The program will see some of Wattpad’s biggest authors share their work exclusively on the platform

In addition to millions in stipends this year, the Wattpad Creators Program will offer writers new marketing and editorial supports, writing resources and more

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wattpad, the global entertainment company and leading webnovel platform, today announced the Wattpad Creators Program, a new program and investment to empower writers to produce their best work and earn money on the platform. The company has plans to pay out $2.6M in writer stipends this year, and some of Wattpad’s most popular stories will become exclusive to the platform.

The Wattpad Creators Program is part of Wattpad’s ongoing commitment to be the best place in the world for writers to build a global audience and make money from their work. Today’s announcement consolidates and expands some of the company’s long-standing writer perks, supporting more writers as they build a career on the platform. Participants will be eligible for marketing and editorial support, sponsored brand partnerships, and for the first time, cash stipends of up to $25,000.

The Wattpad Creators program will see some of the company’s biggest stories become exclusive to the platform. Among the first cohort of now exclusive Wattpad writers is romance superstar Tamara Lush (@TamaraLush), author of Drive and Crash and many other steamy hits; Jessica Cunsolo (@AvaViolet), whose With Me series of novels has accumulated nearly 1B reads on the platform and has a series adaptation in development from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and Sony Pictures Television; Kate Marchant (@toastedbagels), author of the hit novel and upcoming film Float, starring and produced by Robbie Amell; Claudia Tan (@claudiaoverhere), author of Perfect Addiction, in production as a feature film from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and Constantin Film; and Sondi Warner (@sondi_is_on), author of the 259M-read phenomenon, Lead Me Astray.

As part of the Wattpad Creators Program, the company recently rolled out a new Engaged Readers metric for writers. Engaged Readers offers a snapshot of story performance and engagement over the past 365 days, specifically highlighting how many readers spent more than five minutes reading a story.

The company has also launched the Wattpad Creator Portal. Available to all writers, the Wattpad Creator Portal is an online resource with information and tips to help writers hone their craft.

“We’re in the business of helping writers build a global audience and make money,” said Jeanne Lam, President, Wattpad. “With this program and investment, we’re putting millions of dollars directly into authors’ pockets, and helping them hone their skills with new editorial support and educational programming. Our goal has always been to create multiple, scalable ways for writers to make money and build a writing career on Wattpad. The Wattpad Creators Program will do that for more writers than has ever been possible before.”

The Wattpad Creators Program is the company’s latest program and investment to support a diverse community of authors around the world. In 2019, Wattpad launched its Paid Stories program, enabling writers to make more money directly on the platform. The program has grown to support hundreds of writers around the world, paying out more than $3M to writers in the first three years. Wattpad also supports writers with brand partnership opportunities, as well as TV, film, and publishing deals via Wattpad WEBTOON Studios.

The Wattpad Creators Program is currently rolling out to English-language writers around the world. Spanish-language markets and the Philippines will roll-out next, with additional markets to follow in 2023. Educational programming and writer resources will be available for over 3,000 qualifying writers this year, along with over 500 writers who are eligible for cash stipends.

The Wattpad Creators Program is currently open to eligible writers, including those who:

• Have published a new story part in the last three months
• Have at least one completed novel-length story of 50,000 words or more in their catalog
• Have at least one story in an eligible genre¹
• Have achieved a minimum number of Engaged Readers as indicated by Wattpad’s Story Statistics resource

For full program eligibility and information, please see here.

¹ A complete list of eligible genres are available on the Wattpad Creators Portal

Lauren Hopkinson
lauren.hopkinson@wattpad.com
646-656-1536

Unique digital publication breathes new life into ancient oral history

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#books--In honour of Indigenous History Month, Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (FSE: D0T) ("Legible” or the “Company”) is proud to present the first ever media rich “Living Book” edition of an Indigenous authored work, Not Extinct: Keeping the Sinixt Way, in which Sinixt storytellers and knowledge-keepers Marilyn James and Taress Alexis address the reality of their living culture in the face of Canada’s bureaucratic genocide of their people in 1956 and their fight to reverse extinction.

Developed in collaboration with the Sinixt Nation and publisher Maa Press, Legible’s Living Book uses the powerful code bases of its globally accessible browser-based reading platform to unlock ancient oral history traditions for a global audience, forming a stunning bridge from past to present to future. The ebook is accessible and responsive in every device, and is a fully reflowable ePub3, showcasing the possibilities for publishers and authors in the digital reading space.

“We’re thrilled to see Not Extinct published as a Living Book on the Legible platform as it allows readers to easily engage with the multimedia elements that are integral to this unique project,” says KL Kivi of Maa Press. “Working with a company like Legible that is championing ground-breaking technology is empowering.”

The Living Book format connects readers to the land and the stories of Not Extinct, featuring the trickster Snḱlip and the other Animal Beings of Sinixt oral history, in a more visceral and sensorial way than the print medium can achieve. Text interwoven with stunning film clips, interviews, and beautiful illustrations enables readers to listen to Sinixt stories and hear the language, vividly illuminating the Sinixt relationship with the upper Columbia River watershed and their quest to reclaim their rights and responsibilities in their sacred homeland.

“We are proud to work with Maa Press and the Sinixt Nation to support publication of the Living Book edition of this powerful, beautiful, and timely story,” stated Legible’s President and CEO Kaleeg Hainsworth. “Legible’s goal is to use our globally accessible, browser-based reading and publishing platform to ensure all stories have a venue in which to be heard, seen, and told.”

Not Extinct: Keeping the Sinixt Way is available now on Legible.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 has developed two high-value verticals: first, a browser-based accessible B2C ebook entertainment platform for the emerging web with high-growth potential called legible.com — a global ebook entertainment platform delivering beautiful, accessible & immersive reading for next-generation readers; and second, a global B2B ebook conversion and production service with high-revenue potential called Legible Publishing — a world-class high-volume digital conversion service for publishers and organizations and a remediation service of ebook content for the accessibility community. Legible Publishing creates multimedia ebooks, branded as Living Books, that empower authors and publishers to deliver dynamic and unique content.

Founded and led by a team of technologists, authors, ebook publishers, designers, and publishing industry insiders, Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and gaining market share through innovative, 21st century publishing and global reading experiences. Legible provides innovative e-reading experiences to the masses through any browser-enabled device. Legible is committed to providing access to readers that value immersive entertainment experiences through well-constructed and dynamic books. Legible embraces sustainability, accessibility, and global literacy.

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

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking ‎statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events, many ‎of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control and are therefore subject to risks ‎and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the ‎forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative ‎thereof or similar variations. These statements include forward looking statements regarding new revenue sources and growth plans for the Company. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although management of the ‎Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as ‎anticipated, estimated or intended. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those ‎projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: changes in general economic, business and political conditions, ‎including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; ‎and the diversion of management time. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or ‎other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, ‎actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or ‎expected. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events ‎could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-‎looking statements and forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of ‎the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-‎looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or ‎otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking ‎information contained herein. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the ‎Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.‎

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES

Public Relations:
Jay Sachdev, Founder
Breathe Purpose Media
1 (647) 203-3595
jay@breathepurposemedia.com

Legible Inc.
Kaleeg Hainsworth, President & CEO
1 (672) 514-2665
invest@legible.com

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#learn2earn--SWIM, a leading provider of web3 solutions, is pleased to announce its collaboration with Underknown, the award-winning digital-first media company, and the creators of the #1 science video series, ‘What If.’ With this collaboration, SWIM and Underknown fill a void in the industry by forming a decentralized educational & entertainment web-based platform that rewards users, directly connecting to their Metamask wallets, with more on the way. Underknown’s fan base of more than 120 million monthly active users will be able to compete against themselves and others by answering quizzes and following videos from Underknown’s library of more than 3,000 videos of original content in various categories including: science, food, survival, animals, and hypothetical battles.

"SWIM’s leading blockchain technology has proven itself in the industry through their commitment to forming significant brand partnerships, leading security, and innovative solutions by bridging the gap between web2 and web3,” said Steve Hulford, founder and CEO of Underknown. "We could not be more pleased to partner with SWIM and offer our millions of fans a fun and engaging way to learn about science and the humanities through our portfolio of brands."

SWIM’s private beta is the beginning of future gamification capabilities realized by any brand that is exploring new ways to monetize content beyond pre-existing, centralized platforms. A user can earn real rewards in real-time through content consumption without conventional app stores or payment processors.

Underknown’s award-winning content is recognized by several industry accolades including a Shorty Award in 2021, a Telly Award in 2022, and 2 Webby Awards both in 2020 and 2022. “SWIM’s breakout year for 2022 underscores our commitment to empowering creator autonomy,” said Andy Crosby, Founder and Chief Technology Officer at SWIM. “We couldn’t be more excited to blockchain-enable Underknown’s one-of-a-kind platform, transforming the educational space by reimagining what it means to learn while having fun doing it.”

About Underknown

Underknown is a digital-first media company that specializes in creating short-form web series for social video platforms. Underknown’s mission is to create fun, engaging, and educational content that educates the world about science and the humanities. Original content in the form of short-form videos can be found across all major social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Underknown has operations and staff around the world. For more information, visit Underknown and follow on Facebook or LinkedIn.

About SWIM

SWIM powers the creator economy through sustainable blockchain activations. SWIM’s ecosystem is chain-agnostic and features rich tokenomics, customization, and flexibility for brands transitioning from web2 to web3. From Smart Tokenomics, to Smart Contracts, to Community Building, to Cross-Chain Integrations and Management, SWIM unlocks utility and provides real equity for end users. Headquartered in Hollywood, California, at the distinctive SWIM Haus, SWIM is located in the entertainment capital of the world. For more information, visit SWIM and follow on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Investor Contact:
Yorgos Papadapolous
yorgos@swim.eco
213 878 2137

Media Contact:
Blake Kuhre
blake@swim.eco
213 866 8217

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BuzzFeed Canada today announced a new, ongoing collaboration with #paid, an award-winning creator marketing platform. The partnership will allow BuzzFeed and its portfolio of brands, including Tasty, to offer clients access to the largest on-platform network of creators as cast members for BuzzFeed’s content. In addition to in-house talent, BuzzFeed’s clients will now have a unique opportunity to handpick from a more diverse roster of Canadian talent for their BuzzFeed content. Clients will still enjoy the production quality and enormous reach which BuzzFeed already offers across its platforms, and additionally benefit from a secondary aligned audience through the creators’ social media handles.

#paid uses technology and a specialized team to curate a list of creators who best fit each brief based on both content type and audience demographics, and creators then pitch back why they are passionate about the brand. The platform technology provides a turnkey experience to match, manage, and measure influencer marketing for both BuzzFeed and its clients, so that by partnering with #paid, BuzzFeed can scale influencer marketing for clients quickly and effectively.

Nathan George, Head of Region for Canada at BuzzFeed, Inc. said: “We are so excited to bring this new opportunity to our clients as we continue to diversify our branded content offerings in Canada. Our team is always looking for innovative new ways to provide more customization and deeper integrations to our partners. We know they will be excited to work with new and diverse personalities who are truly passionate about telling their brand stories.”

Bryan Gold, CEO of #paid, said: “Really excited to be working with the BuzzFeed team. The future of creators is ubiquitous, and this partnership brings that vision to life—today. Incorporating creators into the culture and community that BuzzFeed creates is a compelling opportunity for brands to drive awareness, trust, and relatability.”

#paid is an award winning creator marketing platform and the number one on G2Crowd. The company has nearly a decade of experience in influencer marketing, creator technology, content strategy and a robust creator media measurement suite. This is the first partnership the company has signed with a publisher and the first deal of its kind in Canada, and globally for BuzzFeed.

BuzzFeed, Inc. is home to the best of the Internet. Across pop culture, entertainment, shopping, food and news, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, buy, and obsess over next. Born on the Internet in 2006, BuzzFeed is committed to making it better: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the Internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives.

Ashley Riske
Head of Business Strategy
ariske@hashtagpaid.com

Bead Fest moves to bigger venue in Lancaster, Penn., August 17-20, 2022

GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bead Fest, the largest educational beading and jewelry event, will celebrate its 20^th anniversary at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, PA, drawing thousands of beaders and jewelry enthusiasts to its 4-day festival of all things beading.

The gathering in the Marriott at Penn Square, August 17-20, 2022, will feature over 400 hours of classes taught by internationally and domestically respected instructors and an inspiring shopping experience with 125+ specialty beading and jewelry exhibitors. Additionally, special events to celebrate 20 years of gathering to explore beadwork and jewelry making will also be held throughout the week.

“Bead Fest is the perfect place for seasoned jewelry-making and beading veterans to learn new techniques, find new trends, and explore a vast marketplace. And, for those who are just starting out, there are demos, make and takes, and getting-started workshops where you can try your hand and see where your path leads. It truly is a place for the whole community to come together,” said Tamara Honaman, artist and Director of Content at Golden Peak Media.

For its 20^th year, Bead Fest will include an innovative "Getting Started" workshop series geared toward those who want to start exploring the world of beadwork and jewelry making. Taught by the globally recognized Honaman herself, it is the perfect place to dabble in new techniques and learn the basics of beading and jewelry making.

This year, Bead Fest will also recognize and celebrate the best of the industry at the show. Winners of the Interweave Bead Arts Awards will be announced and featured throughout the event. These awards highlight the best of the best in three categories, with prizes from the contest sponsors to recognize excellence in the following categories:
Seed Beads sponsored by Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
Multi-Hole Beads sponsored by Barrel of Beads
Crystals sponsored by Dreamtime Creations

Prizes include:
Grand Prize Winner - $750 in cash
Three Category Winners - $250 sponsored prize
Four Honorable Mentions - $50 Interweave.com gift cards
All winners will receive a one-year membership to Interweave+ (a $49.99 value), a digital badge, a feature on Interweave.com, and will be highlighted at Bead Fest.

"Being part of the Bead Fest programming for the past 20 years has been amazing. To see the event grow from our first effort with 50 vendors and 14 classes to where we are today is a testament to the vibrancy of the jewelry-making and beading communities,” Honaman said. "We are so excited to have Bead Fest in this new location—Lancaster has a vibrant arts community, local area attractions, lots of great food options within walking distance, historic landmarks, and it is close to Hershey Park, an attraction many people have traditionally ventured to after the show.”

“We are beyond thrilled at the response from the community,” said Jeffrey Litvack, CEO of Golden Peak Media. “After two years without live events, this community is itching to get back together—and we couldn’t be more excited to host Bead Fest 2022. Within just a few weeks, we had record-breaking sales for workshops and the hotel room block sold out—twice!”

To learn more about Bead Fest, visit BeadFest.com. View a full workshop brochure and save on registration with advanced pricing through June 30, 2022. Marketplace hours: August 18-20, 2022, 10 am – 6 pm. Advanced tickets: $15/1-day, $25/3-day. At the Door: $20/1-day, $30/3-day. Workshops include a marketplace pass.

About Golden Peak

Golden Peak Media is one of the largest media and education companies serving Art and Craft enthusiasts in the U.S. The Company publishes 15 magazines, including Love of Quilting and Artists Magazine, and has more than 5,000 digital videos and 15,000 digital patterns. More information can be found at www.goldenpeakmedia.com.

Jessi Rodriguez, jrodriguez@goldenpeakmedia.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (FSE: D0T) ("Legible” or the “Company”), announces that, further to its June 6, 2022 News Release, it has increased the size of its private placement of debenture units (“Debenture Units”) from up to $1,000,000 to up to $2,000,000 (the “Private ‎Placement”).‎

In addition, Legible also announced that it has completed the closing of the first tranche of the Private Placement. Legible issued 100.63 Debenture Units at a price of $10,000 per Debenture Unit for gross proceeds of $1,006,300 (and, less the finder’s fee of $12,000 for net proceeds of $994,300; $390,800 of which was the settlement of outstanding indebtedness). The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement for general working capital purposes.‎ All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement are subject to a hold period that expires on October 9, 2022. It is anticipated that Legible will close a second tranche of the Private Placement within the next two weeks.

Mr. David Van Seters, a director of Legible, subscribed for 2.1 Debenture Units and Ms. Shannon Kaustinen, also a director of Legible, subscribed for 1 Debenture Unit under the Private ‎Placement. Legible has determined that exemptions from the various requirements of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 are ‎available for the issuance of the Debenture Units (Formal Valuation - Issuer Not Listed on Specified Markets; Minority Approval - Fair ‎Market Value Not More Than $2,500,000).

Each Debenture Unit consists of: (i) a 15% unsecured convertible debenture of the Company (“Debenture”) in the principal amount of $10,000; and (b) 50,000 common share purchase warrants (“Warrant”). The Debentures mature on the date that is three (3) years following the closing (the “Maturity Date”) and are convertible at the holder’s option, at any time, after the date that is four months and one day from the closing, into common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”) at a conversion price of $0.10 per share. The Debentures bear interest at a rate of fifteen percent (15%) per annum calculated annually. The full amount of the interest owing until the date that is two (2) years following the closing shall be pre-paid at closing by the issuance of 20,000 Common Shares (at a deemed price of $0.15 per share) per Debenture Unit, and thereafter interest shall be due and payable in cash on the earlier of: (i) the Maturity Date; and (ii) in the event of conversion of the Debentures prior to the Maturity Date of the entire principal amount, 30 days following the conversion date. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.15 for a period of two (2) years from closing; provided that if, at any time, after the date that is four months and one day following the closing, the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) is at least $0.40 per share for a period of 5 consecutive trading days, the expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated by the Company to a date that is not less than 21 days after the date that notice of such acceleration is provided to the Warrant holders, which notice may be by way of general press release.

As noted above, a finder acting in connection with the Private Placement received a fee in the amount of $12,000 and 120,000 finder’s warrants. Each finder’s warrant may be exercised to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of two (2) years from the closing; provided that if, at any time, after the date that is four months and one day following the closing, the volume weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the CSE is at least $0.40 per share for a period of 5 consecutive trading days, the expiry date of the finder’s warrants may be accelerated by the Company to a date that is not less than 21 days after the date that notice of such acceleration is provided to the finder’s warrant holders, which notice may be by way of general press release.

Kaleeg Hainsworth, Legible’s CEO and President stated “We are pleased to have closed the first tranche of our Private Placement and to be able to do a follow-on closing in the coming weeks. Demand for participation in the Private Placement is strong as investors start to understand that one of Legible’s key differentiators is the creation and delivery of immersive, multimedia Living Books, which provide a more interesting and interactive way for people to read.” Hainsworth further commented “We are a book entertainment company for the future of digital reading, and publishers, distributors, and authors are excited about how our Living Books, as well as our browser-first, device agnostic platform, can transform the eReading experience.”

About Legible Inc.

Legible Inc. is a book entertainment and media company with a mission: Millions of books for billions of readers, globally. Legible has developed two high-value verticals; firstly, a browser-first accessible B2C eBook entertainment platform for the emerging web with high-growth potential called legible.com - a global eBook entertainment platform delivering beautiful, accessible & immersive reading for next-generation readers; and secondly, a global B2B eBook conversion and production service with high-revenue potential called Legible Publishing - a world-class high-volume digital conversion service for publishers and organizations and a remediation service of eBook content for the accessibility community. Legible Publishing creates multimedia eBooks, branded as Living Books, that empowers authors and publishers to deliver dynamic and unique content.

Founded and led by a team of technologists, authors, eBook publishers, designers, and publishing industry insiders, Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and gaining market share through innovative, 21^st century publishing and global reading experiences. Legible provides innovative eBook reading experiences to the masses through any browser-enabled device. Legible is committed to providing access to readers that value immersive entertainment experiences through well-constructed and content dynamic books. Legible embraces sustainability, accessibility, and global literacy.

Please visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life. Readers are invited to visit Legible’s continually evolving curated Staff-Picks Bookshelf: https://legible.com/ca/list/staff-picks

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information (“forward-‎looking statements”), including statements regarding Legible’s business and the Private ‎Placement. 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.‎

Kaleeg Hainsworth
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 1 (672) 514-2665
Email: invest@legible.com
Website: Legible.com
Investor Relations: investors.legible.com

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Valnet Inc. (or “Valnet”) has successfully completed the acquisition of DualShockers.com (“DualShockers”), a digital gaming publication revered by the gaming community. DualShockers was previously owned and operated by GRV Media.

GRV CEO Graham Morris said: “We had a range of attractive offers for DualShockers, but the discussions with Valnet really resonated with us. Like us, they are a business with a strong moral compass, and we will watch on with interest as DualShockers moves onto the next part of its exciting journey”.

The acquisition of DualShockers is highly complementary to Valnet’s gaming portfolio, which includes flagship gaming sites GameRant.com and TheGamer.com.

About Valnet Inc.

Driven by passion and performance, Valnet’s overarching goal is to create and distribute content to millions of users daily across its brands. With more than 3.5 billion sessions per year, Valnet is the leading digital content investment company that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of premier digital publishing assets across multiple verticals.

About DualShockers.com

Founded in 2009, DualShockers.com has established itself as an authoritative source for the gaming community, with millions of readers visiting the site monthly for gaming news, reviews, guides, and previews.

DualShockers was represented by Logan Abner from WeBrokr.

Rony Arzoumanian
Head of M&A
Contact: rony.a@valnetinc.com | 514-497-7787
Website: valnetinc.com

Startup is using Bitcoin and the Lightning Network to enable flexible, usage-based monetization of digital apps, widgets, tools, online content, and other experiences based on quality and value

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#DigitalWallet--Mash, the payments platform that is enabling builders, creators, and developers to properly monetize their experiences leveraging Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, today announced that it has raised US$6 million in seed funding. The investment was co-led by Castle Island Ventures and Whitecap Venture Partners, with participation from Maple VC, Strategic Cyber Ventures, Aquanow, Spacecadet Ventures, and several angel investors including Amjad Masad, Balaji Srinivasan, Austin Hill, John Pfeffer, and Dean Skurka.

Mash aims to remonetize the internet by enabling builders, creators, and developers to implement net-new business models to generate revenue for the experiences they deliver; and by providing consumers with a digitally native wallet to use everywhere. The Mash technology is built on a foundation of Bitcoin and Lightning, which together bring the power of open, digitally native money to global markets, enabling interoperable payments to anyone, anywhere around the world at immaterial cost, programmatically, and for any amount – even a fraction of a penny.

Solving the massive internet monetization problem
Mash is addressing the monetization problem experienced by builders of no-code apps, games, widgets, and tools; developers of applications and platforms; and creators of communities and content. The people behind these digital experiences are unable to implement pricing models that allow them to generate revenue that aligns with the actual value and quality of what they are delivering. Instead, they rely on i) ads that require millions of users and result in earnings based on consumers purchasing something else; ii) subscriptions and up front-purchases that have a significant commitment barrier and which don’t convert and result in churn; or, iii) aggregators that restrict, censor, and control them.

“Online content monetization is deeply broken today. As a scalable, data-efficient, and high-granularity system, Bitcoin’s Lightning Network is uniquely suited to solving this problem, and Mash employs it wonderfully,” said Nic Carter, General Partner at Castle Island Ventures, which also led a pre-seed investment in Mash. “We’ve redoubled our commitment to Mash and look forward to continuing the journey with the team.” Concurrent with the funding round, Carter will join the Mash board of directors.

A new approach to monetization
By enabling builders, developers, and creators to offer flexible, “pay-as-you-enjoy” pricing options, Mash is eliminating any up-front commitment barriers to purchase. Mash allows for pricing based on usage, access, and time – from content read, messages sent, votes made, crowd-unlocks, tips, games played, time spent watching/listening, boosts, downloads, and more. This approach gives consumers clear control of their spend and enables them to consume, engage, and interact while they “stream money.” With Mash, consumers will also be able to try before they buy, and auto-pay without interruption or concern for overspending – without having to lock in their funds to a single experience they may never use again. Payment is facilitated using a native digital wallet that does not need to be downloaded, is interoperable across the internet, and can be loaded directly with a credit card or Bitcoin.

“There’s an explosion in the number of people who want to be full-time creators and builders. But to go full time, they need an easy way to actually monetize the value they deliver,” said Jared Nusinoff, founder and CEO of Mash. “Bitcoin and Lightning are transformative, redefining money on a global scale, creating the perfect opportunity for us to change the fabric of all online experiences and unlock fundamentally new business models that reward and incentivize the proliferation of quality, trusted and high-value experiences.”

Significant progress in the first year
Since founding the company in March 2021, Mash has established a world-class engineering and design team with top tier startup and big tech experience at companies such as Google, Amazon, Typeform, Fitbit, Lazer, and others. The company recently launched a beta version of its first product that enables web apps and creators to charge based on access/usage and add a consumer digital wallet with just a snippet of code. Mash is also in the process of onboarding several partners.

Mash will use the funds to build out and commercialize its Bitcoin and Lightning Network payments platform; grow its team across engineering, marketing, sales, and business development; and execute on its go-to-market strategy.

“With the maturation of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, the timing has never been better to commercialize the concept of dynamic digital payments,” said Russell Samuels, Partner at Whitecap Venture Partners. “With tens of millions of developers globally, and hundreds of thousands of new apps launching each year, the potential for Mash is significant. We are proud to be partnering with the Mash team.” Samuels will join the Mash board of directors as a Board Observer.

About Mash
Mash is the transformative Bitcoin Lightning Network payments platform enabling usage-based monetization for builders, developers, and creators. The company is on a mission to fix the fundamental flaw with the internet that prevents the monetization of content, tools, no-code products, applications, platforms, and other online experiences based on value and quality. The remote-first company was founded in 2021 and is led by a team of builders with experience at notable start-ups, scale-ups, and big tech enterprises. For additional information, visit getmash.com.

Media
Jodi Echakowitz
Boulevard Public Relations
jodi@boulevardpr.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (FSE: D0T) ("Legible” or the “Company”), announced today that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement offering of debenture units (“Debenture Units”) at a price of $10,000 per Debenture Unit, for gross proceeds of up to $1,000,000 (the “Private ‎Placement”).‎ Each Debenture Unit will consist of: (i) a 15% unsecured convertible debenture of the Company (“Debenture”) in the principal amount of $10,000; and (b) 50,000 common share purchase warrants (“Warrant”).

The Debentures will mature on the date that is three (3) years following the closing (the “Maturity Date”) and are convertible at the holder’s option, at any time, after the date that is four months and one day from the closing, into common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”) at a conversion price of $0.10 per share. The Debentures will bear interest at a rate of fifteen percent (15%) per annum calculated annually not in advance. The full amount of the interest owing until the date that is two (2) years following the closing shall be pre-paid on the closing by the issuance of 20,000 Common Shares (at a deemed price of $0.15 per share) per Debenture Unit, and thereafter interest shall be due and payable in cash on the earlier of: (i) the Maturity Date; and (ii) in the event of conversion of the Debentures prior to the Maturity Date of the entire principal amount, 30 days following the conversion date.

Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.15 for a period of two (2) years from closing; provided that if, at any time, after the date that is four months and one day following the closing, the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) is at least $0.40 per share for a period of 5 consecutive trading days, the expiry date of the Warrants may be accelerated by the Company to a date that is not less than 21 days after the date that notice of such acceleration is provided to the Warrant holders, which notice may be by way of general press release.

The closing of the Private Placement is expected to occur on or about June 8, 2022, and is subject to regulatory approval, including approval of the CSE. For further details on the Private Placement, please contact the ‎Company. All securities issued in connection with the Private Placement will be subject to a hold period of four months ‎from the date of closing. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement for general working capital purposes.‎

A finder’s fee of up to 8% of the gross proceeds of the Private Placement may be paid in cash on all or any portion of the Private Placement. Additionally, finder’s warrants may be issued in an amount up to 8% of the number of Debenture Units sold under the Private Placement. Each finder’s warrant may be exercised to acquire one common share at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of two (2) years from the closing; provided that if, at any time, after the date that is four months and one day following the closing, the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the CSE is at least $0.40 per share for a period of 5 consecutive trading days, the expiry date of the finder’s warrants may be accelerated by the Company to a date that is not less than 21 days after the date that notice of such acceleration is provided to the finder’s warrant holders, which notice may be by way of general press release.

About Legible Inc.

Legible Inc. is a book entertainment and media company with a mission: Millions of books for billions of readers, globally. Legible has developed two high-value verticals; firstly, a browser-first accessible B2C eBook entertainment platform for the emerging web with high-growth potential called legible.com - a global eBook entertainment platform delivering beautiful, accessible & immersive reading for next-generation readers; and secondly, a global B2B eBook conversion and production service with high-revenue potential called Legible Publishing - a world-class high-volume digital conversion service for publishers and organizations and a remediation service of eBook content for the accessibility community. Legible Publishing creates multimedia eBooks, branded as Living Books, that empowers authors and publishers to deliver dynamic and unique content.

Founded and led by a team of technologists, authors, eBook publishers, designers, and publishing industry insiders, Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and gaining market share through innovative, 21st century publishing and global reading experiences. Legible provides innovative eBook reading experiences to the masses through any browser-enabled device. Legible is committed to providing access to readers that value immersive entertainment experiences through well-constructed and content dynamic books. Legible embraces sustainability, accessibility, and global literacy.

Please visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life. Readers are invited to visit Legible’s continually evolving curated Staff-Picks Bookshelf: https://legible.com/ca/list/staff-picks

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information (“forward-‎looking statements”), including statements regarding Legible’s business and the proposed Private ‎Placement. 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.‎

Kaleeg Hainsworth
Chief Executive Officer
Phone: 1 (672) 514-2665
Email: invest@legible.com
Website: Legible.com
Investor Relations: investors.legible.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Messagepoint announced today it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Customer Communications Management (CCM) 2022 Vendor Assessment (DOC #US48167722, June 2022). Vendor assessments involved customer interviews and a comprehensive survey to ensure vendor offerings qualified both from a capability and a strategy perspective.

“Enterprise or mid-market organizations in the financial services, insurance or healthcare spaces, seeking a SaaS CCM solution for modernizing communication services or augmenting their existing CCM application within the business, should consider Messagepoint,” said Marci Maddox, research director, digital experience strategies at IDC and author of the report. Maddox also offered, “Forward-thinking organizations that embrace AI-enabled tools for content optimization may realize benefits with Messagepoint not typically associated with CCM solutions.”

Messagepoint is a cloud-hosted intelligent content hub for customer communications that empowers business users with a no-code approach to managing content, targeting rules and communications. The report cites Messagepoint’s differentiators as its authoring environment for non-technical users, its AI-powered Messagepoint Advanced Rationalization and Content Intelligence Engine (MARCIE), which adds assistance in the authoring process, and its ability to provide a full stack communication authoring and delivery environment that can also accommodate a headless mode. Leveraging Messagepoint’s APIs, developers can access content objects in Messagepoint to support dynamic digital experiences that are highly personalized and built for new school digital endpoints.

“We are honored to be recognized once again as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for CCM,” said Steve Biancaniello, CEO of Messagepoint. “While CCM is considered a mature market space, customer demands for highly personalized digital experiences that are tailored to modern digital endpoints are changing the landscape significantly. Messagepoint’s success in this space has been driven by our ability to innovate in order to support our customers in their journey to provide better customer experiences overall. We continue this innovation with our unique approach to content management, headless CCM solutions and an API strategy that supports the kind of dynamic digital experiences that customers want.”

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.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor’s position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

Media Contact:
Patricia Kilgore
Sterling Kilgore
630-964-8500
pkilgore@sterlingkilgore.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cybin Inc. (NEO:CYBN) (NYSE American:CYBN) (“Cybin” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on progressing “Psychedelics to Therapeutics™”, is pleased to announce the publication of a peer-reviewed article introducing EMBARK, a model of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy that integrates leading clinical approaches to promote effective facilitation and supportive healing with psychedelic medicines.

“It’s a pleasure to see our work published in this respected journal. In developing EMBARK, we looked at 17 models of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, and we noticed that many are missing critical elements: a focus on ethics, on human relationships, on the body as a site of somatic healing, and on evidence-based practices. We designed EMBARK to overcome some of these limitations as an integrative model of psychedelic therapy. We’d like to honor the contributions of many teachers and leaders in the field who have helped chart this course,” said Alex Belser, PhD, EMBARK’s co-creator and Cybin’s Chief Clinical Officer.

The article was published on June 2, 2022 in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology and is titled, “Models of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Contemporary Assessment and an Introduction to EMBARK, a Transdiagnostic, Trans-Drug Model.” Written by EMBARK’s co-creators, Bill Brennan, PhD and Alex Belser, PhD, Cybin’s Chief Clinical Officer, the article provides a detailed overview of EMBARK to the academic and clinical communities. Frontiers in Psychology is the largest journal in the field of psychology.

“We are excited to present our model to the field in a way that highlights its thoughtfulness and responsiveness to current concerns in psychedelic research. We have listened carefully to what has worked, and what has been found lacking, and offer EMBARK as an innovative step forward,” said Bill Brennan, PhD, EMBARK’s co-creator.

The article also provides an overview of EMBARK’s six clinical domains (Existential-Spiritual, Mindfulness, Body Aware, Affective-Cognitive, Relational, and Keeping Momentum) and highlights the strengths and limitations of existing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy approaches and evidence-based therapies. The article is the first of a series of publications aimed at presenting EMBARK as an open-source model of practice and training for therapists and facilitators supporting psychedelic-based treatments.

“If psychedelics are ever to be integrated into modern clinical medicine, the usage protocols are as important as the medicines themselves. In this respect Cybin is a leader. Cybin has assembled a faculty of top-notch therapists to lead its EMBARK program, which incorporates a multi-dimensional approach to therapies that enable them to be tailored to a variety of patient needs. With the implementation of EMBARK, Cybin is setting high standards for the future of psychedelic therapy,” said Dennis J. McKenna, Ph.D., Founding Board Member of Heffter Research Institute and President and Principal Founder of McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy.

The article can be accessed online here.

Cybin’s upcoming clinical trials evaluating the Company’s proprietary psychedelic-based molecules CYB003 and CYB004 for treating major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and anxiety disorders will use EMBARK to support study participants.

About Cybin
Cybin is a leading ethical biopharmaceutical company, working with a network of world-class partners and internationally recognized scientists, on a mission to create safe and effective therapeutics for patients to address a multitude of mental health issues. Headquartered in Canada and founded in 2019, Cybin is operational in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Company is focused on progressing Psychedelics to Therapeutics^™ by engineering proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative drug delivery systems, novel formulation approaches and treatment regimens for mental health disorders.

Cautionary Notes and Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, statements regarding Cybin’s future, strategy, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “believe”, “expect”, “aim”, “intend”, “plan”, “continue”, “will”, “may”, “would”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “predict”, “project”, “seek”, “should” or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Company’s proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative drug delivery systems, novel formulation approaches and treatment regimens to potentially treat psychiatric disorders.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s operations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the psychedelics market; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for growth; political, social and environmental uncertainties; employee relations; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions in the markets where the Company operates; and the risk factors set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the period ended December 31, 2021 and the Company's listing statement dated November 9, 2020, which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Cybin makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about Cybin’s proposed products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada or other similar regulatory authorities have not evaluated claims regarding psilocybin, psychedelic tryptamine, tryptamine derivatives or other psychedelic compounds. The efficacy of such products has not been confirmed by approved research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin, psychedelic tryptamine, tryptamine derivatives or other psychedelic compounds can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Rigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. Cybin has not conducted clinical trials for the use of its proposed products. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy and safety of potential products do not imply that Cybin verified such in clinical trials or that Cybin will complete such trials. If Cybin cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on Cybin’s performance and operations.

Neither the Neo Exchange Inc. nor the NYSE American LLC stock exchange have approved or disapproved the contents of this news release and are not responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the contents herein.

Investor & Media Contact:
Leah Gibson
Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Communications
Cybin Inc.
irteam@cybin.com -or- media@cybin.com

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Valnet Inc. (or “Valnet”) has successfully completed the acquisition of TopSpeed.com (“TopSpeed”), a leading digital automotive publication. With its team of automotive experts publishing audience-engaging content, TopSpeed has continuously grown over the years to become a generational brand for car enthusiasts.

Combined with Valnet’s existing automotive site - HotCars.com - Valnet’s automotive segment will generate c.175 million sessions annually, allowing further scale of highly authoritative coverage in a premier vertical.

About Valnet Inc.

Driven by passion and performance, Valnet’s overarching goal is to create and distribute content to millions of users daily across its brands. With more than 3.5 billion sessions per year, Valnet is the leading digital content investment company that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of premier digital publishing assets across multiple verticals.

About TopSpeed.com

TopSpeed was founded in 2003 with the goal of becoming the preferred online destination for car enthusiasts. The site covers news and trends within the automotive industry by publishing daily articles, spy shots and thorough buyer guides and reviews.

Rony Arzoumanian
Head of M&A
Contact: rony.a@valnetinc.com | 514-497-7787
Website: valnetinc.com

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#sports--Playmaker Capital Inc. (TSXV: PMKR) (“Playmaker”), the digital sports media company that delivers authentic content experiences through its portfolio of sports media and technology brands, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Yardbarker Media (“Yardbarker”), has launched Bark Bets, a new consumer facing, sports betting email newsletter product.

Bark Bets provides users with deep analysis and actionable information on the biggest games and events in sports with the goal of better informing sports fans’ betting decisions. Written by Yardbarker’s in-house sports betting experts, Bark Bets is emailed to readers 5x per week Monday through Friday.

Bark Bets features three sections that each serve to offer readers different insights related to that night’s events to ensure that there is content to meet every sports bettor’s preferred wager type, risk tolerance, and sports betting knowledge. The lead story features a breakdown that previews the top game of the day, and highlights important news related to the game that could impact the betting markets or provide timely betting opportunities to capitalize on. The Quick Picks section gives short and to-the-point analysis of the most promising betting options for additional games that day combined with best-in-class odds integrations. The Betting News and Notes section provides an aggregation of the most popular sports betting content on the Yardbarker website.

“Our mission is to provide sports fans with unique ways to understand and interact with the sports they love,” said Ben Maggin, Yardbarker CEO. “Bark Bets gives readers an opportunity to analyse games through a sports betting filter, ensuring they have all the information they need to make the best sports betting decisions they can.”

Beyond the content, Bark Bets presents multiple opportunities to integrate contextual promotions and offers from leading sportsbooks trying to reach a targeted group of sports betting users. The highly personal and engaging format of the newsletter combined with daily frequency provides the ability to deliver unique and targeted offers related to each night’s slate of games and betting markets.

Bark Bets will join the Morning Bark and Quiz of the Day in Yardbarker’s newsletter portfolio, which has become a centre of excellence for Playmaker. All three newsletters serve as significant referral sources for Yardbarker’s website and generate valuable first-party data.

TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE DISCLAIMER

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

ABOUT PLAYMAKER

Playmaker Capital Inc. (TSX-V: PMKR; OTC: PMKRF) is a digital sports media company that lives at the intersection of sports, gambling, media and technology. Playmaker is building a premier collection of sports media brands, curated to deliver highly engaged audiences of sports fans to sports betting companies, leagues, teams and advertisers.

For more information, visit: http://www.playmaker.fans or contact Playmaker Chief Executive Officer Jordan Gnat via email jgnat@playmaker.fans. |T: (416) 815-4993.

To sign up for Playmaker’s Investor Alerts, visit: playmaker.fans/investors.

ABOUT YARDBARKER

Yardbarker is a digital media property focused on the publishing of sports and entertainment news and information. Founded in 2006, the property distributes content on its website, social media platforms, and via third party syndication partners. In addition, Yardbarker curates and distributes 'The Morning Bark', 'Quiz of the Day', and ‘BarkBets’ email newsletters to more than 372K daily subscribers.

MEDIA:
Elias Blahacek – E: elias@playmaker.fans | T: (+1) 416-254-4345

79% agree that web giants should have to share revenue with Canadian media outlets

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--News Media Canada released the results of a survey about Canadians’ views on the importance of local media. The survey found:

• 90 per cent of Canadians believe it’s important that local media outlets survive.
• 79 per cent of Canadians agree that web giants should have to share revenue with Canadian media outlets.
• 80 per cent of Canadians support parliament passing a law that would let smaller outlets negotiate collectively with the web giants.

"Canadians value their local news outlets, and they believe web giants should have to share some of their revenue with Canadian media outlets,” said Paul Deegan, president and chief executive officer of News Media Canada. Across partisan lines, Canadians believe Parliament should pass a law that would allow smaller outlets to negotiate collectively with web giants. It is time for parliamentarians to pass C-18, the Online News Act.”

“There is majority support for forcing web giants to share revenues with Canadian media outlets among survey respondents in both cities and rural communities, among both young and old, and across partisan lines.” said Dan Arnold, Chief Strategy Officer at Pollara. “This means that Canadians who consume their news in many different ways can all come together and agree on the importance of this issue.”

This survey was conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights, on behalf of News Media Canada, via an online survey of 1,500 adult Canadians conducted between May 20 to May 26, 2022. Data has been weighted by region, gender, and age based on the most recent census data, so as to be representative of all Canadians. The margin of error for a probability sample of this size is ± 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.

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.

Paul Deegan, President and CEO
pdeegan@newsmediacanada.ca

Rest of World Content to Add to New Streams of Revenue

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--$READ #UK--Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (FSE: D0T) (OTC: LEBGF) ("Legible” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the launch of its Rest of World eBookstore, adding content for sale in the UK and Ireland. This initiative spearheads Legible’s strategic expansion into international English-speaking markets. In 2021, UK digital book sales alone generated GBP 3.2 billion. By expanding into these markets Legible will be able to accelerate both readership and revenues. Access to additional global markets is forthcoming.

“Expanding access to Legible’s award-winning titles from globally recognized publishers and distributors on our browser-first, device agnostic platform will unlock additional revenue and broaden market reach for both Legible and our eBook partners,” stated Kaleeg Hainsworth, Legible’s CEO and President. “This is the next step in Legible’s mission to transform the way people access and enjoy books, anytime, anywhere.”

The addition of the Rest of World eBookstore is just one of several revenue streams that Legible is deploying to gain market share and drive toward profitability in 2022.

In April, Legible released Bookshelves, a social feature which allows account holders to create shareable libraries including Sponsored Bookshelves, Legible’s new B2B bespoke commercial service. Sponsored Bookshelves offer branding and marketing opportunities for major organizations keen to promote key reading selections, create new forms of customer engagement, and participate in literary events such as book awards. In early May, Legible partnered with global literacy organization Room to Read to launch its first Bookshelf, ensuring every child with access to a browser-enabled device can access beautiful, fun, animated eBooks.

Earlier this month, Legible launched Legible Publishing Services, a digital development, and conversion service that creates ‘born-accessible’ eBooks and remediates existing eBooks to improve their accessibility, as well as develop media-rich (video, audio, animation, augmented reality) “Living Books” - exclusive and original to Legible. Legible is in discussions with multiple companies to enter into new partnerships and unique publishing opportunities with Legible.

Legible is currently developing its Audiobooks offering, to be offered first for a la carte purchase and then as part of Legible’s Unbound Subscription Offering, which will provide unlimited access to Legible’s subscription catalogue.

Each of these revenue sources will be supported by robust marketing campaigns, designed to generate revenue and global brand recognition for the Legible eReading Entertainment Platform.

“Legible’s primary focus for the coming months is to capitalize on our strategic investment in planning, marketing strategy and product development as we launch and maximize our multiple revenue streams,” said Hainsworth. “We are poised to take Legible to the next level.”

About Legible Inc.

Legible Inc. is a book entertainment and media company with a mission: Millions of books for billions of readers, globally. Legible has developed two high-value verticals; firstly, a browser-first accessible B2C eBook entertainment platform for the emerging web with high-growth potential called legible.com - a global eBook entertainment platform delivering beautiful, accessible & immersive reading for next-generation readers; and secondly, a global B2B eBook conversion and production service with high-revenue potential called Legible Publishing - a world-class high-volume digital conversion service for publishers and organizations and a remediation service of eBook content for the accessibility community. Legible Publishing creates multimedia eBooks, branded as Living Books, that empowers authors and publishers to deliver dynamic and unique content.

Founded and led by a team of technologists, authors, eBook publishers, designers, and publishing industry insiders, Legible is transforming the digital publishing industry and gaining market share through innovative, 21st century publishing and global reading experiences. Legible provides innovative eBook reading experiences to the masses through any browser-enabled device. Legible is committed to providing access to readers that value immersive entertainment experiences through well-constructed and content dynamic books. Legible embraces sustainability, accessibility, and global literacy.

Please visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life. Readers are invited to visit Legible’s continually evolving curated Staff-Picks Bookshelf: https://legible.com/ca/list/staff-picks

Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking ‎statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events, many ‎of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control and are therefore subject to risks ‎and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the ‎forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative ‎thereof or similar variations. These statements include forward looking statements regarding new revenue sources and growth plans for the Company. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although management of the ‎Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as ‎anticipated, estimated or intended. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those ‎projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: changes in general economic, business, and political conditions, ‎including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; ‎and the diversion of management time. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or ‎other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, ‎actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated, or ‎expected. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events ‎could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-‎looking statements and forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of ‎the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-‎looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or ‎otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking ‎information contained herein. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the ‎Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.‎

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN UNITED STATES

Legible Inc.
Kaleeg Hainsworth, President & CEO
1 (672) 514-2665
invest@legible.com
www.Legible.com
Investors.Legible.com

 The second annual campaign in support of mental health awareness encourages people to share their stories of bravery in the face of personal challenges

As part of the campaign, superstar author, entrepreneur, and film producer Anna Todd will moderate a virtual #WattpadSpeaks panel on May 19 about Getting Creative with Self-Care

TORONTO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Maybelline New York, the world's leading cosmetics brand, and Wattpad, the global entertainment company and leading web novel platform, today announced the second annual #BraveTogether campaign. The campaign invites Wattpad’s massive Gen Z community to elevate and celebrate stories of bravery, empathy, and support in the face of mental health issues.

Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Maybelline and Wattpad will host a series of writing prompts for the Wattpad community, inviting writers to share a short story about self-care and showing support to others. For every story submitted as part of the #BraveTogether writing prompt on Wattpad, Maybelline will donate $1 to organizations that support mental health. The campaign will provide donations of up to $10,000 to each of the Sad Girls Club, The Jed Foundation, The Ali Forney Center, and The Loveland Foundation.

As part of the campaign, on May 19, Wattpad and Maybelline will host #WattpadSpeaks: Getting Creative with Self-Care. The intimate virtual event will bring together a group of Wattpad authors to discuss mental health, self-care, and writing. Moderated by bestselling author, entrepreneur, and film producer Anna Todd--author of the global Wattpad and publishing sensation After and founder of Frayed Pages x Wattpad Books--in conversation with Meghan Joyce Tozer (@EmilyLindin/ Night, Forgotten), Sondi Warner (@Sondi_Is_On/ Lead Me Astray), and Kassandra Tate (@famouxx/ The Famoux), the event will explore using creativity as self-care.

“What makes Wattpad unique is the sense of community that the platform fosters,” said Jessie Feinstein, SVP US Marketing, Maybelline. “After an incredible partnership in 2021, we’re proud to work with Wattpad again to share a message of positivity and resilience in the face of challenges. We want everyone to know that community helps us all be #BraveTogether.”

“It’s no secret that people around the world are struggling with a host of mental health challenges,” said Wattpad President Jeanne Lam. “Creativity and community are at the core of what Wattpad offers users. Every day, diverse readers and writers around the world connect over stories that give them a sense of joy, connection, and community on our platform. We’re thrilled to work with a brand like Maybelline to support mental health and share a message about how we can all be #BraveTogether.”

The 2022 #BraveTogether campaign extends a 2021 initiative from Wattpad and Maybelline. Last year’s campaign also invited users to share stories around personal courage and bravery to break the stigma around mental health struggles. Together, Wattpad and Maybelline raised $35,000 for mental health and LGBTQ+ charities in 2021, generating 37,000 story entries and 84M social media impressions in support of mental health. The campaign was a Bronze Honoree in the 14th Annual Shorty Awards in the “Best User Generated Content” category.

For more information on the #BraveTogether campaign, visit www.maybelline.com/bravetogether.

About Wattpad

Wattpad’s vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading social storytelling platform and home to a community of more than 94 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Alongside Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, the company’s TV, film, and publishing counterparts, Wattpad combines art and science to unearth incredible stories and cultivate the fandoms driving the future of entertainment. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada.

About Maybelline New York

Maybelline New York is the number one cosmetic brand in the world, available in over 120 countries. By combining technologically advanced formulas with on-trend expertise and New York City edge, Maybelline New York's mission is to offer innovative, accessible, and effortless cosmetics for all. In 2020, Maybelline introduced Brave Together, a long-term program to support anxiety and depression and help everyone, everywhere to bravely take on their world. Brave Together provides critical one-on-one support, an online education hub, a variety of programming to help destigmatize the conversation around mental health and has committed to donate $10 million over the next five years to global and local organizations. For more information log on to www.maybelline.com or www.maybelline.com/bravetogether.

Lauren Hopkinson
lauren.hopkinson@wattpad.com
646-656-1536

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#investorrelations--The Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI), Canada’s national association for investor relations professionals, proudly announces Business Wire as its National Strategic Partner for the 12th consecutive year.

With Business Wire’s support, CIRI continues to deliver on its mandate to advance the practice of investor relations across Canada through focused resources, professional development events, networking opportunities and advocating on behalf of the investor relations profession.

“This long-standing, meaningful partnership with Business Wire truly demonstrates their commitment to CIRI and the investor relations community. With their support, we are able to keep IROs informed of evolving practices by providing timely, relevant professional development and resources,” said Yvette Lokker, President & CEO, CIRI. “With pandemic-related restrictions lifted, we will be able to re-unite this community in person so they can share experiences and learn from one another, something that is particularly important given the changes within the industry over the last two years.”

“Business Wire is proud to continue our 12^th year supporting CIRI as National Strategic Partner and delivering a world-class experience to the Canadian investor relations community,” said Greg Blazina, General Manager of Canada. “Being the trusted partner of an organization of CIRI’s stature is a testament to our 60-year history, facilitating the secure and accurate dissemination of more market-moving news throughout Canada.”

For more information on CIRI sponsorship, click here.

For more information on Business Wire’s investor relations solutions, click here.

About CIRI
CIRI is a professional, not-for-profit association of executives responsible for communication between public corporations, investors and the financial community. CIRI contributes to the transparency and integrity of the Canadian capital markets by advancing the practice of investor relations, the professional competency of its members and the stature of the profession. With close to 500 members and four Chapters across the country, CIRI is the voice of IR in Canada. For more information, please visit CIRI.org.

About Business Wire

Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in news release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Investor relations, public relations, public policy, and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia.

Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals, and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX Network. Business Wire’s global newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media worldwide.

For more information about Business Wire, please email us at info@businesswire.com or call 888.381.9473. Subscribe to our blog for communications industry trends and tactics delivered straight to your inbox, and join us on Twitter @businesswire and LinkedIn.

BW-C

Yvette Lokker
President & CEO
Canadian Investor Relations Institute
(416) 364-8200 ext. 101
ylokker@ciri.org

Greg Blazina
General Manager of Canada
Business Wire
(416) 593-0208
greg.blazina@businesswire.com

MARKHAM, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading defence and military magazine, CANADIAN DEFENCE REVIEW, has just released its annual Survey & Ranking of Canada’s Top 100 Defence Companies.

For 2022, CDR has named Seaspan Shipyards, its Top Defence Company and it’s the first time for the company at the #1 spot in the 18 years the survey has been published.

In commenting on the #1 ranking, Seaspan Shipyards’ CEO, Mark Lamarre said, “We are honoured to be recognized by CDR as Canada’s Top Defence Company.”

He added, “It is recognition not only of the hard work by the 2,700 talented and resilient employees at Seaspan Shipyards, but also of the outstanding efforts and commitment by our customers, federal government partners and suppliers across the country. Together, we are delivering modern and much-needed ships for Canada's Coast Guard and Navy and we are rebuilding an industry of strategic national importance.”

CDR Editor-in-Chief, Peter Kitchen, commented, “A healthy shipbuilding industry is critical to the upkeep and maintenance of a nation’s navy and Seaspan is very much a part of that as it regularly refits the Victoria Class submarines and Halifax-Class frigates of Canada’s Navy. Now, under the leadership of CEO, Mark Lamarre, Seaspan has invested in new infrastructure at its Vancouver yard and it’s set to deliver critically important supply ships under the JSS program for Canada’s Navy.”

He added, “Seaspan is now hitting on all cylinders and the federal government apparently agrees, as late last year it named Seaspan one of two yards selected to build a world class Polar Icebreaker. So, for all these reasons and for the way the company has sought to keep its workers safe during the pandemic, we feel the time is right to recognize Seaspan as Canada’s #1 Defence Company.”

This year CDR has added new blood to the survey in the form of 13 new companies showing Canada’s defence industry remains strong.

An evaluation panel consisting of CDR editorial staff and independent advisors ranked the companies based on factors such as economic impact, innovation, contribution to the nation's security, corporate integrity and support for Canada’s military.

With the publication of its annual Top 100 Defence Companies Survey & Ranking, CDR’s goal is to showcase Canada’s defence industry and all that it has to offer.

For further information:
Peter A. Kitchen, Editor-in-Chief
Telephone: (905) 554-4586
Email: Info@CanadianDefenceReview.com
www.CanadianDefenceReview.com