VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$TBRD--Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. (TSXV: TBRD, OTCQX: THBRF) (Thunderbird or the Company), a global award-winning, full service multiplatform production, distribution and rights management company, today announced that Thunderbird’s President and CEO, Jennifer Twiner McCarron, along with senior management, will participate virtually in the following investment conferences in March.

Thunderbird’s senior management will also be available for one-on-one meetings at designated conferences. Webcasts, when available and where applicable, can be viewed through the events section on the Company’s website.

LD Micro Conference
Date: March 9, 2021
Time: 8:00 a.m. PT/11:00 a.m. ET
Webcast: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AFQakUImRaiMjk1EwQHwgg
Website: www.ldmicro.com/

The Virtual 33rd Annual Roth Conference
Date: March 15-17, 2021
Time: Flexible (pre-recorded presentation)
Webcast: https://wsw.com/webcast/roth35/tbrd/1825596
Website: www.roth.com/Page/Corporate-Access-Conferences

International Investment Afternoon - Women in Leadership
Date: March 17, 2021
Time: 7:00 a.m. PT/10:00 a.m. ET
Webcast: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_H6yKtvRKTACu3tyvdFYiKQ
Website: www.dealgateway.com/events/

The Lytham Partners Spring 2021 Investor Conference
Date: March 30 – April 1, 2021
Webcast: https://thunderbird.tv/events/
Website: https://lythampartners.com/virtual/spring2021/

Thunderbird’s Jennifer Twiner McCarron will also be participating in the following events in honour of International Women’s Day:

OTCQX Market Open on International Women's Day
Ms. Twiner McCarron will join inspiring female leaders of OTCQX traded companies, such as Janet Silveria (CEO of Community Bank of Santa Maria), Melinda Rombouts (CEO of Eve & Co), and Janet Lee-Sheriff (CEO of Golden Predator Mining) to celebrate the Market Open.
Date: March 8, 2021
Time: Market Open (6:30 a.m. PT/9:30 a.m. E T)
Website: www.otcmarkets.com/

The C-Suite at The Open (TSX, TSXV)
Ms. Twiner McCarron will be featured in a March video series intended to shine a spotlight on female leaders on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV).
Date: March 2021
Website: www.tsx.com/listings/tsx-and-tsxv-issuer-resources/c-suite-at-the-open

About Thunderbird Entertainment Group

Thunderbird Entertainment Group is a global award-winning, full-service multiplatform production, distribution and rights management company, headquartered in Vancouver, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Ottawa. Thunderbird creates award-winning scripted, unscripted, and animated programming for the world’s leading digital platforms, as well as Canadian and international broadcasters. Thunderbird’s vision is to produce high quality, socially responsible content that makes the world a better place. The Company develops, produces, and distributes animated, factual, and scripted content through its various divisions, including Thunderbird Kids and Family (Atomic Cartoons), and Thunderbird Factual and Scripted (Great Pacific Media). The Company also has a division dedicated to global distribution and consumer products. Thunderbird is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @tbirdent. For more information, visit: www.thunderbird.tv.

Thunderbird’s Investor Relations Contact:
Glen Akselrod, Bristol Capital
Phone: + 1 905 326 1888 ext 1
Email: glen@bristolir.com

Thunderbird’s Media Relations Contact:
Julia Smith, Finch Media
Phone: +1 604 803 0897
Email: julia@finchmedia.net

RenovationFind has extended its campaign on FrontFundr to accommodate interested investors who missed the last deadline

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With a vision to scale their business across the country, the Edmonton-based tech start-up RenovationFind offered private investment and ownership opportunities through a Front Fundr campaign. The initial goal was to raise $750,000 to assist with their growth.

"We reached our initial goal to raise $750,000 for our first campaign on FrontFundr but had a lot of contractors and homeowners that are involved with RenovationFind interested in investing, and they had missed the deadline," said Keith Riley, Founder and CEO of RenovationFind. "We decided to run a second campaign to give them that opportunity to invest and become part owners of the company."

The second campaign launched today March 4, 2021.

RenovationFind.com is a directory of home improvement contractors that have gone through a third-party certification process.

For homeowners, the directory provides trusted and qualified companies for their home projects. With the background checks complete, homeowners can find a contractor without the worry of being scammed.

For contractors, RenovationFind offers a certification program that allows them to build a brand of trust. They also receive digital marketing services to help them promote their business and grow an online presence.

"We created RenovationFind to fill a major gap in the home improvement industry. We wanted to help protect homeowners from bad contractors and promote the good companies that deserve the business. Most directories online are based on consumer reviews, which are not always reliable. RenovationFind is a data-driven website that is win-win for both parties," said Riley.

The business model has proved successful. RenovationFind has had steady growth since its launch in 2014. It saw growth in 2020, despite the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The funds raised will go towards sales, marketing, and development. RenovationFind has passed the $1 million annual recurring revenue (ARR). The tech company’s ambition is to reach $70-$100 million ARR in the Canadian market. The $750,000 and additional funds raised during the second campaign will help achieve this goal.

"The excitement and interest in being a part of our company are very encouraging. We really appreciate the support from our RenovationFind Certified contractors and homeowners, and we're looking forward to the journey that lies ahead," said Riley.

For an investment as little as $500, anyone can become a shareholder in RenovationFind.com through the FrontFundr campaign - https://www.frontfundr.com/renovationfind

Details of the offering can be found in the offering document at FrontFundr.com. This communication is for informational purposes only.

RenovationFind.com is a free online directory of trades, contractors, and renovation companies that have passed a stringent screening and certification process. All companies listed on RenovationFind's directory have been vetted and are continually monitored on seven essential criteria, including legal background checks, credit background checks, Better Business Bureau (BBB) membership, business license, business insurance, and Workers Compensation Board (WCB) Coverage.

FrontFundr is Canada's leading online private markets investing platform and an exempt market dealer. It provides startups and growth companies access to capital and gives investors access to private companies they believe in and want to support. It provides a community of over 20,000 investors with the ability to review and complete private placements on one digital platform. The company's revolutionary technology allows users across Canada to invest in innovative growth businesses in under 12 minutes, starting from as little as $250. To date, it has helped more than 50 companies raise over $50 million.

Keith Riley
Phone: 1-800-576-8998 Email: info@renovationfind.com

Canada’s General Counsel of the Year and Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers Strengthens Distinguished Board Roster

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#advisoryboard--Alexa Translations, a leader in translation services for the legal and financial industries, today announced the addition of Simon A. Fish to its Board of Advisors. Simon is one of Canada’s most esteemed legal professionals with over 30 years of international experience that spans corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities, transaction structuring and ESG.

Simon is currently Special Advisor to the CEO of BMO Financial Group where he is responsible for leading the development of the bank’s sustainability and climate change strategy and advising on the bank’s environmental and social risk management, external disclosure, engagement, and environmental, social and governance matters. He first joined BMO in 2008 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel and previously served as General Counsel at Vale and Royal Dutch Shell. He has also practiced corporate and securities law with Dechert LLP.

Among many other notable achievements, Simon has been named Canada’s General Counsel of the Year, has been listed among Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers and is included among the Legal 500’s GC PowerList. He has also been recognized as a Catalyst Canada Honours Champion for his work in advancing the role of women in the workplace. Simon is also on the board of SSR Mining Inc., where he chairs the Nominating & Governance Committee and serves on the Compensation Committee. He also serves as director of the Chicago based environmental advocacy think-tank Environmental Law & Policy Centre and is a former director of the Canadian Centre for Ethics & Corporate Policy. Simon is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, the Washington College of Law and Harvard Business School.

“We could not be more delighted to have Simon join our advisory board. He brings a breadth of knowledge and experience that aligns perfectly with our corporate strategic objectives,” said Gary Kalaci, CEO of Alexa Translations. “As one of Canada’s most pre-eminent legal experts, he will undoubtedly play an important role in guiding the growth of Alexa Translations for 2021 and beyond.”

“Alexa Translations’ market leadership position and strong focus on growth makes it an exciting time to join the company,” said Fish. “I look forward to bringing my experience in the legal, financial and resources sectors to the board.”

For more information on Alexa Translations’ Board of Advisors, please visit: alexatranslations.com/board-of-advisors

About Alexa Translations
Alexa Translations provides award-winning translation services and artificial intelligence language solutions for the world’s largest and most prestigious legal and financial industries. Since its founding, Alexa Translations has been a trusted translation partner that provides consistent, quality translation services to help clients meet their business goals. Alexa's translators are professional and certified subject matter experts with specific expertise and in-depth industry knowledge.

For media inquiries:
Mark Vecchiarelli
Vice President of Marketing
mark.vecchiarelli@alexatranslations.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--82% of Canadians believe it’s time for the federal government to take action and force social media giants Google and Facebook to pay Canadian news publishers for their content, and ensure fair negotiations so that publishers get their fair share of online advertising revenue. As well, according to the poll, 70% of Canadians now believe Google and Facebook have become too powerful.

The finding comes from a new poll conducted by Leger Opinion for News Media Canada.¹

The poll also shows that support for tough action spans the political spectrum. More than 80% of supporters of the Liberals, Conservatives, NDP and the BQ believe it’s time for the federal government to act.

The broad support for action is driven by a concern that Canada’s news industry is in a precarious state. According to the poll, 62% of Canadians are worried about the loss of Canadian news publishers. Asked why they are so concerned, 73% fear a loss of reliable national news, while 63% worry about a loss of reliable news and information about their community.

News Media Canada has issued a report, “Levelling the Digital Playing Field,” urging the Canadian government to act, using Australian legislation as the model. It would allow Canadian publishers to band together and negotiate collectively with Google and Facebook and would level penalties on the web giants if they don’t comply.

The poll indicates a strong majority agree that it’s time for the federal government to act.

https://www.levellingthedigitalplayingfield.ca/

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.

__________________
¹ The poll was conducted by Leger Opinion between January 22-24. The online poll surveyed 1,000 Canadians and is accurate +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20.

John Hinds, President and CEO, News Media Canada, jhinds@newsmediacanada.ca

Morneau Shepell’s Mental Health Index™ shows that Britons’ mental health score continues to be challenged almost a year into the pandemic

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morneau Shepell, a leading provider of total wellbeing, mental health and digital mental health services, today released its monthly Mental Health Index™ report, revealing a negative mental health score among Britons for the tenth consecutive month. The Mental Health Index™ score for January is -13.3, indicating a continuation of the decline in mental health compared to the pre-2020 benchmark and a moderate decrease from December (-12.8).

Britons’ low mental health score is due in part to continued struggles with psychological health. The sub-score for psychological health recently reached its lowest point since the inception of the Index™. This indicates that people are starting to see themselves as less mentally healthy, not just having a temporary feeling of anxiety or distress.

“Prolonged nationwide lockdowns continue to amplify the stressors that individuals are facing across the United Kingdom,” said Philip Mullen, managing director, U.K. and Europe. “While we have seen periods of both improvements and declines in mental wellbeing throughout the year, it’s clear that a mental health crisis is still underway as the national mental health score is now approaching the lowest scores observed at the outset of the pandemic. A persistent decline in psychological health has the potential to significantly impact organisations’ bottom line in the short and longer term, and it is imperative that employers focus resources and communications on employees’ wellbeing to ensure they feel supported, engaged and well-equipped to cope with the pandemic-driven fatigue.”

Similarly, financial stress and economic uncertainty continue to threaten the mental health of Britons, with stable employment critical to offsetting poorer mental wellbeing. The research found that individuals with reduced salaries during the pandemic reported the lowest mental health score (-23.3), followed by those who reported fewer hours when compared to the prior month (-20.9) and those not currently employed (-18.1).

Young Britons changing priorities to focus on mental health

As Britons continue to manage their daily lives and establish new routines to stay well through the pandemic, many are rethinking their priorities. Nearly one third (31 per cent) of working Britons collectively reported wanting to focus on their mental health, indicating a heightened awareness of the importance of a healthy mindset. Priorities vary across generations, however, with individuals between the ages of 20 and 29 nearly twice as likely to report wanting to focus on their mental health when compared to those over the age of 60.

“Almost one year in, the pandemic has shown minimal signs of slowing down and one of the main challenges for the U.K. population has been maintaining mental wellbeing,” said Paula Allen, global leader and senior vice president, research and total wellbeing. “Thirty-three per cent of working Britons are concerned about the mental health of a co-worker. This reinforces that we still have a problem, but it is encouraging in that we are able to connect enough to recognise the need in others. It is important for us not to ignore when we see someone in distress. Show you care, tell them what you have seen that is causing concern and let them know about the support available through an employee assistance program or other resources for counselling.”

About the Mental Health Index™

The monthly survey by Morneau Shepell was conducted through an online survey from December 14 to December 23, 2020, with 2,000 respondents in the United Kingdom. All respondents reside in the United Kingdom and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The Mental Health Index™ is published monthly, beginning April 2020, and compares against benchmark data collected in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Click here to read the U.K. Mental Health Index™ report.

The Mental Health Index™ is owned by Morneau Shepell – the wellbeing company that acquired LifeWorks in 2018.

About Morneau Shepell

Morneau Shepell is a leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee wellbeing through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries.

Heather MacDonald
Morneau Shepell
media@morneaushepell.com
00-1-855-622-3327

Angela Pinzon
Kaiser & Partners
angela.pinzon@kaiserpartners.com
00-1-647-295-0517

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia” or the “Company”) is pleased to report that at its annual meeting of shareholders, held in Toronto on February 10, 2021, each of the directors listed as nominees in the management proxy circular dated December 17, 2020 were elected as directors of the Company. Directors have been appointed to serve until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders.

Appointment of Auditors – Approved

Election of Directors – Approved

*As a vote for each motion was taken by a show of hands, the number of votes disclosed reflects only those proxies received by management in advance of the meeting.

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 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 offers advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com.

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

SUSSEX, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Quad (NYSE: QUAD) will hold a conference call at 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, February 24, to discuss fourth quarter and full-year 2020 results. The call will be hosted by Joel Quadracci, Quad Chairman, President & CEO, and Dave Honan, Quad Executive Vice President & CFO.

The full earnings release and slide presentation will be concurrently available on the Investors section of Quad’s website at www.quad.com/investors. As part of the conference call, Quad will conduct a question and answer session. Investors are invited to email their questions in advance to IR@quad.com.

Participants may pre-register for the webcast by navigating to https://dpregister.com/sreg/10151732/e153def91c. Participants will be given a unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call on February 24, bypassing the live operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

Alternatively, participants without internet access may dial in on the day of the call as follows:

• U.S. Toll-Free: 1-877-328-5508
• International Toll: 1-412-317-5424

An audio replay of the call will be posted on the Investors section of Quad’s website shortly after the conference call ends. In addition, telephone playback will also be available until March 24, 2021, accessible as follows:

• U.S. Toll-Free: 1-877-344-7529
• International Toll: 1-412-317-0088
• Replay Access Code: 10151732

About Quad

Quad (NYSE: QUAD) is a worldwide marketing solutions partner that leverages its 50-year heritage of platform excellence, innovation and 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 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

KAMLOOPS, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Triton Digital^®, the global technology and services leader to the digital audio and podcast industry, announced today that The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (Pattison), Canada’s largest private, western-based broadcast group, has selected Triton’s powerful suite of audio technology to power the management and monetization of its podcast content and the measurement of its AM/FM streams online.

Through this partnership, Pattison, who currently operates 45 FM radio stations, 3 AM stations, 3 conventional television stations and 17 online news portals in 28 markets will utilize Triton’s enterprise podcast platform, Omny Studio, to manage, monetize, and distribute their growing portfolio of podcast content. Additionally, Pattison will use Triton’s Webcast Metrics measurement service to measure the listening audience of their AM/FM streams online.

“We are pleased to partner with Triton, as an important provider in helping us grow our digital audio business,” said Andrew Snook, Director of Digital at The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group. “Triton’s Omny Studio provides all of the recording and distribution tools we need to make our best content available on-demand. Additionally, their Webcast Metrics service will provide us with the data we need to understand our listening audience and the consumption of our streams more, so we can provide an even more engaging experience for our loyal online audiences.”

“We are pleased to be providing Pattison Broadcast Group with the tools they need to streamline and scale their streaming audio business,” said John Rosso, President of Market Development at Triton Digital. “We are confident that both Omny Studio and Webcast Metrics will enable Pattison to increase operational efficiencies while providing an exceptional listening experience for both their podcast and streaming audiences.”

About Triton Digital

Triton Digital^® is the global technology and services leader to the digital audio and podcast industry. Operating in more than 50 countries, Triton provides innovative technology that enables broadcasters, podcasters, and online music services to build their audience, maximize their revenue, and streamline their day-to-day operations. In addition, Triton powers the global online audio industry with Webcast Metrics^®, the leading online audio measurement service and Podcast Metrics, one of the first IAB certified podcast measurement services in the industry. With unparalleled integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability, Triton remains committed to connecting audio, audience, and advertisers to continuously fuel the growth of the global online industry. Triton Digital is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ: SSP). For more information, visit www.TritonDigital.com.

About The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group

The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, with its head office in Kamloops, B.C. is the country’s largest private, western-based broadcast group, currently operating 44 FM, 3 AM radio stations, three conventional television stations and 17 online news portals in 28 different markets, in British Columbia, Alberta, Sas­katchewan and Manitoba. The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group is a proud division of the Jim Pattison Group, a diversified group of operating businesses, based in Vancouver, which has grown to become the second largest privately-held company in Canada. Please visit www.jimpattison.com and www.jpbg.com for more information.

For More Information, Press Only:

Kristin Charron
Triton Digital
(866) 448-4037
Kristin.Charron@tritondigital.com

Andrew Snook
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group
(780) 391-8457
Andrew.Snook@jpbg.ca

Onclusive and Shareablee Forge Strategic Partnership

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#communications--Onclusive, the data science company for communications, and Shareablee, the social media analytics and competitive benchmarking company, today announced their strategic partnership to offer marketing and communications teams best-in-class solutions for earned, owned and social media insights. The partnership will help companies gain more holistic data about the performance of their owned and earned content across global news outlets, influencers and social media platforms.

Click to Tweet: Just announced: @Onclusive and @Shareablee partner to help companies measure the business impact of earned, owned, and social media marketing - through to revenue! https://bit.ly/39DF9xE #socialmediamarketing #prmeasurement

Social media, communications, public relations, and marketing teams each have a view of a company’s brand, reputation, and influence. Companies are increasingly looking to measure their owned and earned media strategies in a more centralized way by combining these functions within integrated teams and equipping them with comparable tools.

Particularly during times of crisis or uncertainty when companies put their emphasis on the tactics they can more closely control, social media amplification and paid media activation become even more important, as does measurement of the business impact of these efforts. The intersection between the data and solutions from Onclusive and Shareablee will provide organizations with more comprehensive content marketing data to better optimize their strategies.

Both Onclusive and Shareablee have their roots in enterprise media monitoring and content measurement and support Fortune 100 companies and their agencies. Both companies also recently launched mid-market products to deliver their data, platforms and services to a wider range of organizations.

“Social media strategies are fundamental to a company’s marketing plan, yet there is still more to the story. We are excited to be able to complete the picture for our clients via our relationship with Onclusive,” said Tania Yuki, CEO of Shareablee.

“We’ve always viewed our data and platforms as a bridge between communications teams and marketing teams. By working with Shareablee, our joint clients will be even better equipped to plan and execute harmonious cross-functional brand and communications strategies,” said Dan Beltramo, CEO of Onclusive.

About Onclusive

Onclusive is the data science company for communications. The inventors of PR Attribution™ and Power of Voice™, Onclusive measures the true impact that content is having on a company’s bottom line. The Onclusive platform is built upon a proprietary newscrawler which analyzes millions of earned, owned, and newswire articles every day globally and in over 100 languages, organizing each piece of content based on dozens of dimensions for aggregate and entity-level analysis.

The world’s leading brands and agencies including Airbnb, H&R Block, Lyft, Intercontinental Hotels Group, 23andMe, and Experian use Onclusive to modernize communications. For more information, visit onclusive.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

About Shareablee

Shareablee is the leader in audience-based social media measurement for media publishers, agencies and brands that want to understand the impact and effectiveness of their cross-platform social media campaigns. Launched in 2013, Shareablee empowers brands by providing data that can help them define and drive success on social media by arming them with metrics and predictive analytics that inform powerful best practices. Shareablee is the leading authority on audience intelligence, competitive benchmarking and actionable insights with clients in 15+ countries.

For more information about Shareablee, visit shareablee.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Onclusive Contact:
Sean O'Neal
+1 415-906-5938
info@onclusive.com

Shareablee Contact:
Madison Busick
+1 508-868-4461
marketing@shareablee.com

The Hotwire Ignite Possibility Program provides pro bono brand, marketing, and public relations services to qualifying tech and tech-enabled organizations that are minority-led or providing a product or service benefitting minority communities

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hotwire, the global technology communications consultancy, today announced it will commit up to $1 million in services to support tech and tech-enabled organizations led by or supporting minority communities. The Program is part of Hotwire’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy to amplify people and organizations creating meaningful and sustainable change in the world through technology innovation.

“We started the Hotwire Ignite Possibility Program to direct more of our resources to organizations that align with our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals,” said Barbara Bates, CEO. “We have been providing pro bono services to impactful organizations for years, but now, with the Hotwire Ignite Possibility Program, we can do more to advance social justice through our services.”

Any tech or tech-enabled organization—for-profit, non-profit, education, or government—that is either minority-led or providing a product or service benefitting minority communities in a country with a Hotwire office may qualify. Hotwire will work with local community tech leaders addressing inequalities in business and tech to reach organizations who can benefit from brand, marketing or PR pro bono services.

“Having recently had the honor of being named Global Technology Agency of the Year by PRovoke Media, we have a responsibility to lead by example and address the inequality of resources for tech organizations,” noted Bates. “The Hotwire Ignite Possibility Program is one way we can do that,” she added.

Hotwire’s DEI strategy launched in early 2020 and includes specific commitments and a phased rollout schedule. Starting with internal operations and employee engagement initiatives aimed at building a diverse employee population and creating an inclusive environment where differences are celebrated, the firm is now extending the focus externally with the Hotwire Ignite Possibility Program. Hotwire has also signed the Diversity Action Alliance commitment, joining other PR and communications leaders to accelerate progress in the achievement of meaningful and tangible results in diversity, equity and inclusion across our profession.

By earmarking up to $1 million in services to organizations that meet the selection criteria, Hotwire is increasing the amount of support they provide to tech organizations in need of brand, marketing, and public relations expertise that otherwise may not have had access to these resources. The end goal of the Program is to help more tech and tech-enabled organizations that are advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through technology innovation scale and succeed in today’s competitive tech sector.

Applications are now open for organizations in the US, UK and Germany until March 15^th, 2021. An announcement of selected organizations in those countries will be made in April 2021. Applications for Australia open later in 2021 and Hotwire may reopen applications in other regions throughout the year. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to get updates. Have questions? Email HIPP@hotwireglobal.com

About Hotwire

Hotwire is the global technology communications consultancy. Founded in 2000, we operate a worldwide network of wholly owned offices and partners serving a range of clients from scale ups to established multi-nationals. We unleash the possibilities of innovative technology through integrated communications that ignite curiosity, spark action and fuel success. We do this using our proprietary methodology which is underpinned by robust insight and strategy, purposeful creative, integrated planning and a core emphasis on measurement and evaluation.

About Enero

The Enero Group limited, a boutique network of marketing and communication businesses, is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (asx:EGG). The group includes advertising agency BMF, PR agencies CPR, Frank and Hotwire, digital agency Orchard, research consultancies The Leading Edge and The Digital Edge, and programmatic marketing specialist OB media. For more information, please visit www.enero.com.

Hotwire
Victoria Morrison
marketing@hotwireglobal.com

Marketing organizations accelerating their adoption of agile planning & budget solutions to power their pandemic recovery strategies

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Allocadia, the leader in Marketing Performance Management (MPM), today announced it has significantly grown its customer roster in both B2B and B2C industries, despite the economic turmoil of 2020. Companies including Alteryx, GitLab, GOJO Industries, Inc. (makers of Purell), Reckitt Benckiser Group, Plc., and Zendesk have invested in Allocadia's agile MPM platform to drive more efficient spend and agile marketing operations. This growth in companies investing in MPM solutions illustrates the increasing market pressure on marketing organizations to more efficiently manage their investments and drive revenue.

Allocadia's platform enables marketers to automate an organization-wide view of all marketing spend and plans. With actionable insights that power marketing agility, efficiency and maximize business impact, Allocadia enables marketing teams to move from being perceived as a cost center, to being known as a revenue driver. By giving decision-makers timely and accurate information that empowers them to work smarter and spend better, Allocadia is powering the future of work for global marketing teams, through it’s flexible, agile and collaborative solution.

In addition to significant new customer wins, Allocadia received multiple industry honors in 2020. The company was recognized as a “Strong Performer” in The Forrester Wave: Marketing Resource Management report for Q1 2020, with the highest scores in money management, and marketing performance management. Additionally, Allocadia was selected as the winner of the “Best Marketing Performance Management Company” award, for the second straight year, in the 2020 MarTech Breakthrough Awards program.

According to Allocadia CEO Kristine Steuart, the company’s continued growth is built on making marketers successful by driving business impact. “While 2020 has been a rough year for businesses, savvy marketing leaders know having a solution like Allocadia gives them a competitive advantage through better and more actionable information. The ability to quickly, and confidently manage and measure marketing plans and budgets is exactly why so many customers and industry observers are investing in our platform. Thanks to our visionary customers and dedicated employees, we’re poised for even further growth in 2021.”

Customer Success Story: RB

Allocadia user RB, is a multinational health, hygiene and nutrition company that brings some of the world’s most loved and trusted brands to consumers across more than 200 countries, including Lysol, Air Wick, Finish, Mucinex, Clearasil, Durex, and Enfamil.

RB recently implemented the Allocadia platform across its brands. According to Chris Tedesco, General Manager Marketing for the Hygiene business unit at RB, the “company’s use of Allocadia has given us greater visibility into the marketing process, which fuels better decision making and facilitates growth. The Allocadia platform has enabled us to create better controls and accuracy across marketing spend.” Adarsh Mathur, IT Lead for the project, commented that “by leveraging the new workflows we have with Allocadia, our marketers have enhanced insights into how they can better utilize marketing dollars to achieve strong channel ROI.”

About Allocadia

Allocadia gives marketers the confidence to know where to invest their next dollar. It’s award-winning budget management and strategic planning platform enables marketers to plan strategically, invest with purpose, and measure the performance of their spend, to ultimately maximize marketing’s impact on the business. This gives marketers the ability to achieve operational excellence, drive greater performance, effectively measure ROI and improve alignment with corporate goals. Companies like GE Healthcare, Unilever, Informatica and Charles Schwab manage more than $25 billion marketing dollars within Allocadia, which enables them to save up to 40% of the time they spend on budgeting and planning as well as double their pipeline-to-spend ratio and ROI. Learn how to run marketing like a business at Allocadia.com.

Media Contact:
Kourtney Evans
Bospar for Allocadia
Kourtney@Bospar.com

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands & LAUSANNE, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ONWARD today announced the publication of a study in the journal, Nature, which found targeted electrical spinal cord stimulation stabilizes blood pressure in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

“A serious and underrecognized result of spinal cord injury is unstable blood pressure, which can have devastating consequences that reduce quality of life and are life threatening. Unfortunately, there are no effective therapies for unstable blood pressure after spinal cord injury,” said Dr. Aaron Phillips, PhD, a member of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Libin Cardiovascular Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) and co-lead author of the study. “We created the first platform to understand the mechanisms underlying blood pressure instability after spinal cord injury, which allowed us to develop a new cutting-edge solution.”

Loss of movement and sensation are the most commonly known impacts of spinal cord injury, but SCI is also frequently accompanied by other effects that challenge activities of daily living. Blood pressure instability is one such effect, making it difficult for people with SCI to change body position – moving from lying to sitting to standing. In this study, researchers from University of Calgary, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), and University Hospital Lausanne (CHUV) demonstrated they could quickly and accurately normalize blood pressure with electrical spinal cord stimulation. Stabilization was observed in rodents and non-human primates for extended periods after acute and chronic spinal cord injury, and the approach also showed promise in humans.

This research is a breakthrough in the fundamental understanding of how blood pressure regulatory circuits function in people with SCI and sets the foundation for further studies assessing the use of electrical spinal cord stimulation to regulate blood pressure and other autonomic functions in people with SCI.

“We used similar concepts and technologies to restore walking after paralysis and are now pleased to leverage those advances to address this very common but serious effect of SCI,” said Dr. Grégoire Courtine, PhD, Professor at EPFL, Director of .NeuroRestore, and co-lead author of the study. “We look forward to working with ONWARD to conduct clinical trials in humans so this approach can be translated into a viable therapeutic option for people with SCI.”

This research will be further advanced by a $36 million contract granted by the United States Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) for a five-year project to develop neurotherapeutics that bridge the gap between the spinal cord and the brain after spinal cord injury. The DARPA contract enables an alliance of 12 institutions around the world that includes EPFL, University of Calgary and ONWARD to conduct groundbreaking research in the pursuit of new therapies for spinal cord injury. DARPA has helped develop major technological advancements including the internet, GPS and Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface (SIRI.)

About ONWARD

ONWARD (@onwdempowered), formerly known as GTX Medical, is a medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies to facilitate functional recovery of people with spinal cord injury. Driven by a mission to restore movement, independence, and health in people with spinal cord injury, ONWARD’s work builds on more than a decade of basic science and preclinical research conducted at the world’s leading neuroscience laboratories. ONWARD’s ARC Therapy, which can be delivered by implantable (ARC^IM) or external (ARC^EX) systems, is designed to deliver targeted, programmed stimulation of the spinal cord to restore movement and other functions in people with spinal cord injury, ultimately improving their quality of life. Both of ONWARD’s technology platforms have been awarded Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA.

ONWARD is headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, the Netherlands and the EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a growing U.S. presence in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information about the company, please visit ONWD.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

For general inquiries, please contact:
info@onwd.com

For media inquiries, please contact:
Laura Vinci, Finn Partners
laura.vinci@finnpartners.com
+14024998203

The acquisition will align Wattpad and WEBTOON™, two leading comics, entertainment, and storytelling companies, with a combined global monthly audience of 160M people.

The cash and stock transaction valued at more than an estimated USD $600 million will fuel continued global growth for Wattpad. The company will remain headquartered in Canada.

TORONTO & SEOUL, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Directors of Wattpad, the global multi-platform entertainment company for original stories and leading social storytelling platform, today announced its unanimous approval of a definitive agreement to be acquired by Naver, South Korea’s internet conglomerate and home of WEBTOON™, a leading global digital comics platform. Naver is expected to acquire Wattpad in a cash and stock transaction valued at more than an estimated USD $600 million, subject to customary adjustments and other terms.

The acquisition will allow Wattpad to continue to accelerate its international growth and success. The company will remain headquartered in Canada under the continued leadership of founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen.

As one of Korea’s largest publicly listed companies and a globally recognized technology powerhouse, Naver offers a world-class portfolio of search, e-commerce, fintech, communications / social networking, cloud service, content, and entertainment services and brands including Smart Stores, N Pay, WEBTOON, LINE, BAND, V Live, and Snow, among many others.

The move will align Wattpad, and its global community of more than 90 million people, with Naver’s WEBTOON™, a leading digital comics publisher with an average of 72+ million monthly active users. WEBTOON™ is home to some of the biggest names in webcomics, including Lore Olympus, Rachel Smythe's Eisner Award-nominated series. 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.

“Co-founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen, and the entire team at Wattpad, have created something special, and we are grateful to have Allen and Ivan continue to lead this fantastic company for us post-acquisition,” said Seong-Sook Han, CEO of Naver. “Wattpad’s vision to entertain and connect the world through stories fits perfectly with our vision for WEBTOON and Naver’s content brand. We’re thrilled to have them join the Naver family,” she added.

“Wattpad joining WEBTOON under the Naver umbrella is a big step towards us becoming a leading global multimedia entertainment company,” said WEBTOON founder and CEO, Jun Koo Kim. “Both Wattpad and WEBTOON care most about helping creators tell their story their way, and both represent world-leading collections of inspired, imaginative storytelling IP.”

“When we started Wattpad in 2006, we understood that technology would democratize storytelling and that stories are the atomic unit of every type of entertainment,” said Allen Lau, CEO & co-founder, Wattpad. “In 2021, when every form of entertainment is being transformed, we’ve built a platform that can fuel hits on screen and bookshelves, empowering and rewarding a new generation of diverse creators all over the world. Today’s news is about continuing Wattpad’s journey and taking our business to the next level. We’re thrilled about the prospect of joining the amazing teams at Naver and WEBTOON to continue our growth, help more writers make money, and bring new voices to screens and bookstores everywhere.”

Wattpad’s global community reached 90 million people in 2020 — including more than five million writers — who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories ranging from science fiction, to romance, fantasy, horror, and everything in between.

Wattpad stories have found enormous success on screens and in bookstores, and to date around 1,500 Wattpad stories have been published as books, or adapted for TV and film. Wattpad Studios, the company’s TV, film, and publishing division, has ushered in a new era of data and audience-driven entertainment all over the world. The company’s approach to finding and developing stories was awarded the prestigious Innovative Producer Award at the 2020 Banff World Media Festival. Wattpad Studios has established entertainment partnerships with some of the most important TV and film studios all over the world, developing TV shows and films across five continents, with companies like Bavaria Fiction (Germany), Mediawan (France), Wise Entertainment (Brazil), CBC (Canada), Picturestart (U.S.), MediaCorp (Singapore), and many others.

In 2019, Wattpad launched Wattpad Books, bringing diverse new voices to bookshelves everywhere. Wattpad Books has published 21 books to date.

Wattpad has previously raised USD $117.8 million from international investors in Asia, the United States, and Canada. The company’s latest round was USD $51 million in 2018 from Tencent Holdings Limited, BDC, Globe Telecom’s Kickstart Ventures, Peterson Group, Canso, and Raine Ventures. Previous investors include OMERS Ventures, August Capital, Union Square Ventures, Golden Venture Partners, Khosla Ventures, AME Cloud Ventures, Northleaf Venture Catalyst Fund and Version One Ventures.

The Raine Group acted as exclusive financial advisor to Wattpad.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Stikeman Elliott LLP are acting as legal advisors to NAVER. Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati are acting as legal advisors to Wattpad.

The acquisition is expected to close in Q2 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

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 NAVER

Naver invests in the pursuit of transformation and innovation of technology platforms and is devoted to shared growth by connecting global users and partners. Founded in 1999, Naver is Korea’s largest information technology company. Naver operates Korea’s No.1 search engine and largest e-commerce platform, and is a leading provider of fintech services, digital content and cloud services to a global community. Naver cultivates a culture of ‘Founder-type leaders’ who continue to launch innovative mobile applications, including LINE (Japan’s No.1 messaging app), WEBTOON and SNOW. In 2018, Naver was ranked as the 9th most innovative company by Forbes and top 6th Future 50 company by Fortune magazine.

Wattpad
Kiel Hume, Director of PR & Communications
Kiel@wattpad.com; 1-416-908-3604

Naver
Jungyoon Cha
jungyoon.cha@navercorp.com

WEBTOON
webtoonpress@webtoon.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The BlackNorth Initiative is proud to announce that Wes Hall, its Founder and Chairman, has been named to the 2021 Maclean’s Power List, as one of the most influential people in Canada.

“I would like to thank Maclean’s for this recognition. It is an honour to share this acknowledgement with some of Canada’s most dynamic leaders and change-makers,” said Wes Hall, Founder and Chairman, the BlackNorth Initiative. “For too long, the persistent barriers faced by Blacks have been ignored. Systemic anti-Black racism in Canada is real and the BlackNorth Initiative is purpose-built to drive substantive change. I’m proud to help lead this fight, alongside the CEOs of over 400 companies who have signed and committed to The BlackNorth Initiative pledge and our many strategic partners.”

Wes received this recognition for his efforts to end anti-Black systemic racism in Canada by utilizing a business first mindset. The BlackNorth Initiative commits business leaders and their organizations to specific actions and targets that are designed to end anti-Black systemic racism.

“Wes is one of Canada’s strongest voices advocating for human rights. Every day, I witness his commitment towards equity and justice for Black Canadians through his work with BlackNorth Initiative. I am proud to call him our leader and founder and looking forward to working with him in the years ahead,” said Dahabo Ahmed Omer, BlackNorth Initiative Executive Director.

The Maclean’s Power List highlights the top 50 Canadians who are driving transformative change in their respective fields. This recognition follows Wes’ most recent award as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Torontonians by Toronto Life magazine (November 2020) also acknowledging his leadership in the fight to end ant-Black systemic racism.

About the BlackNorth Initiative

The BlackNorth Initiative was created by The Canadian Council of Business Leaders Against Anti-Black Systemic Racism to combat anti-Black systemic racism in Corporate Canada. The initiative challenges senior Canadian business leaders to commit their companies to specific actions and targets designed to end anti-Black systemic racism and create opportunities for all of those in the underrepresented BIPOC community.

Chloe Mills
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Ph: 416-413-4565
chloe.mills@hkstrategies.ca

Cold chain services and supplies, surveillance equipment, printing services and biodegradable packaging among growth sectors in 2021

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#ThomasForIndustry--Thomas, the leader in product sourcing, supplier selection, and marketing solutions for industry, today released its ‘2020 Q4 Top Manufacturing Trends,’ identifying the top products and services sourced by North American manufacturers, as well as sharing predictions for 2021 industrial sourcing trends.

The Q4 sourcing data report illustrates the continued reshaping of North American manufacturing, specifically how industry adapted to address urgent needs in the fight against COVID-19 and how sourcing in 2021 will be impacted by the ongoing pandemic and associated vaccine rollout.

“While this past year has brought unprecedented challenges, the manufacturing sector at large continues to be a resilient force as it adapts to overcome rising obstacles – from diversifying its supply chain to combating the skills gap,” said Thomas President and CEO Tony Uphoff. “Our unique data exemplifies how industry has pivoted to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic as states and businesses forge ahead to implement safe and effective reopenings.”

The complete Q4 Sourcing eBook, which is now available for download, includes all 20 categories which saw the biggest YoY increase in sourcing, outcomes from Q4 industrial sourcing activity, and the latest predictions regarding 2021 sourcing trends. A brief snapshot includes:

Top 5 2020 Q4 Manufacturing Trends:

2021 Q1 Predictions:

COVID-19 Vaccine-related Supplies and Equipment: 30-33% Projected Increase

As COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers like Moderna and Pfizer race through a carefully orchestrated logistics process to distribute their critical vaccines worldwide, Thomas anticipates a steady increase of industrial sourcing in categories essential to this endeavor over the next quarter. These categories include dry ice, ultra-low temperature freezers, and cold storage services.

Security and Surveillance Equipment: 15-18% Projected Increase

With numerous B2B and B2C businesses nationwide closed because of COVID-19-related restrictions, Thomas expects industrial sourcing for security and surveillance related equipment, including security cameras, surveillance systems, and surveillance cameras, to increase over the next three months as business owners look for additional ways to protect their businesses and safeguard their properties during closures.

Printing Services: 12-15% Projected Increase

As demand increases for businesses nationwide in light of residual COVID-19 impacts, industrial printing businesses specializing in various services, including screen printing, digital printing, and commercial printing, will see an uptick in sourcing.

Biodegradable Packaging and Biodegradable Bags: 7-10% Projected Increase

Our Thomasnet.com^® data shows that sourcing activity in 2019 and 2020 reflected substantially increased interest in sustainability. We anticipate that this trend will continue into 2021 with a specific focus on biodegradable packaging and bags, with both categories increasing over the course of Q1.

“At Thomas, we continue to work diligently to provide solutions to better guide industry as it adapts to and navigates new challenges. We encourage businesses to leverage our resources like the daily Thomas Industry Update newsletter and biweekly Thomas Industry Update Podcast, which provide data that can help inform business leaders in making sound business decisions,” added Uphoff.

The platform Thomasnet.com serves 1.18 million active registered users and 14 million industrial professionals who access information for their procurement and marketing needs.

Download the Q4 Sourcing eBook and see the full list.

About Thomas

Thomas provides actionable information, data, analysis, and tools that align with and support today’s industrial buying process. Its solutions include the Thomas Network at Thomasnet.com^®, industry’s largest and most active buyer/supplier network. Through Thomas Marketing Services, the company provides full-service industrial marketing programs and website development. Thomas Product Data Solutions helps manufacturers connect with design engineers through advanced CAD/BIM and data syndication services. Thomas Industrial Data supplies sourcing and supply chain trend data to media, investors, analysts, and researchers to provide market insight and inform decision making. Thomas WebTrax^® provides opportunity intelligence on in-market buyers to help marketing and sales teams track, identify, and engage high-value prospects. Thomas Insights delivers original content to help supply chain professionals and business leaders inform their decision making through leading titles including Inbound Logistics^®, the Thomas Industry Update, Industrial Equipment News^® (IEN^®), and the Thomas Index ™.

Media - Alex Kofsky - alex@rosengrouppr.com
Rita Lieberman - rlieberman@thomasnet.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia” or the “Company”) today released financial information for the three months ended November 30, 2020.

“With the effects of the global pandemic continuing to weigh on our communities and our people, our focus remains on the safety of our teams, preserving liquidity, constraining costs, maximizing revenue and pursuing government support,” said Andrew MacLeod, President and Chief Executive Officer, Postmedia.

• Safety of Our People – Where possible, our employees are working from home and we expect that to continue into the spring. At operations where on-site work is required, we are vigilant about strict safety measures and keeping in step with the recommendations of health authorities.
• Constraining Costs – In the quarter we realized a 21.4% reduction in operating costs¹, which includes the impact of initiatives implemented in the quarter that are expected to result in approximately $9 million of net annualized cost savings.
• Preserving Liquidity – Cash management, including the impact of cost savings and government assistance, has resulted in an unrestricted cash balance of $47.8 million as at November 30, 2020.
• Maximizing Revenue – First quarter revenue was down 25.4% from the prior quarter and was significantly impacted by the pandemic. We have been working to support local business efforts and have added to our digital acquisition team to expand our reach and grow relationships with new small and medium businesses.
• Government Support – Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) of $6.6 million recognized and $14.0 million received during the quarter.

First Quarter Operating Results

Three quarters into the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company continued to navigate through the pandemic’s significant business impacts. Revenue for the quarter was $116.9 million as compared to $156.7 million in the same period in the prior year, representing a decrease of $39.7 million or 25.4%. The revenue decline was primarily due to decreases in print advertising revenue of $20.6 million or 32.1% and digital revenue of $10.7 million or 31.1% with digital advertising revenue down 36.0%. Print circulation revenue declined $6.2 million or 12.4% versus the same period in the prior year.

Total operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring decreased $35.5 million or 26.3% for the quarter, relative to the same period in the prior year. The decrease was a result of lower compensation expense and newspaper circulation volumes as well as the implementation of various cost reduction initiatives. Included in the decrease of operating expenses is the impact of a compensation expense recovery of $6.6 million related to CEWS, partially offset by a decrease in compensation recovery related to journalism tax credits of $0.9 million.

Operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment and restructuring of $17.2 million in the quarter represents a decrease of $4.2 million relative to the same period in the prior year. The decrease is due to the decrease in total revenue partially offset by decreases in operating expenses. Included in the operating expense decreases is the impact of the compensation expense recoveries related to CEWS and journalism tax credits.

Net earnings in the quarter ended November 30, 2020 was $52.8 million, as compared to a loss of $3.0 million in the same period in the prior year. The change was primarily the result of a non-cash settlement gain related to employee benefit plans of $63.1 million, gains on derivative financial instruments and foreign exchange in the three months ended November 30, 2020, decreases in depreciation, amortization and restructuring expenses partially offset by impairment expense of $13.5 million in the three months ended November 30, 2020, a decrease in operating income depreciation, amortization, impairment, settlement gains and restructuring and an increase in interest expense.

COVID-19 Update

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus including travel bans, self-imposed quarantine periods and social distancing that have caused disruption to businesses resulting in an economic slowdown. The Company is generally exempt from mandates requiring closures of non-essential businesses and therefore has been able to continue operations, however, advertising revenue declines have accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government measures. On April 11, 2020, the Government of Canada passed CEWS to support employers facing financial hardship as measured by certain revenue declines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. CEWS currently provides a reimbursement of compensation expense to June 2021 provided the applicant has met the applicable criteria, which criteria have been established up to March 13, 2021. During the three months ended November 30, 2020, the Company recognized a recovery of compensation expense of $6.6 million and in total has recognized $46.7 million related to CEWS since the program was announced. As at November 30, 2020, the Company has an amount receivable related to CEWS of $5.6 million.

Debt Repayment

During the three months ended November 30, 2020, the Company redeemed $3.3 million of first-lien debt on October 1, 2020 and an additional $5.2 million on November 5, 2020, both from the proceeds of assets sales. In addition, the Company redeemed $6.9 million of first-lien debt on November 13, 2020, as required pursuant to the annual excess cash flow requirement pursuant to the first-lien notes indenture. After these aggregate redemptions of $15.4 million, the Company has $83.8 million of first-lien debt outstanding of the original $225.0 million that was issued in October 2016.

CAAT Pension Plan

On January 29, 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with the Colleges of Applied Arts & Technology Pension Plan (the “CAAT Pension Plan”), a multi-employer defined benefit plan, to merge the Company’s defined benefit pension plans (the “Postmedia Plans”), with the CAAT Pension Plan. Effective July 1, 2019, the Company received approval from members of the Postmedia Plans and the Company became a participating employer under the CAAT Pension Plan and all members of the Postmedia Plans, as well as members of the Company’s defined contribution pension plan, began accruing benefits under the DBplus provisions of the CAAT Pension Plan. On October 8, 2020, the Company received approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario to transfer the Postmedia Plans assets to the CAAT Pension Plan, which was completed in November 2020. On completion of the asset transfer, the CAAT Pension Plan assumed defined benefit obligations of the Postmedia Plans and the Company commenced additional cash funding obligations of $11.0 million related to the transferred Postmedia Plans deficits payable over the next ten years and recognized a non-cash gain on settlement of $63.1 million.

Business Transformation Initiatives

During the three months ended November 30, 2020, the Company implemented initiatives including those discussed above related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as additional compensation expense reductions, real estate rationalization, production efficiencies and other transformation programs, which are expected to result in approximately $9 million of net annualized cost savings.

The Company intends to continue to identify and undertake ongoing cost reduction initiatives in an effort to address revenue declination in the legacy print business.

Additional Information

Additional information, including financial statements and management’s discussion and analysis can be found on the Company’s website at www.postmedia.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Note: All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise specified.

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 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 offers advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release may include information that is “forward-looking information” under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Company 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 statements with respect to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business, the implementation and results of the Company’s transformation initiatives, continued benefits of historical results into future periods, the realization of anticipated cost savings, the completion of asset transfers related to the Company’s pension plans, the receipt of anticipated government assistance and the identification and undertaking of ongoing cost savings initiatives. 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: competition from digital and other forms of media; the effect of economic conditions on advertising revenue; the ability of the Company to build out its digital media and online businesses; the failure to maintain current print and online newspaper readership and circulation levels; the realization of anticipated cost savings; possible damage to the reputation of the Company’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.

In addition, we are subject to the risk and uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in governments worldwide enacting emergency measures to combat the spread of the virus including travel bans, self-imposed quarantine periods and social distancing that have caused disruption to businesses resulting in an economic slowdown. We are generally exempt from mandates requiring closures of non-essential businesses and therefore have been able to continue operations however, advertising revenues have declined as a result of COVID-19 pandemic and related government measures. The outbreak of contagious illness such as this can impact our operations in a number of ways including quarantined employees, travel restrictions, temporary closure of our facilities, a decrease in demand for advertising, as well as interruptions to our supply chain, including temporary closure of supplier facilities. Given the high level of uncertainty surrounding the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic it is difficult to reliably estimate its potential impact on the financial condition and results of our business. We are continuing to address the current challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and monitoring these challenges as they evolve so as to minimize this risk however it could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flow. 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 years ended August 31, 2020 and 2019. Although the Company 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 the Company 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, the Company does not undertake, and specifically declines, any obligation to update such information or statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any such information or statements.

Postmedia Network Canada Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(UNAUDITED)

Postmedia Network Canada Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
(UNAUDITED)

Postmedia Network Canada Corp.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(UNAUDITED)

¹ Operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization and restructuring as adjusted for the impact of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy.

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

Investor Contact
Brian Bidulka
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(416) 383-2499
bbidulka@postmedia.com

Acquisition brings more than 500 titles used at 400 institutions onto Top Hat’s proven active learning courseware platform

Fountainhead’s high-quality academic content will be fully integrated into Top Hat’s all-in-one teaching platform, enabling educators who adopt these titles to deliver transformative student-centric learning experiences that change the nature of the way students learn

Fountainhead Press is Top Hat’s third traditional publishing acquisition within the last year, following the acquisitions of the Canadian higher ed textbook business from Nelson, Canada’s largest educational publisher, and bluedoor, a press that specializes in educational content for the sciences

Top Hat’s platform enables educators with the flexibility to bring active learning to life for students in both in-person and online classrooms, with tools to take attendance, present slides, live-stream and record presentations, host discussions, give homework, assign interactive readings, and deliver assessments — all in one place

More than 3 million students are enrolled in courses using Top Hat at 750 of the top 1,000 higher ed institutions in North America

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Top Hat, the leading active learning platform for higher education, has acquired Fountainhead Press, an independent press with an expansive portfolio of higher ed content across multiple disciplines. Details of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition, which follows the recent acquisitions of bluedoor and Nelson’s Canadian higher ed textbook business, includes more than 500 titles used at 400 institutions. These materials are being rapidly converted into digital courseware on Top Hat’s platform and infused with interactive elements, enabling educators to easily design and deliver student-centric learning experiences customized to meet the needs of their individual classrooms in any teaching scenario — whether in-person, online, or a combination of both.

Fountainhead Press has been developing high-quality textbooks with authors since 2002, producing personalized, content-rich course materials designed with student success in mind. Built on the principles of innovation and customer partnership, Fountainhead Press brings 250 authors in disciplines spanning communication, composition, and science to Top Hat’s platform. By converting Fountainhead’s content into interactive digital courseware, Top Hat is expanding its broad portfolio of best-in-class content designed to support, engage, and motivate the modern student inside and outside the classroom.

“Over the past 18 months, we’ve worked with Fountainhead Press to produce high-quality, interactive, and affordable course materials on Top Hat’s platform, and have witnessed firsthand their unwavering focus on delivering excellence for their customers,” said Mike Silagadze, founder and CEO, Top Hat. “As we come together as one team, I’m excited about combining our passion to support educators to deliver rewarding learning experiences, both during the pandemic and beyond.”

“Becoming part of the Top Hat team is an exciting evolution of our partnership,” said Scott Timian, co-founder and CEO, Fountainhead Press. “Our textbooks have come to life in the Top Hat platform, allowing us to provide current, interactive, and engaging content suitable to any teaching format. The flexibility afforded by Top Hat expands our mandate to work with faculty and institutions to create personalized, affordable custom content.”

“Fountainhead Press and Top Hat are the most amazing combination I can think of when looking for instructional materials in many academic college-level disciplines,” said Dr. Désiré Baloubi, Professor of English and Linguistics, Norfolk State University. “As faculty and department chair for many years, no book has ever given me more joy and assistance in fulfilling my teaching responsibilities than Fountainhead Press’s public speaking book on the Top Hat active learning platform. The ability to customize content to meet students’ needs and achieve targeted learning outcomes is one of the best features any instructor will appreciate. It makes it possible for both faculty and students to embark together on the same journey to reach a common goal: success.”

Transforming the Higher Ed Learning Experience to Better Serve the Modern Learner

Digital course materials already play a key role in today’s higher ed classrooms, according to a recent survey of 3,412 students in the United States and Canada conducted by Top Hat. In fact, 64 percent of students indicated that at least half of their assigned reading is digital content and 56 percent of students said that at least half of their reading content is digital and interactive. Conversely, only 38 percent of students said that at least half of their assigned reading is print content. Furthermore, 37 percent of students said they prefer to use a digital textbook.

Over the past year, as institutions around the world have shuttered their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educators have increasingly turned to Top Hat for help with engaging their students and ensuring they can access high-quality content. In fact, the company has secured 47 percent year-over-year growth in the number of courses that have adopted Top Hat’s digital interactive content, with 175 percent year-over-year growth in student users.

“In the same way Tesla reimagined what the driving experience can be, Top Hat is enabling educators in higher ed to transform the learning experience for students into one that is more engaging and motivating and that drives better outcomes,” said Silagadze. “The way many students are still taught today — with print or PDF content that encourages rote memorization — is not effective. When textbooks are brought to life with Top Hat’s intuitive and easy-to-use technology, they become much more than just the vehicle for educators to deliver information to their students. Instead, they enable a world where all students are fully equipped and motivated to engage with their learning and come to class prepared. In this same world, all educators already know before stepping foot in the classroom, which concepts students struggle with and which students require early intervention. Here at Top Hat, we believe interactive textbooks powered by active learning technology will fundamentally improve the value of higher ed.”

Top Hat’s Student-centric Textbooks Reinforce Learning and Maintain Engagement

When a traditional print textbook is transformed with Top Hat’s active learning platform, educational content becomes an effective tool for learning. Top Hat’s interactive textbooks are:

• Designed for active learning: Student comprehension is supported through engaging, media-rich interactive learning materials, assessment questions, activities, and rollover definitions, among other features.
• Fully customizable: Easy-to-use editing tools let instructors adjust content to fit their curriculum and learning objectives.
• Designed for ongoing feedback: Leveraging an assess-as-you-go model of assessment, students get feedback on their progress and understanding as they go through the textbook. Data points show instructors where students are struggling, enabling them to easily reach out and intervene early.
• Enabling both centralized and community quality controls: Content stays up-to-date and relevant through both author-led review and community-sourced feedback.

To learn more about Top Hat:
Overview
Product video
Schedule a demo

About Top Hat

Top Hat is the only all-in-one courseware platform that enables active learning—a proven student-centred teaching pedagogy that promotes deep understanding, critical thinking, and subject mastery—with interactive content, tools, and activities. Millions of students at 750 leading North American colleges and universities use Top Hat to teach and engage with students before, during, and after class, in both in-person and online education.

Top Hat
Dianna Lai Read
dianna.lairead@tophat.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia”) welcomes today’s announcement from the Competition Bureau which confirms that the Bureau has closed its investigation into the November 2017 transaction among Postmedia and Torstar and its subsidiary Metroland Media Group.

“From the outset we have adamantly maintained that Postmedia has done nothing wrong and now, more than two years later, the Competition Bureau has closed the investigation,” said Andrew MacLeod, President and CEO, Postmedia. “We are happy to have this matter and the associated pressure and cost behind us and look forward to continuing the important work of keeping Canadians informed with ambitious, trusted and high-quality journalism and delivering high-value and data-driven marketing solutions to businesses and advertisers. We will continue to urge the Bureau to apply its considerable resources to address the impacts of foreign digital monopolies on our industry and others in Canada.”

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 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 offers 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

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Messagepoint Inc. has been recognized as a 2020 SPARK Matrix™ Technology Leader by global research and consulting firm, Quadrant Knowledge Solutions, for its SaaS-based customer communications management (CCM) solution that enables organizations to enhance the customer experience with optimized communications. The CCM study from Quadrant Knowledge Solutions evaluated 20 key vendors in the global CCM market, analyzing short-term and long-term growth opportunities, emerging trends in technology and future market outlook. It recognized Messagepoint as a leader in technology excellence and customer impact.

“Messagepoint has secured strong ratings across the performance parameters of technology excellence and customer impact and has been positioned among the technology leaders in the 2020 SPARK Matrix of the customer communication management market,” said Pallavi Bothra, analyst at Quadrant Knowledge Solutions. “Messagepoint’s solutions are differentiated by its AI engine, MARCIE, which powers unique content migration and optimization capabilities; and its advanced content sharing and management capabilities, which provide powerful cross-channel control for complex and highly personalized content.”

Quadrant recognized several unique differentiators of Messagepoint’s CCM solutions that are purpose-built to handle the complexity of regulated, personalized omni-channel customer communications. These include:

• Messagepoint Advanced Rationalization and Content Intelligence Engine (MARCIE), which leverages artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing to enable organizations to intelligently migrate, optimize, author and manage the complex, personalized content that is the foundation of customer communications
• Rationalizer, a solution that leverages MARCIE to simplify content migration by making it easy to get content off legacy systems and into modern environments
• The platform’s advanced content sharing capabilities, including Variation Management and SmartText, which enable the reuse of content fragments through multiple communications and channels while centralizing control and change management

Additionally, Messagepoint seamlessly integrates with existing digital delivery platforms that include Salesforce^® Journey Builder, other CCM tools and other print composition capabilities, enabling the platform to act as an intelligent content hub for complex customer content across all channels.

“We are honored to be cited as a Technology Leader in Quadrant Knowledge Solutions’ SPARK Matrix CCM 2020 report,” said Steve Biancaniello, CEO of Messagepoint. “We recognized early on the impact AI-powered capabilities would have on customer communications and how our AI solutions could vastly enhance content operations and the customer experience. When incorporated into a centralized CCM platform, companies now have the ability to democratize expert knowledge in a meaningful way. As a result, they can manage their content more efficiently, while also optimizing that content to improve everything from reading levels to content sentiment and brand alignment, resulting in not only an improved customer experience, but also an increase in customer trust.”

About Quadrant Knowledge Solutions
Quadrant Knowledge Solutions is a global advisory and consulting firm focused on helping clients in achieving business transformation goals with Strategic Business and Growth advisory services. At Quadrant Knowledge Solutions, our vision is to become an integral part of our client’s business as a strategic knowledge partner. Our research and consulting deliverables are designed to provide comprehensive information and strategic insights for helping clients formulate growth strategies to survive and thrive in ever-changing business environments. For more available research, please visit https://quadrant-solutions.com/market-research/.

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.

Media Contact:
Stephanie Gilmore
Sterling Kilgore
630-964-8500
sgilmore@sterlingkilgore.com