News Media Canada launches a limited-edition illustrated book – Champions – featuring 24 inspirational stories of Canada’s news industry leaders.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#ChampionsOfTheTruth--This week is the 83rd National Newspaper Week, an annual opportunity to recognize the critically important role that newspapers play in an active and healthy democracy. To celebrate, News Media Canada has created an illustrated book, Champions, which celebrates notable Canadian journalists, editors, photographers, publishers and more.

“Local journalism is vital to our democracy, providing local, original content that cannot be found anywhere else,” said Paul Deegan, president and CEO of News Media Canada. “The Champions book is a snapshot of some of the incredible people whose work keeps our society thriving and communicates essential information to Canadians each and every day. They stand up for our communities, raise their hands to ask tough questions and uncover the truth.”

Champions is a bilingual publication that includes 24 inspirational stories of people in Canada who have championed the truth through their contributions to the news media industry and positive impacts in their communities. Champions celebrates not only the people in the book but countless others who work in Canadian news media, those who keep their communities informed and connected from coast to coast to coast. The Champions book also features News Media Canada’s custom font (also entitled Champions) and illustrations by Canadian visual artist Rachel Joanis, who crafted the cover art and custom portraits throughout.

“As someone who’s grown up with a deep appreciation for newspapers, it was an honour to work on this project. I learned so much about the amazing people featured in the book. I hope their impressive stories show the next generation how rewarding a career in news media can be,” said Rachel Joanis, Champions book illustrator.

This National Newspaper Week, Canadians are encouraged to think about and celebrate champions of the truth from their own lives who are committed to delivering reliable and accurate information to their communities. To further champion the power of words and increase literacy among people in Canada, all proceeds from the sale of Champions will be donated to First Book Canada.

Canadians can show their support for our Champions of the Truth – the people behind the news at Canadian newspapers and their digital platforms – by purchasing a copy of the Champions book at championsofthetruth.ca. The full list of champions, a free digital e-book and pdf download of the book, along with access to the Champions font can be found at www.championsofthetruth.ca.

This year's National Newspaper Week program will be supported by print and digital ad campaigns in newspapers across the country, as well as an out-of-home ad campaign extension and media relations.

National Newspaper Week runs until Saturday, October 7, 2023, and is celebrated across North America to reflect on the essential services provided by the news media industry. This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada.

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 www.newsmediacanada.ca.

For more information, please contact:
Bronte Wright, Craft Public Relations
bronte@craftpublicrelations.com
647-539-3994

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ThinkData Works, a leading data catalog provider, is pleased to announce it placed No. 320 on the 2023 Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies.

Canada’s Top Growing Companies ranks Canadian companies on three-year revenue growth. ThinkData Works earned its spot with three-year growth of 120%.

ThinkData Works has experienced a period of steady growth in the last three years. In expanding its suite of data management solutions, it launched a data lineage solution earlier this year, allowing companies to better visualize data flows as well as improve efficiency and observability for their organization’s entire data ecosystem. Most recently, ThinkData received $2 million in funding from the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, to accelerate the commercialization of its data catalog and grow its customer base through sales and marketing activities.

“Our team is honoured to be among The Globe and Mail’s ranking of 425 top growing companies in Canada,” said, Bryan Smith, co-founder and CEO of ThinkData Works.“As we celebrate this milestone, we remain steadfast in our mission to support global businesses in harnessing the power of their data for more effective decision-making.”

Canada’s Top Growing Companies is an editorial ranking that was launched in 2019. It aims to bring the accomplishments of innovative businesses in Canada to the forefront. In order to qualify for this voluntary program; companies had to complete an in-depth application process and fulfill requirements. In total, 425 companies earned a spot on this year’s ranking.

The full list of 2023 winners along with editorial coverage is published in the October issue of Report on Business magazine. The list is out now and online here.

“Canada's Top Growing Companies acknowledges the drive and ingenuity displayed by Canadian business," says Dawn Calleja, Editor of Report on Business magazine. “This year’s ranking serves as an inspiration for future business owners.”

“This year’s Report on Business magazine’s list of Top Growing Companies shows how innovative ideas always rise to the top, perhaps even more so in times of uncertainty,” says Andrew Saunders, CEO of The Globe and Mail. “The Globe and Mail congratulates this year’s winners for meeting and surpassing those economic challenges.”

About The Globe and Mail

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s foremost news media company, leading the national discussion and causing policy change through brave and independent journalism since 1844. With our award-winning coverage of business, politics and national affairs, The Globe and Mail newspaper reaches 6.2 million readers every week in our print or digital formats, and Report on Business magazine reaches 2.7 million readers in print and digital every issue. Our investment in innovative data science means that as the world continues to change, so does The Globe. The Globe and Mail is owned by Woodbridge, the investment arm of the Thomson family.

About ThinkData Works

Founded in 2014, ThinkData Works unlocks the value of data to grow your business. Purpose-built to handle the complexities of data variety, its unified cloud platform cuts overhead, fuels innovation, and drives revenue growth. It offers flexible data connections, an intuitive catalog interface, and secure tools to deliver data where it needs to be — inside or outside your organization. For more, visit ThinkData Works on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and its website.

Media inquiries:
Stephanie Yeoh
Talk Shop Media
stephanie.yeoh@talkshopmedia.com

Euna’s Budget Book Studio empowers public sector finance professionals to easily create and publish budget documents online

CHICAGO & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Euna Solutions™, a leading provider of purpose-built, cloud-based solutions for the public sector, today announced Budget Book Studio, a new feature within Euna Budget, powered by Questica. Budget Book Studio enables public sector finance professionals to quickly and easily create a stunning online budget book to share with their community.

The cloud-based Budget Book Studio feature allows governments of all sizes to create and publish their annual budget book with a single, easy-to-use editor. It allows teams to access, collaborate and contribute to all parts of the budget document with ease, while ensuring documents align with Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) standards and are fully Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. Budget Book Studio integrates directly with Euna Budget automating data entry and allowing for the published book to be updated if the budget changes at any point throughout the year. This functionality provides public sector finance professionals with the flexibility of developing a budget book before budgets are finalized.

“Today we’ve made strides toward our mission of supercharging the public sector with the tools they need to run more easily and connect with people,” said Tom Amburgey, Chief Executive Officer at Euna Solutions. “Budget Book Studio provides a streamlined and collaborative process for publishing budgets so our customers can remain focused on their priorities, removing the typical burdens related to administrative tasks that are generally associated with making budget books.”

Budget books designed for print are time-consuming, tedious and expensive and often require design skills that are generally not part of the scope of work of public sector finance professionals. Furthermore, having many people working together on a large document can lead to conflicts, confusion and human error. Budget Book Studio addresses these core challenges by enabling public sector finance professionals to easily create, collaborate and publish beautifully designed budget books online, improving visibility for stakeholders and empowering public sector finance professionals to save time and money. With its user-friendly turnkey editing interface, the cloud-based Budget Book Studio can be purchased as a feature within the OpenBook module of Euna Budget.

Key features of the Budget Book Studio include:

• User-friendly Editor: Drag and drop content, including charts and tables, pictures, maps and videos. Easily create beautiful layouts or use a pre-built template to present budget information - all mobile-friendly.
• Elevated Collaboration: Workflow and annotation tools allow contributors, reviewers and editors to collaborate seamlessly to take every part of the book from submission to approval.
• GFOA Compliant: Effortlessly meet GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award requirements, which ensure budget documents meet guidelines established by the National Advisory Council on State and Local Budgeting.
• Equitable Accessibility: All features of Euna Budget undergo rigorous testing by individuals with disabilities to align with third-party generated Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) versions and WCAG “AA” accessibility, making them compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For more information about Euna Budget, visit https://eunasolutions.com/solutions/budget/

About Euna Solutions

Euna Solutions is a leading provider of purpose-built, cloud-based solutions that power critical administrative functions and financial operations for the public sector. Formerly GTY Technology, Euna Solutions offers easy-to-use solutions for procurement, payments, grant management, budgeting, permitting and K-12 administration that are proven to increase operational efficiency, transparency, collaboration and compliance. Euna Solutions is a trusted partner to more than 2,000 government and public sector organizations across North America, empowering digital transformation and streamlining business processes through a relationship-centered, service-focused approach. Euna propels public sector progress. To learn more, visit www.eunasolutions.com.

Jodie Booras
Gabriel Marketing Group (for Euna Solutions)
Phone: (619) 564-9306
Email: jodieb@gabrielmarketing.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the 2023-2024 Michelle Lang Fellowship in Journalism.

The Michelle Lang Fellowship is awarded to a promising journalist at the beginning of their career, providing the opportunity to grow their skills in the profession and bolster their experience with a full year working in two of Canada’s busiest newsrooms. The Fellow will divide their year between stints working for the National Post and in Postmedia’s Calgary newsroom (Calgary Herald and Calgary Sun).

“The Michelle Lang Fellowship was created to honour a courageous and exemplary young journalist who paid the ultimate price while doing critical work. We are proud to honour her legacy with this fellowship, supporting and encouraging the next generation of journalists and to further Michelle’s legacy of investigative and human-interest journalism,” said Duncan Clark, Senior Vice President and Chief Content Officer, Postmedia.

The fellowship includes a special project which allows the recipient to focus on a topic of primary importance to Canadians. Their work on the project will contribute to a national conversation and allow the Fellow to become a subject expert on a topic deserving of wider attention. Special project topics explored by past Fellows have included: a searchable database of Canadian political campaign donations, the impacts of lack of internet access on children’s education in rural and low-income communities and Canada’s changing workforce.

The fellowship includes a salary for the year, with funding provided by Postmedia and the Michelle Lang Trust.

The fellowship was established in honour of Michelle Lang, an award-winning Calgary Herald journalist who was killed on December 30, 2009, along with four Canadian soldiers while covering the Canadian military’s operations in Afghanistan. She was the only Canadian journalist killed while reporting on the Afghan war.

The Fellowship is open to applicants from any educational background with strong writing and communication skills, a natural curiosity and a desire to effect change through journalism. To learn more and apply for the Michelle Lang Fellowship visit Postmedia’s Careers website. The deadline for entries is October 13, 2023, and the Fellowship is expected to begin in January 2024.

About Postmedia Network Inc.

Postmedia Network Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (TSX:PNC.A, PNC.B), is a Canadian newsmedia company representing more than 130 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 offers advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences Our expertise in home delivery and expanding distribution network powers Postmedia Parcel Services. For more information, visit: www.postmedia.com, www.postmediasolutions.com, and www.postmediaparcelservices.com.

For more information:
Phyllise Gelfand
Vice President of Communications
Postmedia Network
(647) 273-9287
pgelfand@postmedia.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia” or the “Company”) today announced that Mary Anne Lavallee, Postmedia’s Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer is stepping down from the role effective October 6, 2023, to pursue a new opportunity.

“Since joining Postmedia in 2014, Mary Anne has brought her passion, strategic insights and unwavering commitment to our company, its vision and our people. She has been fundamental in helping to drive our business forward,” said Andrew MacLeod, President and Chief Executive Officer, Postmedia. “The significant contributions Mary Anne has made to Postmedia’s transformation cannot be overstated. We are all grateful for her commitment and personally, it has been a great privilege to work alongside Mary Anne throughout the years. We all wish her the very best as she pursues an opportunity that is very close to her heart.”

“It has been an honour to work with the great people and teams at Postmedia,” said Mary Anne Lavallee. “I am so proud of the transformation work we have done and to see our teams aligned to a future-focused strategy. I continue to be inspired by the important work done across Postmedia’s 130 brands coast to coast, serving Canadians with journalism that matters and by a team of people deeply passionate about its future.”

Effective October 6, 2023, John Bode will be appointed Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer. A seasoned industry veteran and member of Postmedia’s Board of Directors since 2018, Mr. Bode has extensive experience in the publishing industry having served as Chief Operating Officer at ReaderLink Distribution Services, Chief Financial Officer at Tribune Publishing and serves as Director on McClatchy’s Board of Directors. Mr. Bode will step down from Postmedia’s Board in order to assume this role and will work closely with Ms. Lavallee to ensure a smooth transition.

“We didn’t have to look far to fill this important role,” said Mr. MacLeod. “John Bode has been a valuable member of our Board and we look forward to welcoming him to the executive management team. John brings an impressive wealth of expertise in our industry. With his deep understanding of Postmedia’s capital structure, operations and strategy, John is well-equipped to seamlessly move into the role and immediately continue our transformation momentum.”

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 newsmedia company representing more than 130 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 offers advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences Our expertise in home delivery and expanding distribution network powers Postmedia Parcel Services. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com, www.postmediasolutions.com and www.postmediaparcelservices.com.

Phyllise Gelfand
Vice President, Communications
(647) 273-9287
pgelfand@postmedia.com

BRAMPTON, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DATA Communications Management Corp. (TSX: DCM; OTCQX: DCMDF) (“DCM” or the “Company”), a leading provider of marketing and business communication solutions to companies across North America, today announced it has surpassed a new milestone in its sustainability efforts: the planting of one million trees worldwide through its partnership with PrintReleaf.

The PrintReleaf partnership, initiated in the fall of 2021, enables DCM to measure its paper consumption in real time via a patented software platform that calculates how many trees were harvested to produce that paper. Based on this calculation, PrintReleaf replants the equivalent number of trees in responsibly managed reforestation projects around the world designated for restoration and conservation.

“This is a significant milestone in our commitment to reducing our environment footprint while at the same time supporting our clients’ efforts to achieve their environmental goals,” said Richard Kellam, President & CEO, DCM. “I’m very proud of the progress we have made in less than two years since the launch of our reforestation program and our partnership with PrintReleaf.”

“It’s exciting to see partners like DCM reach such a major milestone,” said Jordan Darragh, founder and CEO, PrintReleaf. “We’re thrilled they’ve taken the initiative to work with us as a Platinum Channel Partner, and strive to be sustainable in their everyday business practices.”

In conjunction with today’s news, DCM announced plans to significantly expand its reforestation program by including the print facilities of recently acquired Moore Canada Corporation (“MCC”) in the PrintReleaf partnership. DCM will provide more details on the addition of MCC facilities in the near future.

The PrintReleaf partnership is part of DCM’s commitment to operate more sustainably and reduce environmental impact. This commitment includes the following targets:

• A 30% carbon footprint reduction by 2030 (net zero by 2050)
• 100% renewable energy by 2050
• A 10% annual reduction of solid waste
• Replanting more than 500,000 trees annually

See DCM’s reforestation dashboard

Scan the QR code attached or click https://printreleaf.com/DCM to view DCM’s PrintReleaf profile and see how many trees have been planted at each reforestation project.

ABOUT DATA COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT CORP.

DCM is a marketing and business communications partner that helps companies simplify the complex ways they communicate and operate, so they can accomplish more with fewer steps and less effort. DCM serves major brands in vertical markets including financial services, retail, healthcare, energy, other regulated industries, and the public sector. We integrate seamlessly into our clients’ businesses thanks to our deep understanding of their needs, transformative tech-enabled solutions, and end-to-end service offering. Whether we’re running technology platforms, sending marketing messages, or managing print workflows, our goal is to make everything surprisingly simple.

Additional information relating to DATA Communications Management Corp. is available on www.datacm.com, and in the disclosure documents filed by DATA Communications Management Corp. on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com.

ABOUT PRINTRELEAF

PrintReleaf helps companies meet their sustainability goals by automatically reforesting the equivalence of their paper consumption. The sustainability solution easily analyzes paper data in any format, making it a scalable solution for any sized company, and a quick value add-on for all end customer accounts. The patented PrintReleaf technology not only tracks paper consumption, but also monitors PrintReleaf reforestation partners to ensure fulfillment. Market-leading companies with a passion for the environment and a progressive concern for advancing environmental stewardship, together with their customers, rely on PrintReleaf to provide a nexus of partnerships involving forestry, technology, and business. Committing to meet sustainability goals wins new customers and is good for the planet and your bottom line. For more information, please visit http://www.printreleaf.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward looking” statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect DCM’s current views regarding future events and operating performance, are based on information currently available to DCM, and speak only as of the date of this press release.

These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and should not be read as guarantees that future performance or results will be achieved. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including that, as climate-related standards and disclosure requirements evolve, the quantitative Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and sustainability information we report may be deemed limited and inconsistent with commonly accepted or preferred standards, which may increase business risk, create reputational harm and a competitive disadvantage and that we may need to implement increasingly detailed data gathering, analysis and reporting to meet our ESG targets which may require significant investments that may materially affect our business, financial condition, liquidity and/or results of operations. Additional factors are discussed under the headings “Liquidity and capital resources” and “Risks and Uncertainties” in DCM’s management’s discussion and analysis, annual information form, and other publicly available disclosure documents, as filed by DCM on SEDAR (www.sedar.com).

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this presentation as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Unless required by applicable securities law, DCM does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Mr. Richard Kellam
President & Chief Executive Officer
DATA Communications Management Corp.
(905) 791-3151

Mr. James E. Lorimer
Chief Financial Officer
DATA Communications Management Corp.
(905) 791-3151
ir@datacm.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$LEBGQ #comics--In a significant move reinforcing its commitment to innovative digital publishing, Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (OTCQB: LEBGF) (FSE: D0T) (“Legible” / “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has been selected by Kartoon Studios, Inc. (“Kartoon Studios”) (NYSE AMERICAN: TOON) to publish and distribute in web and print Stan Lee's Workforce, created by Stan Lee himself, the legendary co-creator of Spider-Man, The Avengers, X-Men, and many other blockbuster franchises.

This deal expands Legible’s existing partnership with Kartoon Studios and further positions the Company as an emerging global publisher, with a growing catalogue of high-revenue content for its upcoming online Unbound membership service, as well as expansion of Legible’s print publishing arm.

Jon Ollwerther, Executive Vice President of Business Development at Kartoon Studios, commented, “Legible is a consummate partner to Kartoon Studios and as the publisher of Stan Lee Comics Legible already has deep knowledge of Stan Lee and his catalogue. They were the obvious choice to bring Stan Lee’s Workforce to readers around the world.”

The news follows the recent announcement that Stan Lee Universe (a joint venture between Kartoon Studios and POW!) selected Legible as a leading online eBook streaming platform and multimedia publisher to develop and distribute approximately 12 original comic book series based on never-before-seen Stan Lee creations. Legible subsequently appointed Stan Lee colleagues and aficionados, Batman Executive Producer Michael Uslan and his film industry innovator son David Uslan, as strategic advisors, and the Uslans’ insights and leadership in these initiatives will be invaluable as these dynamic and compelling projects unfold.

“Legible is the perfect partner for this creative digital innovation and will bring so much entertainment to existing and new Stan Lee fans worldwide,” said Michael Uslan. “Stan would have been so excited about this project as we amplify and grow his remarkable legacy to include a whole new generation.”

Kaleeg Hainsworth, CEO of Legible, stated, “We are honoured and thrilled to become the exclusive global publisher and distributor for this high-profile project. Legible is emerging as a major new publisher with high-value content. Stan Lee co-created unforgettable characters that are globally loved, and we look forward to making his extraordinary work accessible to fans new and old around the world by delivering next-generation multimedia enriched reading experiences.”

About Stan Lee

Stan Lee is one of the most prolific and legendary comic creators of all time. As Marvel's editor-in-chief, Stan "The Man" Lee helped create and build a universe of interlocking continuity, one where fans felt as if they could turn a street corner and run into a superhero from Spider-Man to the Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and more.

Stan went on to become Marvel’s editorial director and publisher in 1972, and was eventually named chairman emeritus. Among Stan’s many awards is the National Medal of Arts, awarded by President Bush in 2008, and the Disney Legends Award, received in 2017. He was also inducted into the comic industry’s Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.

About Kartoon Studios

Kartoon Studios (NYSE AMERICAN: TOON) is a global end-to-end creator, producer, distributor, marketer, and licensor of entertainment brands. The Company’s IP portfolio includes original animated content, including the Stan Lee brand, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal, on Kartoon Channel!, and a broad distribution platform, Rainbow Rangers, on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; the Netflix Original, Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, and more.

In 2022, Kartoon Studios acquired Canada’s WOW! Unlimited Media and made a strategic investment becoming the largest shareholder in Germany’s Your Family Entertainment AG (FRA: RTV), one of Europe’s leading distributors and broadcasters of high-quality programs for children and families.

The company’s wholly-owned digital distribution network, Toon Media Group, consists of Kartoon Channel!, Kartoon Channel! Worldwide, Frederator Network, and Ameba. Kartoon Channel! is a globally distributed entertainment platform with full penetration of the U.S. television market and international expansion underway with launches in key markets around the world, including Germany, India, Australia, New Zealand, Africa & Sub-Saharan Africa and more.

Kartoon Channel! and Ameba are available across multiple platforms, including Apple iOS, Apple TV, Android Mobile, Android TVWeb, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Fire, Roku, Pluto TV, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling TV, Tubi, Xumo, Samsung and LG Smart TVs, and YouTube. Frederator Network owns and operates the largest global animation network on YouTube, with channels featuring over 2000 exclusive creators and influencers, garnering on average over a billion views every month.

For additional information, please visit www.kartoonstudios.com

About Legible Inc.

Legible Inc. is a book entertainment and media company with a mission: millions of books for billions of readers, globally. Legible provides innovative eReading experiences to anyone anywhere with an internet-enabled device. Legible has developed multiple high-value verticals: a browser-based, mobile-first B2C eBook entertainment platform delivering a global online bookstore, streaming about 2 million eBooks in a reading system for the emerging web with high-growth potential called Legible.com; and a global B2B eBook conversion and production service with high revenue potential called Legible Publishing. Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and gaining market share through innovative, 21st century publishing and global reading experiences, and embraces core values of sustainability, accessibility, and global literacy.

Please visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life.

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, our ability to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; the potential issuance of a significant number of shares, which will dilute our equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

KARTOON STUDIOS MEDIA:
pr@kartoonstudios.com

KARTOON STUDIOS INVESTOR RELATIONS:
ir@kartoonstudios.com

LEGIBLE MEDIA AND IR:
Deborah Harford
EVP, Global Strategic Partnerships
Email: invest@legible.com
Website: https://invest.legible.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$LEBGQ--Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (OTCQB: LEBGF) (FSE: D0T) ("Legible” or the “Company"), a leading innovator in digital reading and entertainment, and an emerging global publisher, is honoured to announce the appointment of Mr. Vyomesh Joshi as a Strategic Advisor to the Company. Mr. Joshi brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of driving innovation and growth in technology companies, making him a valuable addition to the Legible team.

With over three decades of experience in the technology sector, Mr. Joshi, widely known as "VJ", has held executive leadership positions at some of the world's most prominent technology firms. VJ’s extensive background includes serving as Executive Vice President of Fortune 100 tech company Hewlett Packard (HP)’s Imaging and Printing Group, which generated one-fifth of global HP revenue and one-third of global HP profits. He has also served as President and CEO for four years at 3D Systems, for seven years as a board member at Yahoo!, and as a director for Wipro, a leading IT and communications firm, and L3Harris.

"We are excited to welcome Vyomesh Joshi as a Strategic Advisor," said Kaleeg Hainsworth, CEO of Legible. "VJ's deep understanding of technology trends, business strategy, and customer-centric approaches aligns perfectly with Legible's mission to revolutionize how people interact with digital content."

In his role as a Strategic Advisor, Mr. Joshi will collaborate closely with Legible's executive team providing strategic insights, guidance on market positioning, and opportunities for product innovation. His vast industry knowledge and network are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Legible's future growth strategies and enhancing its position as an industry leader.

"I am honoured to join the Legible team as a Strategic Advisor," Vyomesh Joshi commented. "Legible has already made significant strides in redefining how the next generation will use technology to read, and I look forward to contributing to their continued success."

This strategic collaboration comes at a time when Legible is preparing to launch numerous revenue streams in its expanding role as a leading digital entertainment disruptor and innovator.

About Legible Inc.

Legible is a book entertainment and media company with a mission to provide access to millions of books to billions of readers, globally. Legible provides innovative eReading experiences to anyone, anywhere, with an internet-enabled device. Legible has developed two high-value verticals: a browser-based, mobile-first B2C eBook entertainment platform delivering a global online bookstore and reading system for the emerging web with high-growth potential called Legible.com; and a global B2B eBook conversion and production service with high revenue potential called Legible Publishing. Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and poised to gain market share through innovative, 21st-century publishing and enriched global reading experiences.

Please visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This Press Release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information (“forward-looking statements”), including statements regarding Legible’s business. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Legible's control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, currency fluctuations, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although Legible believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward- looking information. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward- looking information, as no assurance can be provided as to future results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date of this document and, except as required by applicable law, Legible does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

Contact Legible:
Deborah Harford
EVP, Global Strategic Partnerships
1 (672) 514-2665
(CSE: READ) (OTCQB: LEBGF) (FSE: D0T)
Email: invest@legible.com
Website: https://invest.legible.com

BENGALURU, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#InflammatoryDiseases--Stempeutics, a leader in allogeneic cellular medicines for inflammatory diseases, announced the publication of the Knee OA Phase 3 trial results in the premier journal, the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM). The results of the randomized, double-blind, controlled study in 146 patients showed that single injection of Stempeucel-OA (bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells) significantly improved WOMAC total score compared with the placebo group at 6 and 12 months, and also significantly improved WOMAC pain, stiffness, and physical function sub-scores as well as VAS scores at 6 and 12 months. MRI T2 mapping showed no worsening of deep cartilage in the medial femorotibial compartment of the knee in the Stempeucel-OA group at the 12-month follow-up, whereas in the placebo group, there was significant and gradual worsening of cartilage.

Details of the Phase 3 study can be accessed in the paper published: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/03635465231180323

Professor Dr Vivek Pandey, MS (Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India), who was part of Phase 3 clinical trial, said, “We are encouraged by the study data at one year follow up that indicate the potential of allogeneic cellular therapy to address the major areas of unmet need in Knee Osteoarthritis in young patients where conventional treatments provide only temporary pain relief and do not alter the disease course. Stempeucel®-OA, based on the Phase 3 trial data at one-year follow-up, has the potential to provide best-in-class pain reduction, improve stiffness, improves physical function, improve quality of life, and has the potential to regenerate/maintain cartilage and stall further disease progression for Grade 2 & Grade 3 Osteoarthritis patients based on the Kellgren and Lawrence radiographic criteria.”

“These provocative results may usher in new directions for the field of cell-based regenerative therapies in the coming decade,” stated Dr Nikhil Verma, MD (Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois), who made a poster presentation at American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine Conference at Colorado Springs, US in 2022. Stempeutics has analysed the potency of Stempeucel-OA by their ability to secrete pro-chondrogenic factors such as TSP-2. As osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease associated with the loss of cartilage, we believe that the presence of these molecules in the secretome of MSCs affects the clinical outcome. TSP-2 is an extracellular matrix protein that plays a major role in determining the chondrogenic differentiation potential of MSCs and stimulates the differentiation of endogenous chondroprogenitor cells.

Dr Pawan Gupta, President, Medical & Regulatory Affairs, Stempeutics, said, "The Stempeucel-OA product is developed from Stempeucel® Technology, i.e. Bone Marrow-Derived, Cultured Pooled, Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells. We have administered Stempeucel-OA using ultrasound guidance and used T2 mapping MRI techniques to assess the quality of articular cartilage. We are delighted to see statistically significant data on our primary endpoint, i.e., the change from baseline to one year in the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Composite Index score compared to the placebo arm.”

Stempeutics Media Contact:
BN Manohar
Mobile No: +91-9945630983
Email id: manohar@stempeutics.com

BRAMPTON, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DATA Communications Management Corp. (TSX: DCM; OTCQX: DCMDF) (“DCM” or the "Company"), a leading provider of marketing and business communication solutions to companies across North America, is pleased to report continued momentum in the second quarter of 2023 with revenue up +74.7%, and gross profit up +56.7%, compared to the second quarter of 2022, respectively. Year over year growth is primarily driven by the acquisition of Moore Canada Corporation ("MCC"). The combined business achieved growth from expansion revenue with existing clients, new client wins, and continuing progress passing raw material increases on to our customers.

SECOND QUARTER 2023 HIGHLIGHTS - BUILDING A BIGGER BUSINESS

• Revenue for the second quarter of 2023 was up +74.7%, or +$50.9 million, vs. Q2 year ago (YA), for total revenues of $119.0 million. This revenue growth is primarily driven by additional revenues from the acquisition of MCC;
• Gross profit accelerated +56.7%, or +$11.6 million for a total of $32.0 million; Gross profit margin was 26.9% for the second quarter of 2023 vs. 30.0% YA. As expected, the lower average gross margins of MCC contributed to a lower overall gross margin. Planned initiatives to drive synergies and optimize our operational footprint are already in action, and are expected to improve consolidated gross margins;
• Adjusted EBITDA¹ increased +48.6% compared to last year, and was $13.8 million or 11.6% of revenue vs. $9.3 million or 13.7% of revenues YA. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues declined due to the lower average gross margins of MCC;
• One-time adjustments recorded of $3.8 million in costs related to the acquisition and integration of MCC and restructuring costs of $2.7 million for the quarter;
• Total net debt at the end of the second quarter of 2023 was $93.6 million (total debt less cash on hand), down more than 30% since closing the MCC acquisition. During the second quarter of 2023, DCM financed 100% of the MCC with debt, and subsequently made repayments totaling $60.4 million, of which $24.5 million related to the Bank Credit Facility, $23.1 million to the Real Estate Bridge Loan, $6.1 million to repaying in full the FPD IV and FPD V term loans, and the remaining balance was applied towards regular principal repayments on term loans.

^{____________________________
1} Note: EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted net income (loss) and Adjusted net income (loss) as a percentage of revenues are not earnings measures recognized by International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), do not have any standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS and might not be comparable to similar financial measures disclosed by other issuers. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted net income (loss) and Adjusted net income (loss) as a percentage of revenues should not be construed as alternatives to net income (loss) determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of DCM’s performance. For a description of the composition of EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted net income (loss) and Adjusted net income (loss) as a percentage of revenues, why we believe such measures are useful to investors and how we use those measures in our business, together with a quantitative reconciliation of net income (loss) to EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted net income (loss), respectively, see the information under the heading “Non-IFRS Measures” and the information set forth on Table 2 and Table 3.

SECOND QUARTER 2023 OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS – BUILDING A BETTER BUSINESS

• On April 24, 2023, DCM closed the acquisition of MCC for a total cash purchase price of $130.8 million. During the quarter, the total post-closing working capital adjustments to the purchase price were $4.9 million for a total cash purchase price of $135.8 million. MCC is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of DCM. The acquisition was funded through a revolving, floating rate credit facility from a Canadian chartered bank, which includes up to $90 million of revolving credit capacity; a $30 million floating rate term loan facility from the bank; and a new $50 million fixed rate credit facility from Fiera Private Debt.
• DCM commenced planned initiatives to drive organizational synergies. Restructuring expenses of $2.7 million were recorded in connection with a reduction in the size of our combined team by approximately 30 associates. On an annualized basis, we expect savings of approximately $4.2 million from this initiative.
• On May 25, 2023, DCM completed a private placement ("Offering") of common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”), and issued 8,707,200 Common Shares at a price per share of $3.00 for gross proceeds of $26.1 million (or $24.2 million after closing costs). In connection with the Offering, the Company issued to the Agents broker warrants enabling them to acquire up to 261,216 Common Shares at a price of $3.1627 per share.
• On June 8, 2023, DCM entered into a sale and leaseback of its Oshawa, Ontario warehouse facility, acquired as part of the Company's acquisition of MCC. The sale generated $24.1 million in gross proceeds ($23.1 million in net proceeds). As DCM intends to use the Oshawa facility, the Company entered into a ten-year lease agreement with options to extend the lease term for a total additional term of up to ten years. The lease term also includes a capital improvement allowance of $1.5 million.

MANAGEMENT COMMENTARY

“We’d like to remind shareholders that we closed the MCC acquisition on April 24, 2023, and the results we are reporting include the combined results of our DCM business and MCC’s operations for one week in April, plus the months of May and June, so not quite a full quarter,” said Richard Kellam, CEO and President of DCM.

“Gross profit as a percentage of revenue for the second quarter of 2023 exceeded our expectations. The opportunity to enhance MCC profit margins was one of the key aspects of our acquisition deal logic and we have a clear plan in place to return our combined gross profit margins to pre-acquisition levels.”

“Another key element in our deal logic was MCC’s relatively lower SG&A expenses as a percentage of revenues, and we expect this will contribute to our objectives of zero and even negative overhead growth going forward.”

“We are making great progress on our integration strategy led by our combined Commercial team, whose collaborative efforts are delivering strong results including contract renewals, new business wins, and a growing pipeline. We are very optimistic we will deliver on our revenue plan and of exceeding our targeted 5% annual revenue growth rate.”

“We remain on track to achieve our targeted total annualized post-merger synergies in the range of $25 - $30 million over the next 18 - 24 months and have already announced $4.2 million of this target has been achieved to date. We are moving forward with plans to optimize our operational footprint and announced our decision during the quarter to close our plants in Edmonton, Alberta and Fergus, Ontario and to transfer production to other facilities in our network.”

“In the procurement area, our team is well on track to deliver anticipated savings by harmonizing our purchasing activities and leveraging our expanded scale to secure more favorable pricing for raw materials. We’ll report back on anticipated savings from these initiatives in the coming quarters.”

SECOND QUARTER 2023 EARNINGS CALL

The Company will host a conference call and webcast on Friday, August 11, 2023, at 9.00 a.m. Eastern time. Mr. Kellam, and James Lorimer, CFO, will present the second quarter 2023 results followed by a live Q&A period.

Instructions on how to access both the webcast and telephone call are available below. For those unable to join live, a replay of the webcast will be available on the DCM Investor Relations page.

DCM will be using Microsoft Teams to broadcast our earnings call, which will be accessible via the options below:

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 294 185 849 646
Passcode: fLoJbK

Or call in (audio only)
+1 647-749-9154,,643054499# Canada, Toronto
Phone Conference ID: 643 054 499#

The Company’s full results will be posted on its Investor Relations page and on www.sedar.com. A video message from Mr. Kellam will also be posted on the Company’s website.

TABLE 1 The following table sets out selected historical consolidated financial information for the periods noted.

TABLE 2 The following table provides reconciliations of net (loss) income to EBITDA and of net (loss) income to Adjusted EBITDA for the periods noted.

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA reconciliation

TABLE 3 The following table provides reconciliations of net (loss) income to Adjusted net income and a presentation of Adjusted net income per share for the periods noted.

Adjusted net income reconciliation

About DATA Communications Management Corp.

DCM is a marketing and business communications partner that helps companies simplify the complex ways they communicate and operate, so they can accomplish more with fewer steps and less effort. For over 60 years, DCM has been serving major brands in vertical markets including financial services, retail, healthcare, energy, other regulated industries, and the public sector. We integrate seamlessly into our clients’ businesses thanks to our deep understanding of their needs, transformative tech-enabled solutions, and end-to-end service offering. Whether we’re running technology platforms, sending marketing messages, or managing print workflows, our goal is to make everything surprisingly simple.

Additional information relating to DATA Communications Management Corp. is available on www.datacm.com, and in the disclosure documents filed by DATA Communications Management Corp. on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) at www.sedar.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking” statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect DCM’s current views regarding future events and operating performance, are based on information currently available to DCM, and speak only as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such performance or results will be achieved. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The principal factors, assumptions and risks that DCM made or took into account in the preparation of these forward-looking statements, and which could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, include: our operating results are sensitive to economic conditions, which can have a significant impact on us, and uncertain economic conditions may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition; our ability to successfully integrate the DCM and Moore Canada Corporation (“MCC”) businesses and realize anticipated benefits from the combination of those businesses, including revenue and profitability growth from an enhanced offering of products and services, larger customer base and cost reductions from synergies; there is limited growth in the traditional printing business, which may impact our ability to grow our sales or even maintain historical levels of sales of printed business and marketing communications materials; competition from competitors supplying similar products and services, some of whom have greater economic resources than us and are well established suppliers; increases in the cost of, and supply constraints related to, paper, ink and other raw material inputs used by DCM, as well as increases in freight costs, may adversely impact the availability of raw materials and our production, revenues and profitability; our ability to meet our revenue, profitability and debt reduction targets; our ability to comply with our financial covenants under our credit facilities or to obtain financial covenant waivers from our lenders if necessary; our ability to complete the proposed sales and leasebacks of certain properties and substantially reduce our bank term loan and total indebtedness; we may not be successful in obtaining capital to fund our business plans on satisfactory terms (or at all), including, without, limitation, with respect to investments in digital innovation (such as the development and successful marketing and sale of new digital capabilities), and capital expenditures; all of our outstanding indebtedness under our bank credit facility is subject to floating interest rates, and therefore is subject to fluctuations in interest rates, an increase of which would increase our borrowing costs. Additional factors are discussed elsewhere in this press release and under the headings "Liquidity and capital resources" and “Risks and Uncertainties” in DCM’s management’s discussion and analysis and in DCM’s other publicly available disclosure documents, as filed by DCM on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Unless required by applicable securities law, DCM does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

NON-IFRS MEASURES

This press release includes certain non-IFRS measures as supplementary information. Except as otherwise noted, when used in this press release, EBITDA means earnings before interest and finance costs, taxes, depreciation and amortization and Adjusted EBITDA means EBITDA adjusted for restructuring expenses, integration costs, acquisition costs and the net fair value (gains) losses on financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss for restricted share units ("RSUs") and deferred shared units ("DSUs"). Adjusted net income (loss) means net income (loss) adjusted for restructuring expenses, acquisition costs, integration costs, net fair value (gains) losses on financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss for RSUs and DSUs and the tax effects of those items. Adjusted net income (loss) per share (basic and diluted) is calculated by dividing Adjusted net income (loss) for the period by the weighted average number of common shares of DCM (basic and diluted) outstanding during the period. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues means Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenues and Adjusted net income (loss) as a percentage of revenues means Adjusted net income (loss) divided by revenues, in each case for the same period. In addition to net income (loss), DCM uses non-IFRS measures and ratios, including Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, Adjusted net income (loss) as a percentage of revenues, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues to provide investors with supplemental measures of DCM’s operating performance and thus highlight trends in its core business that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. DCM also believes that securities analysts, investors, rating agencies and other interested parties frequently use non-IFRS measures in the evaluation of issuers. DCM’s management also uses non-IFRS measures in order to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period, prepare annual operating budgets and assess its ability to meet future debt service, capital expenditure and working capital requirements. Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not earnings measures recognized by IFRS and do not have any standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. Therefore, Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, Adjusted net income (loss) as a percentage of revenues, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues are unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers.

Investors are cautioned that Adjusted net income (loss), Adjusted net income (loss) per share, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as alternatives to net income (loss) determined in accordance with IFRS as an indicator of DCM’s performance. For a reconciliation of net income (loss) to EBITDA, a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA, reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted net income (loss) and a presentation of Adjusted net income (loss) per share, see Table 2 and Table 3 above.

For further information, contact
Mr. Richard Kellam
President and Chief Executive Officer
DATA Communications Management Corp.
Tel: (905) 791-3151

Mr. James E. Lorimer
Chief Financial Officer
DATA Communications Management Corp.
Tel: (905) 791-3151
ir@datacm.com

Annual report highlights trends in student buying habits and course material delivery models

RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--New data shows that students saved nearly $70 million during the 2022-23 school year through VitalSource-powered day-one course materials access programs, almost $20 million more than the previous year. The new data was released as part of VitalSource’s latest Annual Course Materials Report, a snapshot of higher education market trends, course material delivery model adoption, and student buying habits. The data was collected anonymously from VitalSource’s content management and learning platform services.

View the 2023 report here.

“While the course materials landscape has changed, our longstanding core belief at VitalSource has not: giving students convenient, affordable learning materials results in success across campus,” said Kent Freeman, Chief Executive Officer for VitalSource. “As long-time leaders in the course materials market, this report aims to share our insights on the state of the market with our partners and industry leaders.”

Day-one access programs like Inclusive Access (IA) and the newer Equitable Access (EA) provide students with access to their course materials by the first day of class through the campus Learning Management System (LMS). IA programs function on a course-by-course basis, and the EA model provides every student, regardless of their major, with all of their required learning materials for the entire term for one low, flat rate.

VitalSource’s Annual Course Materials Report documents how low etext prices helped fuel nearly $70 million dollars in student savings through IA and EA programs last year. Between courseware and etext, the average student savings off the digital list price was 23%.

Other key findings highlighted in the report include:

• For the first time, students purchased more digital course materials than used print. Sales of digital materials have grown steadily over the last decade, from 1% of the market in 2013 to 26% in 2023. Combined, new and digital sales represent two-thirds of the market compared to used/rental materials.
• The learning management system (LMS) is becoming a critical point of sale. The number of students purchasing their materials directly through their LMS more than doubled in the last year, and approximately half of LMS-based purchases are digital.
• Inclusive Access (IA) opt-out rates have leveled off - but students are still highly influenced by convenience. When access codes are required, opt-out rates are six times higher than when no code is required for purchase.
• The emerging evidence on Equitable Access (EA) is compelling. Powered by VitalSource, Appalachian State’s award-winning, digital-first textbook program features a 99% participation rate and saved students more than $5 million in the last year alone by offering a per-semester cost hundreds of dollars below the North Carolina system average ($260 vs. $1,100).

The report notes that many campuses run IA programs for several years before expanding to EA. While EA adoption is currently growing at a faster rate in the non-independent campus store sector, the success of trailblazing programs like those at Appalachian State University and one at the University of California, Davis have laid the groundwork for how EA can work on independent store campuses.

A longtime leader in the education industry, VitalSource’s products and technologies, including the leading learning platform, Bookshelf^®, are used by more than 18 million learners worldwide every year. Verba by VitalSource powers more than 300 independent college stores with a suite of industry leading products that has grown to meet the changing needs of campus stores. Earlier this year, VitalSource acquired Akademos, advancing its mission to make learning accessible and affordable for students everywhere, and solidifying VitalSource’s position as a leading curriculum delivery and learning platform provider.

To download the Annual Course Materials Report, click here. To learn more about VitalSource, visit https://get.vitalsource.com.

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 thousands of 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.

Erin McCarthy
press@vitalsource.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and CBC/Radio-Canada (“the applicants”) have applied to Canada’s Competition Bureau to investigate Meta’s abuse of its dominant position, as evidenced by its decision to block news content from its digital platforms in Canada.

Meta’s practices are clearly designed to discipline Canadian news companies, prevent them from participating in and accessing the advertising market, and significantly reduce their visibility to Canadians on social media channels. Meta’s anticompetitive conduct, which has attracted the attention of regulators around the world, will strengthen its already dominant position in advertising and social media distribution and harm Canadian journalism.

Through Facebook and Instagram, which together account for more than 70 per cent of the online social media market in Canada, Meta effectively has substantial control over access to Canadian news.

The applicants ask the Competition Bureau to use its investigative and prosecutorial tools to protect competition and prohibit Meta from continuing to block Canadians’ access to news content. The applicants also request that Meta refrain from discriminating, by algorithm or by any other means, against content from Canadian news organizations on its digital platforms accessible in Canada.

Key takeaways from the application

“Through its decision to block news content from its digital platforms, Meta seeks to impair Canadian news organizations’ ability to compete effectively in the news publishing and online advertising markets.”

“Canada is not the first country where web giants like Meta have attempted to leverage their dominant positions through the blocking strategy Meta is employing in Canada. This type of blocking strategy or other means to unilaterally dictate the rules of the game are widespread and can be seen on a global scale.”

“Meta’s conduct will inevitably diminish Canadian news consumers’ exposure to news content and the volume of traffic to Canadian news organizations’ websites, thereby impairing their ability to compete for revenue from online advertising and from their readers.”

“If Meta is allowed to proceed unchecked, it could inflict significant damage to Canadian news organizations’ ability to offer quality news services to Canadians, which is critical to the functioning of a free and democratic society.”

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.

About the Canadian Association of Broadcasters
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) is the national voice of Canada’s private broadcasters, representing the vast majority of Canadian programming services including private radio and TV stations, networks, and specialty, pay and pay-per-view services.

About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada's trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

Paul Deegan
President and CEO
News Media Canada
416-923-3567
pdeegan@newsmediacanada.ca

Lesley LeRoux
Manager, Communications
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
613-690‑6001
communications@cab-acr.ca

Leon Mar
Director, Media Relations and Issues Management | Corporate Spokesperson
CBC/Radio-Canada
647-616-5768
leon.mar@cbc.ca