that is free to enter... |
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Gadget Blog Martin Seto Most recent posts: |
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Covers Sell Scott Bullock Most recent posts: |
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Words of Inspiration Industry Guest Blogger Most recent posts: |
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57 Media Spikes Dennis Kelly Most recent posts: |
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Magazine Media Brandaid Norm Lourenco RGD Most recent posts: |
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Off the Page Richard Johnson Most recent posts: |
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--allSaskatchewan.com is pleased to be launching business news coverage in the province this week from staff reporters based in Saskatoon and Regina.
Alex MacPherson, Saskatchewan’s best-known business journalist, leads a team that includes Peter Lozinski, also in Saskatoon and Evan Radford and Nathan Meyer in Regina.
The online publication will follow the subscription model successfully established in Atlantic Canada back in 2001 by news veteran David Bentley and his daughter, Caroline Wood.
Thirty journalists at sister titles allNovaScotia, allNewfoundlandLabrador and allNewBrunswick are now the primary source of must-have business, professional and government information for nearly 14,000 paid subscribers across the region.
"It's great to be in Saskatchewan," says executive editor Judy Myrden, explaining the province was selected as the most promising launch location after she and Bentley conducted an 18-month study of potential markets across Canada.
"We're convinced there is a real appetite for the quality and quantity of local business news we will be providing," says MacPherson.
Publishing five days a week, allSaskatchewan is available at an introductory monthly rate of $15, after which the regular rate enables up to three subscribers to sign in for $39 per month.
Alex MacPherson
Saskatchewan Editor
306-227-8425
alex@allsaskatchewan.com
Local Business News Website allSaskatchewan.com Launches in Saskatchewan
BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Outside, the world's leading creator of active lifestyle content, services, events, and experiences, today announced the acquisition of Pinkbike and sister brands CyclingTips and Trailforks. The deal represents a significant expansion of Outside’s leadership position in cycling media and mobile mapping technology, and it adds an array of premium benefits and best-in-class content to Outside+, the company’s popular consumer membership.
Pinkbike is a digital and video-centric media business created in 1998 and operated by British Columbia-based mountain biking enthusiasts Radek and Karl Burkat. With more than 700 million annual pageviews, it is recognized as the global leader in mountain bike content and entertainment. Its stories, product reviews, and thriving marketplace drive more than 50% of the category’s total pageviews, and it has successfully expanded into reality TV production among other product extensions. In recent years, Pinkbike acquired CyclingTips, a rapidly growing news site for road and racing fans, and launched Trailforks, a GPS-enabled trail database with more than 300,000 mountain biking and hiking routes and 6 million users.
“This acquisition is a key moment in fulfilling our mission to build a vibrant home where active lifestyle participants will discover a wide range of content and tools to fuel their adventures. We’re very excited and honored to welcome the Burkats and their team to our family,” said Outside CEO Robin Thurston. “As a lifelong cyclist, I’m a huge fan of these brands, which are perfect complements to our own cycling titles—VeloNews, Peloton, Beta, and Bicycle Retailer—and to our recent acquisition of Gaia GPS, the dominant mobile mapping app for hikers, backpackers, and overlanders. The marriage of these businesses creates a truly comprehensive resource for all types of cyclists and outdoor adventurers.”
“Like Robin, we know that riding bikes can change lives,” said Radek Burkat. “We founded Pinkbike to show the World how amazing mountain biking is and to inspire others to get out and ride and fall in love with the sport like we had. Joining Outside gives our team an opportunity to tell stories to an even bigger audience and to collaborate with world-class journalists at the other brands and sports in our new family. We’re also thrilled to bring our Trailforks technology and community into the ecosystem that Outside is building. In partnership with Gaia, we intend to map every trail in America, and eventually the world, so that Outside+ members can ride, hike, run, and ski with greater confidence and safety.”
The core Pinkbike and Trailforks teams will continue operating out of their offices in Squamish, BC. CyclingTips will maintain its office in Australia, and its U.S.-based staff will join the larger Outside team in the company’s headquarters in Boulder. Progress Partners acted as sole financial advisor to Outside in the deal. GP Bullhound acted as sole financial advisor to Headwater Equity Partners and Pinkbike.
About Outside
Outside is the world's leading creator of active lifestyle content and experiences. Across web, print, podcast, social, video, and TV, our brands reach 80 million of the most active and influential consumers in the world every month. Our brands include: Outside magazine, OutsideTV, Gaia GPS, athleteReg, Pinkbike, CyclingTips, Trailforks, Peloton Magazine, Yoga Journal, SKI, BACKPACKER, VeloNews, Climbing, Rock & Ice, Gym Climber, Trail Runner, Women’s Running, Triathlete, Better Nutrition, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, Clean Eating, Fly Fishing Film Tour, IDEA Health and Fitness Association, Muscle & Performance, NASTAR, National Park Trips, NatuRx, Oxygen, PodiumRunner, Roll Massif, SNEWS, The Voice, Vegetarian Times, VeloPress, VeloSwap, Paleo Mag, Beta, FinisherPix, and Warren Miller Entertainment. Outside is headquartered in Boulder, with offices in Carbondale (CO), Denver, Easthampton (MA), Frankfurt, Melbourne (AUS), New York City, Ojai, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Squamish (BC), and Toronto. Learn more at OutsideInc.com.
About Pinkbike
With more than 20 million unique users, Pinkbike is the world's largest online cycling community and news source. Pinkbike is the pulse of mountain biking, delivering quality content that is independent, immediate, and accurate. Striving to take mountain biking to new heights, Pinkbike creates new fans of the sport, transforming casual enthusiasts into core riders. Learn more at Pinkbike.com.
About Trailforks
Trailforks is a leading global trail mapping system for outdoor enthusiasts. With more than 350,000 trails, Trailforks provides the best tools to discover, plan, and track any trail adventure. It allows trail associations to manage and grow trail networks to give users the most accurate map information accessible through multiple devices. Discover the best trails in the world for biking, hiking, skiing, moto, and more at Trailforks.com.
About CyclingTips
Founded in 2008, CyclingTips seeks to share the ‘beauty of cycling’ and infect the entire world with our passion for the sport. CyclingTips publishes news, reviews, interviews, feature articles, and tips that aim to serve the curious, the enthusiast, the cyclist who cares to go deeper. With more than 11.5 million unique users consuming millions of pageviews of content annually, CyclingTips has fostered an engaged and passionate community from its audience with thousands of them joining its VeloClub membership program. Learn more at CyclingTips.com.
Kristine Parker, INK Communications Co.
kristine@ink-co.com
413.233.7860
VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#AALL20--Lucidea, developer of market-leading ILS and KM software SydneyEnterprise, GeniePlus, and Inmagic Presto will attend this year’s virtual AALL conference on July 19th through 23rd.
Lucidea is proud to participate as a Friend of AALL, and stands ready to help resilient law librarians and libraries reset with their Web-based, flexible, extensible, and easily configurable library automation and knowledge management software. Lucidea’s products are purpose-built to suit the unique needs of libraries and information centers as they adapt and change, and their development and updates are always client-driven.
Visit Lucidea’s team of ILS and KM software experts in their virtual booth to get the latest updates on SydneyEnterprise, Inmagic Presto, and GeniePlus during the conference, attend their Exhibitor Showcase “Go from Chaos to KM in Minutes” on July 19th at 1:30 pm CDT, and enter their AirPods giveaway.
For further information about Lucidea’s ILS and KM products, visit https://lucidea.com, phone 604 278 6717, or email sales@lucidea.com.
Mark Maslowski
Marketing Manager
604-278-6717
mmaslowski@lucidea.com
Lucidea Sponsoring AALL 2021 Virtual Conference with ILS & KM Software Updates
Business Wire’s NX feed will provide industry leaders with total control of press release posting process.
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#InvestorRelations--Q4 Inc. (Q4), a leading capital markets communications platform provider, and Business Wire, the global leader in press release distribution, today announced the proprietary integration of Business Wire’s patented NX distribution platform with the Q4 platform, allowing for straight-through processing and the preservation of Business Wire’s enhanced presentation, features and functionality.
For joint clients, this integration provides the accurate and consistent delivery of news to their investor relations (IR) website and corporate newsroom, with a stress-free, streamlined workflow. This integration means access to company news that is up-to-date, beautifully formatted, and includes engaging multimedia assets, serving to boost brand reputation, knowledge, and trust.
The integration offered by Business Wire and Q4 is unique in its ability to help deliver the consistent experience and timely information stakeholders have come to expect.
Delivering investor relations websites to over 60% of the Dow and over 50% of the S&P 500, Q4 embraces the fact that investor relations websites are viewed as investors’ most trusted source of information. “We know how essential it is to deliver accurate, real-time news to investors through the company’s IR website. Being a trusted and primary source of information, it’s important that any updates are delivered in real-time and are identical in content and presentation with all other end-points of distribution,” said Darrell Heaps, CEO of Q4. “Our unique integration with Business Wire ensures that no matter where a client’s press release is shared, from Yahoo! Finance to their IR website, it’s going to be identical and posted at the same time.”
“We are extremely proud of the unique capabilities of Business Wire's NX platform and our integration with Q4 websites to offer our joint clients an industry-leading experience,” said Geff Scott, Business Wire CEO. “Customer feedback identifies the need for the display and formatting of press releases to remain as consistent as possible on owned sites. The direct integration with Q4 will preserve as-disseminated formatting, feature impactful and engaging multimedia content, reduce the need for manual intervention and ensure seamless delivery of news, particularly during high-stress times.”
Today’s announcement demonstrates a continued collaboration between Q4 and Business Wire and supports the overarching goal of helping customers streamline their workflow while connecting seamlessly with audiences.
About Q4 Inc.
Q4 Inc. (Q4) is a leading capital markets communications platform provider that is transforming the way publicly traded companies, investors, and investment banks make decisions to efficiently discover, communicate, and engage with each other. The Q4 end-to-end technology platform facilitates interactions across the capital markets through its IR website products, virtual events solutions, capital markets customer relationship management solution, and shareholder and market analytics tools. The firm is a trusted partner to approximately 2,400 public companies including 50% of the S&P 500. Q4 is based in Toronto, with offices in New York and London.
To learn more, visit: www.q4inc.com.
About Business Wire
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in news release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Public relations, investor relations, public policy, and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia.
Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals, and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX Network. Business Wire’s worldwide newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media globally. For more information about Business Wire, please contact us at info@businesswire.com or 888.381.9473 and subscribe to our blog for communications industry trends and articles straight to your inbox.
BW-PS
Karen Greene | Q4, Inc. | karen.greene@q4inc.com
Michael Becker | Business Wire | +1 212-752-9600 | Michael.Becker@BusinessWire.com
Q4 and Business Wire Announce Streamlined News Distribution Process with Proprietary Integration
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Successful Indigenous Subscription Box service, Raven Reads, is looking for a one million dollar investment to support rapid growth.
Founder and CEO, Nicole McLaren, is looking to secure $1 million in combined equity funding and non-dilutive grants. This money will assist in the growing value of Raven Reads by expanding into international markets, growing the senior management team, and enhancing the products by allowing customization of boxes, co-curation of future products, and adding more digital content to their website.
As a member of the Métis Nation of BC, Nicole McLaren funded Raven Reads with the mission to connect subscribers with authentic Indigenous content and educational materials that support Indigenous authors, entrepreneurs and youth literacy programs.
“Through the purchasing of goods for our boxes, we have invested over $300,000 back into the Indigenous economy,” says CEO and Founder Nicole McLaren. “With the majority of these businesses being impact ventures themselves, much of that revenue is then invested into other charities and social impact initiatives.”
Raven Reads is an Indigenous subscription box with a mission to connect subscribers with authentic Indigenous content and educational materials that support Indigenous authors, entrepreneurs and youth literacy programs. Since launching in 2017, the company has grown from 100 subscribers and assembling boxes in a basement to a team of 8, over 3,000 global subscribers and a new 2,000 square foot warehouse.
With the recent discovery of unmarked graves containing the remains of 215 Indigenous children, it has become apparent that many Canadian citizens do not know the truth of Canadian’s dark history. This news has left many Canadians searching for accurate information and reliable sources of authentic Indigenous work. For Canadians and other non-Indigenous people around the world trying to navigate this complex past, Raven Reads provides an innovative solution.
About Raven Reads:
Raven Reads is a consciously curated gift box subscription service filled with premium Indigenous items and literature. Each box contains a book by an Indigenous writer, along with premium giftware from Indigenous artists.
Nicole McLaren
(604) 607-5323
nicole@ravenreads.org
Successful Indigenous Subscription Box Service, Raven Reads, Looks to Expand
Wrike, Adobe Workfront, LiquidPlanner, Smartsheet, GanttPRO, Asana, and Basecamp are the 2021 Project Management Data Quadrant Gold Medalists.
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SoftwareReviews, a division of IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group, has published its 2021 Project Management Data Quadrant Awards, naming seven vendors as gold medalists. The following vendors are winners according to the feedback provided by their end-users via SoftwareReviews’ comprehensive online survey. Vendors are rated on product features, vendor capabilities, and the relationship with their software partner:
“The pandemic has highlighted the fact that project data needs to be centralized, even if project teams are not. Project Managers need to rely on current, accurate data to succeed in their job. After 18 months of remote work, Project Management software has shifted further towards being more of a collaboration solution than a cost and timeline calculator,” Ugbad Farah, senior research analyst, Info-Tech Research Group.
What makes the SoftwareReviews Data Quadrant different?
The study involves gathering intelligence on user satisfaction with both product features and the experience with the vendor. Aggregated emotional response ratings are included in the areas of service, negotiation, product impact, conflict resolution, and strategy and innovation to create a powerful indicator of overall user feeling toward the vendor and its product – all from the software users’ point of view. SoftwareReviews calls this insight the Net Emotional Footprint.
Wrike, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +98, ranked strongly in workflow management by including the ability to support flexible and comprehensive workflow-based capabilities. Adobe Workfront received a Net Emotional Footprint of +95 and exceeded user expectation in many categories, especially in business value creation. LiquidPlanner, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +95, performed well overall, particularly in helping the customer successfully implement new solutions to realized full value and promote user adoption. Smartsheet, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +93, ranked high in hierarchical task tracking to create templates and unique projects to support tasks that can be divided into sub-tasks and be delegated.
GanttPRO, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +90, performed exceptionally in planning and scheduling. Asana received a Net Emotional Footprint of +94 and satisfied users by including exceptional collaboration features, which allows users the ability to view, share, and direct work between co-workers in real and near real-time. Basecamp, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +97, performed well overall, particularly in business value creation.
In general, Project Management users were most satisfied with collaboration features and most dissatisfied with complicated customizations and integration processes.
About SoftwareReviews Data Quadrant Awards and Software Reports:
SoftwareReviews Data Quadrant Awards recognize outstanding vendors in the technology marketplace as evaluated by their users annually. Top vendors in a software category are eligible to receive Data Quadrant Gold Medals, provided their net-promoter scores meet the threshold for sufficiently high user satisfaction across four areas of evaluation: vendor capabilities, product features, likeliness to recommend, and vendor experience. In-depth product evaluation reports are available at https://www.softwarereviews.com.
About SoftwareReviews:
SoftwareReviews is a division of Info-Tech Research Group, an IT research and advisory firm established in 1997. Backed by two decades of IT research and advisory experience, SoftwareReviews is a leading source of expertise and insight into the enterprise software landscape and client-vendor relationships. By collecting real data from IT and business professionals, the SoftwareReviews methodology produces detailed and authentic insights into the experience of evaluating and purchasing enterprise software.
Indrani Ray
Vice President, Communications and Brand
irayghosal@infotech.com
647.574.9559
Best Project Management Software Revealed by Users Through SoftwareReviews
Leading consultants, neuroscientists, marketers, content creators, and futurists explore how video helps us connect and communicate now that the world has gone digital-first
KITCHENER, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#marketing--Vidyard and Media One Creative today announced the release of “re:connection,” a short documentary film exploring how video creates human connections in a digital business world. The film features a diverse set of experts ranging from a neuroscientist to an unlikely TikTok star discussing how video and shared content experiences help create personal connections in a world where businesses and individuals are reinventing how they reach their audiences in authentic ways.
Accelerated by the pandemic, the digital-first era has arrived in full force. And while video technology has helped ease the change, businesses are still facing challenges when it comes to communicating and operating remotely. This short documentary film explores how leaders and practitioners from every industry can change the way they think about video communication to create a more inclusive, connected and innovative business environment.
“With the new era of video in business upon us, the re:connection documentary comes at a pivotal time when business leaders need to shift their thinking about the future of work and the role of video in sales and across their business,” said Tyler Lessard, chief video strategist for Vidyard and executive producer of the film. “This film includes a wide range of expert perspectives discussing how video helps build trust, empathy and stronger relationships for a digital-first future.”
The panel of thought leaders featured in the film include:
“In order to survive in the remote first world, businesses of all sizes have quickly gravitated to video as the primary tool for connecting with prospects, clients and employees,” said Todd Hartley, CEO of WireBuzz, who participated in the pre-release screening event. “This film brings that idea to life in a number of thought-provoking and unexpected ways, opening your eyes to the power of reconnecting with video in a variety of formats and online channels.”
Business leaders and professionals are invited to visit the re:connection film site to watch the 15-minute film released online today for public viewing, find bonus footage from the experts featured in the film, and download a companion guide that further connects the themes from the film to the digital-first business world.
About Media One
Media One Creative was founded in 2012 as a digital video agency and creative production house by our two founders: Derek G. Rider & Corey Peck. We quickly became one of Canada’s fastest growing digital agencies and continue to push towards being recognized as one of the premiere disruptive digital agencies in North America.
Media One Creative specializes in strategic content creation with deep roots in media, journalism, broadcast, branded content and digital. We help clients tell their stories through brand films, engaging content, and content-driven events. Our approach is to work with you. Co-creation is our philosophy and has led us to produce over 800 projects for 120+ global clients. Learn more about our work, our culture, and our vision at mediaonecreative.ca and mediaonegroup.com
About Vidyard
Vidyard helps businesses and professionals connect with their audiences in a whole new way through engaging, personalized, and measurable video experiences. Through its global video hosting and analytics platform, Vidyard empowers companies like LinkedIn, Zycus, League, Stanley Black & Decker, and others to transform their approach to marketing, sales, and corporate communications. Vidyard helps any business professional create and share custom videos to deliver their message in a more personal and impactful way through its free and pro tools. Thousands of businesses and millions of people around the world rely on Vidyard for their video needs. Sign up for Vidyard for free: https://www.vidyard.com/free.
Media:
Josh Swarz, Big Valley Marketing for Vidyard - press@vidyard.com
Sarah Duckett, Public Relations & Communications, Vidyard - sarah.duckett@vidyard.com
Beginning in July 2021, Civilized Worldwide Inc. will be the Official Content Lead for Tumblr’s Cannabis.Tumblr.com blog
SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cannabis lifestyle brand Civilized Worldwide Inc. ("Civilized") has announced a strategic partnership with social network and microblogging platform Tumblr, to launch the network’s first cannabis industry blog. Kicking off in July, Civilized will be the Cannabis Content Curator of Cannabis.Tumblr.com building out its premium content style and community of contributors, as well as partners, to create a culturally accurate, informative, and entertaining cannabis experience for the Tumblr community.
“Just a few weeks ago we announced our re-launch with a focus on amplifying the voice of the cannabis, hemp and CBD communities. Now, our strategic partnership with Tumblr is an exciting extension of that promise,” said Terri MacDonald Riedle, CEO and Co-Founder of Civilized. “The Tumblr audience is a critical community for our industry, and we are thrilled to directly introduce their membership of millions to broader cannabis culture.”
Based off their key tenets of anonymity, identity, expression and community, Tumblr provides a unique space on the internet for creative storytelling, activism and creators to thrive. The platform’s content first approach has led to a uniquely passionate community.
“We are thrilled to have Civilized bring their content, editorial oversight and industry relationships to the Tumblr community,” said Terry City, Vice President, Brand Partnerships of Tumblr. “Tumblr has empowered many niche communities with category specific blogs ranging from fashion to activism and we look forward to building out a home for the cannabis community alongside Civilized.”
Over the next month, the teams at Tumblr and Civilized will develop the Cannabis.Tumblr.com experience to embrace the community’s demand for the cannabis, hemp and CBD topics. To date the network’s audience accounts for 21 percent of CBD sales in the U.S. according to a 2020 social network analysis from GWI Global1.
“At Civilized we focus on bridging the gap between audiences and industries, we see this partnership with Tumblr as an important omni-channel extension for the cannabis, hemp and CBD communities at large,” said Tricia Vanderslice President and CCO at Civilized. “The team at Tumblr has embraced the importance of providing an inclusive and authentic cannabis community experience in a way that is forward thinking and a sign of progress that has yet to be seen on other social platforms.”
About Civilized
Founded in 2015, Civilized is the first premium lifestyle brand that embraces and highlights modern cannabis, CBD and hemp culture, reflecting the millions of motivated, productive adults who choose to enjoy cannabis, CBD and hemp as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Reaching millions of canna-curious adults across North America and Europe each month, Civilized produces engaging content for and about people who enjoy cannabis responsibly.
For more information, visit: www.livecivilized.com and follow Civilized on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr.
About Tumblr
Tumblr lives at the heart of internet culture. Part publishing platform, part social network, Tumblr is a vibrant global community that prizes the humor, expression and exchange that once made the internet so good. A thriving home base for Gen Z creators, curators and fans seeking authenticity, creativity, and connection, Tumblr continues to celebrate anonymity and deep community, incubating and igniting trends since 2007.
Tumblr is a subsidiary of Automattic, the founders of WordPress, WooCommerce and many other tools that power the internet. Follow Tumblr on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, or of course on Tumblr.
1 Source: GWI Global Q3 2020 Social networks: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Reddit
Civilized Media Contacts:
Deborah Kostroun
deborah@zitopartners.com
201.403.8185
Amiee Watts
amiee@zitopartners.com
973.615.1683
Cannabis Lifestyle Brand Civilized Announces Partnership with Tumblr
Sale of Division to Mullen Group Ltd. Supports Quad’s Strategy to Optimize Its Product and Service Portfolio
SUSSEX, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Quad/Graphics, Inc. (NYSE: QUAD) (“Quad” or the “Company”) today announced that it has sold its QuadExpress third-party logistics (3PL) business for $40 million to Mullen Group Ltd. (TSX: MTL) (“Mullen Group”), one of Canada’s largest logistics providers. QuadExpress joins Mullen Group’s network of independently operated businesses that provide a broad range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized and specialized hauling transportation.
The divestiture supports Quad’s established strategy to optimize its product and service portfolio and invest in those parts of its business that accelerate its position as a marketing solutions partner and create more value for its clients and other stakeholders. Quad continues to own and operate its in-house transportation and logistics division, Quad Transportation Services, and its trucking division, Duplainville Transport.
The transaction closed on June 30, 2021. Quad will use proceeds from the sale to continue to pay down debt and improve its debt leverage ratio as part of a continuing focus on returning to its preferred long-term targeted leverage range of 2-2.5x.
“We continue to evaluate our collection of assets with a focus on long-term value creation and strategic fit,” said Joel Quadracci, Chairman, President and CEO of Quad. “As a marketing solutions partner, we are committed to providing the greatest value to brands and marketers, which we do through our unique integrated marketing solutions offering that reduces complexity, increases efficiencies and improves marketing spend effectiveness across all media channels. We are pleased to find a great buyer for our 3PL business. We know QuadExpress will benefit from being part of Mullen Group, which is a like-focused company dedicated to superior logistics services. We will benefit, too, through an ongoing relationship with QuadExpress, which will serve as a preferred broker for our dedicated in-house transportation and logistics division.”
Quad acquired QuadExpress (formerly QWExpress) in July 2010 as part of the Worldcolor acquisition. In subsequent years, Quad made significant, strategic investments in the business, including creating a proprietary Transportation Management System (TMS) called SilverExpress that streamlines its clients’ ability to request quotes, generate orders, track shipments, conduct reporting and more.
Mesirow Financial’s Investment Banking Group served as the exclusive financial advisor to Quad on this transaction, and Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C. served as legal advisor to Quad.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things, our current expectations about the Company’s future results, financial condition, sales, earnings, free cash flow, margins, objectives, goals, strategies, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates, prospects, projections and outlook of the Company and can generally be identified by the use of words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “foresee,” “project,” “believe,” “continue” or the negatives of these terms, variations on them and other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based largely on the Company’s expectations and judgments and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are unforeseeable and beyond our control.
The factors that could cause actual results to materially differ include, among others: the negative impacts the coronavirus (COVID-19) has had and will continue to have on the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flows, results of operations and supply chain, as well as the global economy in general (including future uncertain impacts); the impact of decreasing demand for printed materials and significant overcapacity in the highly competitive environment creates downward pricing pressures and potential underutilization of assets; the impact of digital media and similar technological changes, including digital substitution by consumers; the impact of fluctuations in costs (including labor and labor-related costs, energy costs, freight rates and raw materials) and the impact of fluctuations in the availability of raw materials; the inability of the Company to reduce costs and improve operating efficiency rapidly enough to meet market conditions; the impact of the various restrictive covenants in the Company’s debt facilities on the Company’s ability to operate its business, as well as the uncertain negative impacts COVID-19 may have on the Company’s ability to continue to be in compliance with these restrictive covenants; the impact of increased business complexity as a result of the Company’s transformation to a marketing solutions partner; the impact negative publicity could have on our business; the failure to successfully identify, manage, complete and integrate acquisitions, investment opportunities or other significant transactions, as well as the successful identification and execution of strategic divestitures; the failure of clients to perform under contracts or to renew contracts with clients on favorable terms or at all; the impact of changing future economic conditions; the fragility and decline in overall distribution channels; the impact of changes in postal rates, service levels or regulations; the failure to attract and retain qualified talent across the enterprise; the impact of regulatory matters and legislative developments or changes in laws, including changes in cyber-security, privacy and environmental laws; significant capital expenditures may be needed to maintain the Company’s platforms and processes and to remain technologically and economically competitive; the impact of risks associated with the operations outside of the United States, including costs incurred or reputational damage suffered due to improper conduct of its employees, contractors or agents; the impact of an other than temporary decline in operating results and enterprise value that could lead to non-cash impairment charges due to the impairment of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets; the impact on the holders of Quad’s class A common stock of a limited active market for such shares and the inability to independently elect directors or control decisions due to the voting power of the class B common stock; and the other risk factors identified in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which may be amended or supplemented by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Quad
Quad (NYSE: QUAD) is a worldwide marketing solutions partner that leverages its 50-year heritage of platform excellence, innovation, strong culture and social purpose to create a better way for its clients, employees and communities. The Company’s integrated marketing platform helps brands and marketers reduce complexity, increase efficiency and enhance marketing spend effectiveness. Quad provides its clients with unmatched scale for client on-site services and expanded subject expertise in marketing strategy, creative solutions, media deployment (which includes a strong foundation in print) and marketing management services. With a client-centric approach that drives the Company to continuously evolve its offering, combined with leading-edge technology and single-source simplicity, the Company has the resources and knowledge to help a wide variety of clients in multiple vertical industries, including retail, publishing, consumer technology, consumer packaged goods, financial services, insurance, healthcare and direct-to-consumer. Quad has multiple locations throughout North America, South America and Europe, and strategic partnerships in Asia and other parts of the world. For additional information visit www.Quad.com.
Investor Relations Contact
Katie Krebsbach
Investor Relations Lead, Quad
414-566-4247
kkrebsbach@quad.com
Media Contact
Claire Ho
Director of Corporate Communications, Quad
414-566-2955
cho@quad.com
Quad Divests Its QuadExpress 3PL Logistics Business
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News Media Canada, the national association representing print and digital news media in Canada, today announced the appointment of Paul Deegan as President and Chief Executive Officer.
In his new role, Mr. Deegan will be accountable for the day-to-day operations of News Media Canada and the provision of a broad range of programs and services to its members. He will also be accountable for News Media Canada’s critical policy files and advancing its positions on a range of important policy matters facing the news media industry, including taxation, employment standards, recycling, freedom of information, privacy, and copyright, as well as threats to the industry posed by unregulated digital players such as Google and Facebook.
“Canadians rely on their newspapers and news media to be their trusted sources of information, helping them make informed choices and holding people and institutions accountable. Our industry remains under threat arising from the unregulated and unchecked digital players in the news space,” said Jamie Irving, Chair of the board of directors of News Media Canada. “Paul Deegan will be a strong voice for the industry and will champion our work to promote strong, independent, and viable news media in Canada by lobbying for legislation to support a healthy industry.”
“Now, more than ever, trusted, fiercely independent journalism is vital to our democracy,” said Mr. Deegan. “Canada’s print and digital titles should be well-funded and operate on a level playing field with the big technology platforms, so we can reinvest in excellence in Canadian journalism in communities from coast to coast to coast.”
Mr. Deegan has held several senior executive and leadership roles at Canadian National Railway and BMO Financial Group and is a director of the Canadian Journalism Foundation and the Michener Awards Foundation. He also served as Deputy Executive Director of the National Economic Council in the Clinton White House and worked for the Government of Ontario’s Cabinet Office. Mr. Deegan assumes his new role effective immediately. A copy of his bio can be found here.
About News Media Canada
News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Jamie Irving
Chair, Board of Directors
News Media Canada
media@newsmediacanada.ca
Related Links
www.newsmediacanada.ca
News Media Canada Appoints Paul Deegan as President and Chief Executive Officer
Naver will commit USD $100M to Wattpad WEBTOON Studios for development and production financing
Under the leadership of Aron Levitz as President, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios unites WEBTOON and Wattpad’s unmatched IP catalogues, international audiences, and expertise in building global fandoms under a single global studio umbrella
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios has more than 100 TV and film projects in development or production with partners around the world, hits on screens everywhere, and a growing slate of books and international imprints
TORONTO & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wattpad, the global multi-platform entertainment company for original stories and leading social storytelling platform, and WEBTOON, the world’s largest digital comics platform, today announced that the companies will merge their studio divisions to create Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. Leveraging the passionate global fandoms from WEBTOON and Wattpad’s combined audience of more than 166 million people, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios will create the world’s most innovative multi-format studio making global fan and data-driven TV shows, films, and books. Naver, parent company to both WEBTOON and Wattpad, will commit USD $100M to Wattpad WEBTOON Studios for development and production financing.
After launching and building the Wattpad Studios brand since 2017, Aron Levitz will step into the role of President of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. Taylor Grant will lead the WEBTOON entertainment portfolio, Eric Lehrman will lead the Wattpad entertainment portfolio, Ashleigh Gardner will continue to lead all aspects of publishing, and Dexter Ong will lead international business.
South Korea’s internet conglomerate Naver recently acquired Wattpad in a transaction estimated to be more than USD $600M. The move aligned Wattpad with Naver’s WEBTOON, two leading comics, entertainment, and storytelling companies. By merging Wattpad and WEBTOON’s entertainment divisions, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios strengthens Naver’s global leadership in IP, digital comics, and webnovels.
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios unites WEBTOON Studios’ expertise and growing slate of adaptations from some of the world’s most-popular digital comics, with Wattpad Studios’ data-backed, audience-driven approach to finding and producing hit TV shows, films, and books. As an audience-driven IP powerhouse, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios unlocks the full potential of WEBTOON and Wattpad’s global IP libraries, growing roster of superstar creators, and fandoms in every genre.
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios brings hundreds of millions of new stories and diverse voices to the global entertainment and publishing market, along with an unmatched ability to find and develop hit franchises for local or international audiences. Today, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios has more than 100 projects in development or production, hits on screens everywhere, a thriving global publishing division, and industry-leading expertise in YA and comic adaptations, which are among the most popular and successful categories in entertainment.
Wattpad and WEBTOON’s expertise in fan-driven content has led to high-profile projects like Netflix’s WEBTOON-originated Sweet Home; Noblesse, an anime co-production between WEBTOON and Crunchyroll; and the upcoming Netflix Original Film A Traves de Mi Ventana from Nostromo Pictures, based on the global Wattpad hit of the same name. Netflix previously saw enormous success with the Netflix and Komixx Entertainment adaptation of The Kissing Booth, the story Beth Reekles first wrote on Wattpad.
WEBTOON Studios and Wattpad Studios projects have received mainstream acclaim and have broken records. The WEBTOON comic Tower of God is a global phenomenon with 4.5 billion reads. WEBTOON and Crunchyroll recently co-produced a hit anime adaptation, now available on Crunchyroll and HBO Max. The teen megahit After accumulated more than 1.5 billion reads on Wattpad, before becoming a best-selling novel from Simon & Schuster and film from Voltage Pictures and Wattpad Studios in 2019. The film won a People’s Choice Award and three Teen Choice Awards in 2019, going on to spawn five additional films in the franchise. Hulu’s Light as a Feather, produced by AwesomenessTV, Wattpad Studios, and Grammnet, was nominated for 10 Daytime Emmy Awards over two seasons. In Southeast Asia, the Vidio Original Series Turn On, produced by Wattpad Studios and Screenplay Films, set a record 10 million views for Vidio in Q1 2021. The series has been greenlit for a second season.
Publishing will remain a key component of the Wattpad WEBTOON Studios strategy, allowing for fully verticalized IP across TV, film, and books. Today, a dozen Wattpad WEBTOON Studios entertainment projects have or will also be published as books. The first volume of Rachel Smythe's Eisner Award-nominated WEBTOON graphic novel series, Lore Olympus, will be published by Penguin Random House in October 2021. Wattpad has seen enormous success in publishing, working with marquee publishing partners like Hachette in France, Penguin Random House UK, Mondadori Group in Italy, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial in Spain, AST in Russia, and Anvil Publishing in the Philippines. Wattpad has published hundreds of books with partners around the world and 30 titles from the Wattpad Books imprint since launching in 2019.
“We’re bringing a new era of diverse voices and incredible IP to audiences and an industry looking for both,” said Aron Levitz, President of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. “Businesses are spending billions of dollars to capture the last 100 years of IP. We’re looking to the future, with hundreds of millions of new stories to power the next 100 years of hits on screens and bookshelves.”
“Wattpad WEBTOON Studios is here to knock down every remaining border in entertainment,” said WEBTOON founder and CEO, Jun Koo Kim. “The team at Wattpad WEBTOON Studios is developing IP across formats, building franchises, and nurturing the fandoms that power them. And they’re doing it with a full global perspective from Day One. Combining local market expertise and audience data, Wattpad WEBTOON Studios can create local hits with regional partners or develop with a global audience in mind.”
“YA and comic adaptations are some of the biggest hits in publishing and entertainment. And Wattpad WEBTOON Studios has one of the biggest libraries of both on the planet,” said Wattpad CEO & co-founder Allen Lau. “Wattpad WEBTOON Studios has an unmatched library of IP, powered by a new generation of creators, and the technology to create hits in every genre. We’re thrilled to combine WEBTOON and Wattpad’s IP leadership to create the world’s first truly modern studio.”
“Stories from Wattpad and WEBTOON are already in demand and known as some of the most exciting IP in the entertainment market,” said Michelle Kwon, CEO of Studio N. “We’re thrilled to celebrate the launch of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, and look forward to collaborating with the new team.”
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios aligns WEBTOON Studios and Wattpad Studios’ existing projects and partnerships under the same banner. WEBTOON Studios has worked with The Jim Henson Company; Crunchyroll; Vertigo Entertainment - the production company behind the IT franchise and The Lego Movie; Bound Entertainment - the global studio led by Snowpiercer and Okja producer Samuel Ha. Select Wattpad Studios deals and partnerships include work with Sony Pictures Television, Erik Feig’s Picturestart, Germany’s Bavaria Fiction, Italy’s Leone Film Group, Turner Latin America’s Particular Crowd, Brazil’s Wise Entertainment, Canada’s CBC, France’s Mediawan, Singapore’s MediaCorp, and others.
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios arrives with projects in development from some of the most exciting partners in global entertainment. Select projects in development include Float, which will star and be produced by Robbie Amell; What Happened That Night, currently being adapted by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter David Arata; The Hound, with a script by Angela LaManna (Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor); The Bad Boy’s Girl, with Leone Film Group; and Perfect Addiction with Constantin Film and JB Pictures.
ABOUT WATTPAD
Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. Wattpad’s flagship app is a leading social storytelling platform, home to a community of more than 90 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories. Wattpad’s Story DNA Machine Learning technology allows the company to discover stand-out stories among more than one billion uploads written on the platform. Wattpad Studios and Wattpad Books are transforming entertainment and publishing, using data-backed insights to turn Wattpad stories into books, films and TV shows. Wattpad Brand Partnerships help brands build deep engagement with Gen Z consumers. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at company.wattpad.com.
ABOUT WEBTOON
WEBTOON® is the world’s leading digital platform for visual storytelling. As the first modern digital publishing and self-publishing platform for digital comics, WEBTOON has revolutionized the way visual stories are created and consumed, allowing anyone to become a creator.
WEBTOON also has become a cultural and global phenomenon, pioneering the distribution and consumption of web-based comics. With an average of 72+ million monthly active users, more people consume WEBTOON series than watch most television shows. WEBTOON features a broad and diverse catalog of content from all over the world -- including romance, thriller, fantasy, comedy and more. WEBTOON is No.1 app among 16-24 year olds in Korea and also is in the top tier among the same group in the other countries.
Launched stateside in 2014, WEBTOON has thousands of creator-owned series with episodes updating daily. Also boasting partnerships with Legendary, POW!, Top Cow/Image, and more, WEBTOON takes storytelling to the next level. Creators have been nominated for multiple Eisner Awards, as well as winning a multitude of Ringo Awards. The WEBTOON app is free to download on Android and iOS devices.
Kiel Hume, Director of PR & Communications, Wattpad
kiel@wattpad.com
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Production Printers - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Production Printers estimated at US$6.6 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$9.4 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.3% over the period 2020-2027.
Color, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record 5.7% CAGR and reach US$6.9 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Monochrome segment is readjusted to a revised 4.3% CAGR for the next 7-year period.
The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.8 Billion, While China is Forecast to Grow at 8.5% CAGR
The Production Printers market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.8 Billion in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$2 Billion by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 8.6% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027.
Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 2.9% and 4.2% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 3.7% CAGR.
Select Competitors (Total 36 Featured):
Key Topics Covered:
I. METHODOLOGY
II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. MARKET OVERVIEW
2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS
3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS
4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE
III. MARKET ANALYSIS
IV. COMPETITION
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/eti5nn
ResearchAndMarkets.com
Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470
For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630
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The 2021 Gold Medal from IMS Global Learning Consortium was awarded for scaling an Equitable Access program
RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#EquitableAccess--VitalSource® and the University of California, Davis, have been awarded the 2021 IMS Learning Impact Award for their groundbreaking Equitable Access program, an initiative designed to support equity and affordability in higher education. The annual award from the IMS Global Learning Consortium recognizes transformative, high-impact solutions in K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning.
“All students deserve to have access to the resources they need throughout their education, no matter their major,” said Kent Freeman, VitalSource CEO. “UC Davis wanted to provide a solution to the unpredictable cost of course materials and help alleviate financial barriers that can prevent students from pursuing their learning goals. We were honored to work with UC Davis to build this program and are grateful that an industry leader like IMS has recognized these efforts with this prestigious award.”
Equitable Access is a subscription program that delivers digital course materials through UC Davis’ learning management system (LMS) for a flat, per-term fee. The program’s mission is to reduce inequity among students by eliminating textbook access issues while also ensuring costs are predictable and uniform for all undergraduate students.
Jason Lorgan, who oversees UC Davis Stores, said his team is honored that Equitable Access has been acknowledged with the award. “This program has significantly increased our students’ access to required course content,” he said. “We look forward to leveraging the efficiency of this program to further drive down textbook costs over time.”
All UC Davis students are automatically enrolled in Equitable Access for $199 per term. Should students prefer a different method to obtain their course materials, they can easily opt out of the program. During the first term of Equitable Access at UC Davis, students who opted into the program were 17% less likely to drop a course than those who opted out, suggesting that having immediate, streamlined access to more affordable digital course materials helped support academic persistence.
When asked about their reason for choosing to participate in Equitable Access, 60% of UC Davis students said Equitable Access was “easier and more convenient than finding textbooks on my own.” Nearly three-quarters (69%) of participating students agreed that removing worries about textbook prices allowed them to more freely choose the courses they were most interested in studying; in other words, students no longer allowed the cost of materials, which can be more expensive for fields like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), to inform whether or not they pursued a specific academic program.
The IMS Learning Impact Awards recognize innovative digital learning technology and strategies implemented in an educational setting to transform the learning experience and elevate learning impact. Finalists are voted on by a panel of institutional leaders who observe and evaluate presentations of each project and the EdTech community at large. From the 28 projects that advanced in this year's competition, expert judges and public voters selected those demonstrating the greatest impact on personalized learning, institutional performance, and the digital learning ecosystem.
To learn more about how about VitalSource is making course materials access easier and more affordable, click here.
About VitalSource
VitalSource Technologies, LLC is the leading education technology solutions provider committed to helping partners create, deliver, and distribute affordable, accessible, and impactful learning experiences worldwide. As a recognized innovator in the digital course materials market, VitalSource is best known for partnering with more than 1,000 publishers and resellers to deliver extraordinary learning experiences to millions of active users globally—and today we’re also powering new, cutting-edge technologies designed to optimize teaching and learning for maximum results. Learn more at https://get.vitalsource.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About UC Davis Stores
UC Davis Stores—a nonprofit, self-funded department at the university—is a recognized leader among college bookstores for innovation and affordability in the delivery of course materials. The bookstore won awards for its Inclusive Access program for delivering customized, digital course content and was the first college store in the United States to offer online price comparisons. UC Davis Stores serves a university of more than 40,000 students that offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges and six professional schools.
About IMS Global Learning Consortium
IMS Global Learning Consortium is a nonprofit organization that advances technology to scale and improve educational participation and attainment affordably. IMS members are leading suppliers, higher education institutions, K-12 districts and schools, and government organizations that are enabling better teaching and learning by collaborating on interoperability and adoption initiatives. IMS sponsors the annual Learning Impact program to recognize the impact of innovative technology on educational access, affordability, and quality while developing the leadership and ideas to help shape the future of educational technology.
Erin McCarthy (VitalSource)
Jason Lorgan (UC Davis)
VitalSource and UC Davis Win 2021 IMS Learning Impact Award
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia” or the “Company”) today announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Brian Bidulka, will be stepping down from the role effective August 31, 2021 and will continue in an advisory capacity until early 2022 to assist in the transition. Mary Anne Lavallee, CPA, CA, Postmedia’s EVP and Chief Operating Officer will take on the additional role of Interim Chief Financial Officer.
“We thank Brian for his contributions to Postmedia over the past four years,” said Andrew MacLeod, President and CEO. “Brian has helped move our strategy forward including, most recently, navigating through the business impacts of a global pandemic. We wish him well in his future endeavours.”
“It has been a great pleasure to work with the dynamic and innovative teams at Postmedia over the past four years,” said Brian Bidulka. “I have great confidence in the strategy and vision that Postmedia is focused on and I look forward to working with the executive team to ensure that the transition will be a smooth one.”
About Postmedia Network Canada Corp.
Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B) is the holding company that owns Postmedia Network Inc., a Canadian news media company representing more than 120 brands across multiple print, online, and mobile platforms. Award-winning journalists and innovative product development teams bring engaging content to millions of people every week whenever and wherever they want it. This exceptional content, reach and scope offer advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com.
Media Contact
Phyllise Gelfand
Vice President, Communications
(647) 273-9287
pgelfand@postmedia.com
Postmedia CFO Brian Bidulka Stepping Down
Sharon Hartung, Your Digital Undertaker®, reveals how the Estate Industry is about to face its “dotcom” moment, outlining how estate advisors, business owners, service providers, and the broader estate and technology industries can prepare
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#STEP--Sharon Hartung, Your Digital Undertaker®, recognized as one of the leading and original voices in digital estate planning globally, announces the launch of her latest book, Digital Executor®: Unraveling the New Path for Estate Planning.
In her book, Sharon discusses how today’s executor is a digital executor and that the estate planning industry must understand and prepare for the reality that our increasingly digital lives require a fundamental shift in how advisors manage estate planning for their clients.
Digital assets, such as digitized money, memories and records are now the gateway to our client’s entire lives and legacy. They include our loyalty points, reward points, community platforms, cloud accounts, video channels, online hobby accounts, cryptocurrencies, cryptoassets, digital collectibles, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and entertainment accounts. As an industry, this will be the first generation of planners to deal with this aspect of client wishes and beneficiaries.
Digital Executor®: Unraveling the New Path for Estate Planning explores how the proliferation of these digital assets is making technology the new player at the estate planning table. Written for estate advisors, business owners, service providers, and the broader estate and technology industries, Sharon helps estate planners navigate this new reality, manage client expectations regarding their digital estates, and the implications of the changing role of the fiduciary/executor.
“Estate planners must realize that everything in the estate industry is a candidate for digitization,” says Sharon. “Every organization had to develop Y2K and dot-com plans to navigate the challenges and opportunities of these technology-driven events. So too, will the industry need to develop digital transformation plans to address the monumental changes unfolding in the death care and estate industries.”
The recent announcement by Apple at #WWDC21 about their new Digital Legacy Program on the heels of Facebook’s Legacy Contact and Google’s Inactive Account Manager, sets the pace on new consumer and marketplace expectations for digital estate planning. “We will need the same spectrum of estate planning choices for digital assets as we have for physical assets, such as insurance, beneficiary designations, joint ownership, and preplanning and transfer options," she adds.
Digital Executor®: Unraveling the New Path for Estate Planning examines vital topics, including:
Sharon’s first book, Your Digital Undertaker: Exploring Death in the Digital Age in Canada, explored digital assets in the context of an individual’s or client’s estate planning life cycle.
Digital Executor®: Unraveling the New Path for Estate Planning is immediately available on Amazon and Your Digital Undertaker.
About Sharon Hartung, Your Digital Undertaker®:
Sharon Hartung, Captain (Ret'd), PEng, MSc, BEng, PMP®, CD, TEP, rmc, is the founder of Your Digital Undertaker®, which provides Digital Executor® consulting for advisors and clients on the tech management aspects of digital assets in estate planning. With an extensive track record in IT management, project management, and consulting, she brings a multi-disciplinary approach to better understanding the role of managing digital assets in estate planning and estate administration.
Sharon is a Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) member, has served as a committee member on both the STEP Digital Assets Special Interest Group and the STEP Global Thought Leadership Team: Digital Assets. Her first book, Your Digital Undertaker: Exploring Death in the Digital Age in Canada, was published in 2019. To learn more, please visit: https://yourdigitalundertaker.com
Media:
Jason Kinnear
media@yourdigitalundertaker.ca
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#investorrelations--The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI), Canada’s national association representing investor relations professionals, is pleased to announce Business Wire will continue as National Strategic Partner for the 11th consecutive year.
Business Wire’s support enables CIRI to deliver on its mandate to advance the practice of investor relations across Canada. This includes developing resources, delivering professional development events, providing networking opportunities and advocating on behalf of the investor relations profession.
“The last year has been challenging for all, with not-for-profit organizations having been particularly hard hit. With Business Wire’s steadfast commitment to CIRI and the profession, we are able to support the investor relations community through timely, relevant professional development and resources,” said Yvette Lokker, President & CEO, CIRI. “More importantly, we are able to bring the community together regularly to share experiences and learn from one another at this critical time when the profession is evolving and adapting to changing circumstances.”
“Business Wire is proud to support CIRI as its National Strategic Partner the past eleven years. CIRI’s mission to advance the stature and credibility of the investor relations profession aligns with Business Wire's strong commitment to the Canadian capital markets,” said Greg Blazina, Head of Canada, Business Wire. “As more and more Canadian issuers turn to Business Wire for secure and accurate dissemination of their news, we remain focused on delivering a world-class experience to the Canadian investor relations community.”
For more information on CIRI sponsorship, click here.
For more information on Business Wire’s investor relations solutions, click here.
About CIRI
CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close to 500 members and four Chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice of IR in Canada. For more information, please visit CIRI.org.
About Business Wire
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in news release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Investor relations, public relations, public policy and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals, and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX Network. Business Wire’s worldwide newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media globally.
Learn more at www.businesswire.com. Follow us on Twitter @businesswire.
BW-C
Yvette Lokker
President & CEO
Canadian Investor Relations Institute
(416) 364-8200 ext. 101
ylokker@ciri.org
Greg Blazina
Head of Canada
Business Wire
(416) 593-0208
greg.blazina@businesswire.com
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News Media Canada, representing hundreds of print and digital titles in every province and territory, issued a historic open letter to the Prime Minister of Canada calling on the Trudeau government to act now on their commitment to support local journalists.
In an unprecedented effort, publishers called the Trudeau government to task. “For months, you and your Minister of Canadian Heritage, Steven Guilbeault, have promised action to rein in the predatory monopoly practices of Google and Facebook against Canadian news media. But so far, all we’ve gotten is talk. And with every passing week, that talk grows hollower and hollower.”
Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault repeated the government’s commitment to introduce legislation in the spring of 2021 on various media outlets, including CBC Radio, The National Post, The Globe and Mail, and CTV.
News Media Canada Chair Jamie Irving said, “Reporting real news costs real money. There are only two ways to cover those costs: advertising and subscriptions. But Google and Facebook use their control of the Internet and their highly sophisticated algorithms to divert 80% of all online advertising revenue in Canada. And they distribute the work of hardworking journalists across the country without compensation.”
Other countries, such as Australia, have tackled this challenge and reined in the web giants. In March of 2021, the Australian Parliament adopted the Treasury Laws Amendment (News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code) with support from all parties. The legislation requires Facebook and Google to negotiate collectively with that country’s media. Facebook and Google have negotiated compensation agreements with media companies to pay for content from publishers serving local and national audiences. “It’s a huge success,” said Rod Sims, Chairman of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, in an interview with The Financial Times. “The bargaining and arbitration model (in the Australian legislation) is actually a very light regulation in the sense that we want equal bargaining power,” he said. Dozens of small publishers have also signed or negotiated terms following the passage of a February law aimed at getting Big Tech to pay for news.
“Until all news media in Canada can negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, the two multinationals will continue to use their market dominance to drive terms that are in their interests. Government inaction has created a vacuum and puts some publishers at a negotiating disadvantage without the backstop of legislation,” concluded Jamie Irving.
News Media Canada is calling on Parliament and the federal government to exercise their responsibilities to stand up to these two web giants and to restore fairness to the Canadian media marketplace.
About News Media Canada
News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
For further comment:
Jamie Irving, Chair
News Media Canada
Interview Requests:
media@newsmediacanada.ca
News Media Canada: Government Fails Local News
UKG Pro, Ceridian Dayforce, isolved People Cloud, Workday Human Capital Management, RUN Powered by ADP, and Oracle Cloud HCM are the 2021 Human Capital Management Emotional Footprint Champions.
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SoftwareReviews, a division of IT research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group, has published its 2021 Human Capital Management Emotional Footprint Awards, naming six vendors as Champions. The following vendors are champions according to the feedback provided by their users via SoftwareReviews’ comprehensive online survey:
“With the pandemic disruption and resurgence of movements to combat racism and social injustice over the last year, HCM vendors have expanded their focus. This includes a greater emphasis on employee wellbeing, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), enabling management of a remote workforce, and using data, predictive analytics, and AI/machine learning to listen and respond to employee concerns in real-time as a means to improving the employee experience,” said Tracy-Lynn Reid, research lead, Info-Tech Research Group.
SoftwareReviews’ Net Emotional Footprint measures high-level user sentiment. It aggregates emotional ratings from 25 provocative questions, creating a powerful indicator of the overall user feeling toward the vendor and the product.
UKG Pro, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +84, excelled in being altruistic and fair. Ceridian Dayforce, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +84, performed exceptionally in many categories, exceeding user expectations in continually improving while being reliable. isolved People Cloud, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +83, performed well in being efficient and offering security protection.
Workday Human Capital Management, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +80, ranked high in helping innovate and transparency. Run Powered by ADP, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +81, scored excellently in performance improvement and product enhancement. Oracle Cloud HCM, with a Net Emotional Footprint of +78, performed well overall by being caring and inspiring.
In general, Human Capital Management software users responded most favorably when asked about vendors’ quality and effectiveness of service – and were most dissatisfied with vendors over-promising to deliver.
What Is the Emotional Footprint Diamond?
The Emotional Footprint Diamond illustrates the customer experience with software vendors and a complex relationship spanning procurement, implementation, service, and support. The Net Emotional Footprint of a vendor is a result of aggregated emotional response ratings in the areas of service, negotiation, product impact, conflict resolution, and strategy and innovation, creating a powerful indicator of overall user feeling toward the vendor and its product from the software user’s point of view. The data published in the Emotional Footprint Diamond is collected from real end-users through authentic software review surveys and meticulously verified. The survey uses standard net promoter scoring (positive percentage minus negative percentage) to arrive at the Net Emotional Footprint score. These skillfully crafted survey questions are informed by two decades of IT research and advisory. Vendors with top user scores receive the Emotional Footprint Award. The Emotional Footprint Awards, an initiative proudly founded in 100% user-review data, is free of traditional components such as market presence and analyst opinion, which are opaque in nature and may be influenced by vendor pressure, financial or otherwise.
About SoftwareReviews:
SoftwareReviews is a division of Info-Tech Research Group, an IT research and advisory firm established in 1997. Backed by two decades of IT research and advisory experience, SoftwareReviews is a leading source of expertise and insight into the enterprise software landscape and client-vendor relationships. By collecting real data from IT and business professionals, the SoftwareReviews methodology produces detailed and authentic insights into the experience of evaluating and purchasing enterprise software.
For more information, please contact:
Indrani Ray
Vice President, Communications and Brand
irayghosal@infotech.com
647.574.9559
Best Human Capital Management (HCM) Software for Client Experience Announced by SoftwareReviews
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the fourth year in a row, Messagepoint Inc. has been named an overall leading provider of customer communications management (CCM) solutions in the 2021 CCM Aspire Leaderboard, a dynamic positioning grid that ranks CCM vendors across the industry according to their capabilities, vision and market presence. The Overall Leader designation recognizes Messagepoint’s continued ability to empower business users to manage complex content at scale, minimize authoring and change cycle times and reduce high template inventories.
“Messagepoint is a powerful solution for complex content control, authoring, migration and business user enablement with growing global adoption of its solutions,” said Kasper Roos, founder and CEO, Aspire Customer Communications Services. “We find Messagepoint to be especially robust in scenarios where content needs to be populated across multiple, cascading templates or where content varies widely, as it does when sending mandated communications.”
As a key innovator in the CCM industry, Messagepoint developed its AI/ML engine, Messagepoint’s Advanced Rationalization and Content Intelligence Engine (MARCIE), which powers unique content migration and content optimization capabilities throughout the platform. The company leverages its AI capabilities, along with other unique innovations, to provide significant solutions that enable more intelligent management and authoring of all types of customer communications. Those solutions highlighted by the Aspire Leaderboard include Messagepoint Connected, the company’s recently updated interactive communications solution that enables customer-facing team members to respond to ad hoc customer requests with individually tailored communications. In addition, Rationalizer, a stand-alone product that is driving industry-wide transformation by enabling export for CCM migration and modernization and includes an intelligent content hub that powers physical and digital experiences outside of templates, was highlighted. Lastly, Messagepoint’s patented capabilities for managing communication variations drive both template reduction efficiencies and enable personalization at an unparalleled level.
“The fact that 2021 is the fourth year Messagepoint has received this high recognition on the Aspire Leaderboard reflects our company’s continued commitment to make it easier for business users to more intelligently control content and create new communications,” said Steve Biancaniello, CEO, Messagepoint. “The Messagepoint team is focused on developing solutions that support and advance the customer experience through all communication channels.”
Aspire Disclaimer
The Aspire Leaderboard™ is copyrighted by Aspire Customer Communications Services Ltd. and is based on the findings and opinions of Aspire’s consultancy organization. Aspire does not endorse any vendor, product or service included in the Aspire Leaderboard. For tailored RFP support please contact the Aspire team here.
About Aspire
Aspire Customer Communications Services is a boutique consulting firm specializing in the Customer Communications Management (CCM) and Digital Customer Experience (DCX) industries. Through deep market expertise and global insights, Aspire works with technology providers, service providers, enterprises and investors to help them achieve their CCM goals. Find more information about how Aspire is helping organizations navigate the complexities of the customer communications world at http://www.aspireccs.com.
About Messagepoint
Messagepoint is a leading provider of customer communications management software. Only Messagepoint harnesses AI-powered Content Intelligence to automate and simplify the process of migrating, optimizing, authoring and managing complex customer communications for non-technical (business) users. Customers rely on its award-winning platform to consistently deliver exceptional, highly personalized customer communications across all platforms and channels. For more information, visit www.messagepoint.com.
Patricia Kilgore
Sterling Kilgore
630-964-8500
pkilgore@sterlingkilgore.com
Messagepoint Recognized as an Overall CCM Leader by Aspire for the Fourth Consecutive Year
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The following is a statement issued by Jamie Irving, Vice-President of Brunswick News Inc. and Chair of News Media Canada:
News Media Canada members are calling on the federal government to introduce the long-awaited policy to allow publishers to negotiate fairly with Facebook and Google.
Yesterday's announcement by Facebook regarding short-term commercial arrangements it has undertaken with a few Canadian media outlets underlines the need for the government to follow through urgently on the commitment it has made to curtail the predatory monopoly practices of both Facebook and Google and level the playing field for Canadian news media.
Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Canadian Heritage have committed to legislation to rein in the web giants, who abuse their monopoly power by diverting 80% of online advertising revenues in Canada and distributing content generated by Canadian journalists without compensation. Since October of last year, News Media Canada has called for Canada to adopt the approach enacted by the Australian Parliament, which requires the web giants to negotiate collectively with that country's news media to provide fair compensation for content.
Until news media in this country can negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook, the two multinationals will continue to divide and conquer, using their power and market dominance to drive terms that are in their favour against smaller, more financially vulnerable news media outlets. Far from contributing to the resolution of the problem, this approach only solidifies their stranglehold.
As the response of the opposition parties this week has shown, there is a broad, bipartisan consensus for action now. We call on the government to keep its commitment to Canadians who rely on local news and to introduce legislation before Parliament rises for the summer.
About News Media Canada
News Media Canada is the voice of the print and digital news media industry in Canada and represents hundreds of trusted titles in every province and territory. News Media Canada is an advocate in public policy for daily and community media outlets and contributes to the ongoing evolution of the news media industry by raising awareness and promoting the benefits of news media across all platforms. For more information, visit our website at www.newsmediacanada.ca or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Jamie Irving, Chair, News Media Canada
jci@brunswicknews.com
News Media Canada: Government Inaction Has Cost News Publishers
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Inc. (“Postmedia”) and Wise Publishing, Inc, (“Wise Publishing”) today announced that Postmedia has made a strategic equity investment for a minority position in Wise Publishing. The two companies will partner on various initiatives, such as providing Postmedia’s vast audience with access to increased personal finance content and tools while further building the MoneyWise brand.
Wise Publishing is a fast-growing Canada-based personal finance publisher. Its popular websites MoneyWise.com and MoneyWise.ca attract an audience of 10 million unique visitors monthly*.
“We are excited to be investing in Wise Publishing, an innovative digital media company which is complementary to our business,” said Mary Anne Lavallee, EVP and Chief Operating Officer at Postmedia. “The Wise Publishing team has proven success in the performance marketing space, leveraging relevant content, engaged financial audiences and innovative media technology.”
“It’s so critically important to find investors who understand your business, share your vision and can help your company realize its goals,” said Kyle Trattner, Wise Publishing CEO. “Postmedia enhances our incredibly strong group of experienced backers who align with our mission: to help millions of people make good financial decisions and get ahead in life.”
*Source: Internal data from Google Analytics.
About Wise Publishing, Inc.:
Wise Publishing, Inc. and its websites MoneyWise.com and MoneyWise.ca provide personal finance information, news and tools in ways that are clear, trustworthy and engaging. Readers throughout North America have come to count on the Toronto-based company to help them save money, find the best bank accounts, get the best mortgage rates and navigate many other money matters. Wise Publishing content has been featured by leading media outlets including MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, Financial Post, USA Today, Fortune, CNBC and Fox Business, among others.
About Postmedia Network Inc.:
Postmedia Network Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B), is a news media company representing more than 120 brands across multiple print, online, and mobile platforms. Award-winning journalists and innovative product development teams bring engaging content to millions of people every week whenever and wherever they want it. This exceptional content, reach and scope offer advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences.
This news release may include information that is “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities laws. Postmedia has tried, where possible, to identify such information and statements by using words such as “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should” and similar expressions and derivations thereof in connection with any discussion of future events, trends or prospects or future operating or financial performance. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the success of a strategic investment for Postmedia, both companies’ exploration of new business initiatives and the ability to access and engage certain audiences. By their nature, forward-looking information and statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the possibility that the initiatives described herein will not succeed; the impact of the initiatives on revenue; the possibility that Postmedia is unable to recoup its investment; competition from digital and other forms of media; the ability of Postmedia to build out its digital media and online businesses; the failure to maintain current print and online newspaper readership and circulation levels; possible damage to the reputation of Postmedia’s brands or trademarks; possible labour disruptions; possible environmental liabilities, litigation and pension plan obligations; fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and the prices of newsprint and other commodities. For a complete list of our risk factors please refer to the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our annual management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended August 31, 2020. Although Postmedia bases such information and statements on assumptions believed to be reasonable when made, they are not guarantees of future performance and actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and developments in the industry in which Postmedia operates, may differ materially from any such information and statements in this press release. Given these risks and uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of such information or statements. Other than as required by law, neither Postmedia nor Wise Publishing undertake, and both companies specifically decline, any obligation to update such information or statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such information or statements.
Wise Publishing, Inc.
Media Contact
Doug Whiteman, Editor-in-Chief
doug@wisepublishing.com
Postmedia
Phyllise Gelfand
Vice President, Communications
(647) 273-9287
pgelfand@postmedia.com
Postmedia and Wise Publishing Announce Investment, Strategic Partnership
