Kaiser & Partners’ 2024 data reveals changing news consumption patterns with an overwhelming number (84%) of respondents citing at least one way they fact-check news read on social media
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In its fourth annual survey on trust and credibility in news sources, Kaiser & Partners, an Earnscliffe Strategies Company (K&P), highlights the resilience of established news media as the most trusted source of information with almost three in five (59%) respondents agreeing. The findings also reveal a generational shift towards diverse platforms while reinforcing the continued dominance of traditional outlets.
Highlights
- Over half (56%) of respondents in Canada say the way they consume news has changed over the past year, with the most cited changes being an increase in online news from established news sources (25%) and watching more broadcast TV news (20%). This trend is especially notable among Gen Z and Boomer respondents.
- For the fourth consecutive year, established media (i.e., newspapers/online newspapers, broadcast news, radio) remains the source of information that all generations find the most credible. This is perhaps one of the catalysts of change noted above.
- Three in five (62%) respondents say that recent changes to news media have caused them to trust it less. The top factors eroding trust are political or celebrity influencers on the news (33%), paid/advertorial content (31%), and algorithm-fed newsfeeds (31%).
- When it comes to news on social media, most respondents (84%) say they use at least one means of fact-checking, such as finding other articles to confirm information (32%), finding the original source (23%), or vetting the credibility of the person sharing the information (20%).
Trust in Established News Media Rises Across Canada
For the fourth consecutive year, established news media remains the top source for credible news with nearly three in five (59%) respondents agreeing. Almost half (45%) of Gen Z respondents find established news media amongst the most credible sources compared to nearly a quarter (22%) of Gen Z respondents who said they found information from experts on social media to be the most credible (the highest among generations). It’s clear younger Canadians are increasingly turning to online platforms but still demonstrate a growing appreciation for credible, fact-checked journalism.
“Trust is foundational in the media, and Canadians are showing us that established journalism remains vital,” said Janine Allen, president at Kaiser & Partners. “However, with evolving consumption patterns and increasing access to diverse platforms, communicators need to meet audiences where they are, while maintaining credibility and integrity.”
About a third of respondents in Canada pointed to three main causes of trust erosion: political or celebrity content in the news (33%), the prevalence of paid or advertorial content from organizations (31%), and algorithms that tailor news feeds (31%). Gen Z and Millennial respondents – that is, those from generations with higher reported rates of social media usage – are more likely to say that algorithms influencing results on their feeds (35% each) is causing them to trust media less.
Navigating Social Media in the Age of Misinformation
With the rise of social media as a main news source, an overwhelming number (84%) of respondents have cited at least one way of fact-checking information they see on these platforms. Methods include seeking corroborating articles (32%), verifying the original source (23%), or evaluating the sharer’s credibility (20%). But not all generations have the same reflexes when it comes to fact-checking, with Boomers being the most likely to say they would just ignore information if they feel it is fake (22%) or that they do not fact check news on social media at all (14%). Gen Z respondents, for their part, are more likely to cross-reference using other social media sources (15%) or speaking to their friends or family (18%).
The Impact of Bill C-18
Canada’s Online News Act and the resulting Meta news ban have notably reshaped the information ecosystem with over half (56%) of respondents saying the way they consume news on social media has changed, impacting where they check on Canadian or international news. Nearly one in five (20%) respondents say they’ve increased reliance on traditional media for Canadian news, with Boomers (25%) leading this trend. Meanwhile, Gen Z respondents are adapting by turning to alternative platforms like Reddit and TikTok, reflecting a generational divide in how the law has influenced news habits.
In terms of international news, over half (56%) of respondents stated that their consumption had changed in the wake of Bill C-18, but the way this change occurs varies across generations. Younger respondents were more likely to say they decreased their international news consumption (14% of Gen Z and 15% of Millennials compared to 6% of Boomers) and admit that they were less aware of global events (13% of Gen Z and Millennials each, compared to 4% boomers) as a result of these changes.
Looking Ahead
As social media use grows, particularly among Gen Z, the divide between traditional and digital platforms will continue to shape the media landscape. Despite challenges, the enduring credibility of established news media suggests an unabated demand for rigorous, fact-based journalism.
“Canadians of all ages are navigating an evolving news environment,” Allen continued. “The findings highlight opportunities for the media and communications industry to innovate and rebuild trust, ensuring accessibility and reliability in today’s digital age.”
About Kaiser & Partners
Founded in 2011, Kaiser & Partners Inc., an Earnscliffe Strategies company, quickly became Canada’s leading public relations and communications agency. With practitioners operating across Canada, the agency offers clients a full suite of bilingual, strategic communications services across industry sectors. Visit the agency’s website at www.kaiserpartners.com.
About the Survey
The survey, conducted by Earnscliffe Strategies’ opinion research team, was in field from November 28 to December 1, 2024, and engaged a representative stratified sample of 2,018 respondents living in Canada (with an effective national sample size of 1,875) who are members of Leger’s LEO panel. For comparison purposes only, a survey of this size would have a margin of error of +/- 2.3% at a confidence level of 95%.
Contacts
Media Inquiries:
Carrie Pala
carrie.pala@kaiserpartners.com
613-408-2846
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News provided by Business Wire
-Company continued to invest in the Fintech sector through Marygold & Co.-
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Marygold Companies, Inc. (“TMC,” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: MGLD), a diversified global holding firm, today reported financial results for its 2025 second fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2024.
Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2024 amounted to $8.0 million, compared with $8.5 million last year. The Company recorded a net loss of $1.7 million, equal to a loss of $0.04 per share, for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, compared with a net loss of $1.2 million, equal to a loss of $0.03 per share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2024. Revenue for the six months ended December 31, 2024 totaled $15.9 million, with a net loss of $3.3 million, equal to a net loss of $0.08 per share, versus revenue of $16.7 million and a net loss of $1.7 million, or a net loss of $0.04 per share, for the comparable prior year period.
The revenue decline over both comparable prior year periods was primarily due to a reduction in average assets under management (“AUM”) at TMC’s largest subsidiary, USCF Investments, to $3.1 billion from $3.5 billion a year ago. AUM level directly impacts the management fees earned and typically fluctuates with global commodity pricing trends. Revenue also was impacted by a slight increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar, which negatively impacted currency translation values in the Company’s foreign subsidiaries. The performance of TMC’s core operating subsidiaries was within expectations, and the net loss principally reflected the Company’s continued expenses in the development and roll-out of its mobile banking fintech app through its Marygold & Co. subsidiaries in the U.S. and the U.K.
Cash and cash equivalents of $5.7 million at December 31, 2024 increased slightly from $5.5 million at June 30, 2024, the close of TMC’s prior fiscal year. Total stockholders’ equity decreased to $23.4 million at December 31, 2024 from $26.6 million at fiscal year-end, primarily reflecting the net loss incurred during the six months ended December 31, 2024.
“For the quarter just ended, we had budgeted for continued losses, based in large part on cash expenditures incurred by our Marygold fintech subsidiary,” said David Neibert, TMC’s Chief Operations Officer. “To help with cash needs for future development and rollout of our fintech app, we entered into a $4 million note during the first quarter, and in anticipation of an equity raise of $2.3 million in gross proceeds that was completed subsequent to the close of the second quarter, we finalized a prospectus supplement for our Form S-3 shelf registration. These actions produced expenses for the second quarter and contributed to the net loss.
“We are pleased that our operating subsidiaries in New Zealand, Canada and in the U.S. continue to do well overall. Moving into the second half of our fiscal year, we expect to significantly reduce expenses in our Marygold & Co. subsidiary, having successfully completed the proof-of-concept phase,” Neibert added.
Nicholas Gerber, TMC’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “We have spent nearly $20 million into what we refer to as the ‘Marygold Project,’ which includes Marygold & Co. and its counterpart, Marygold & Co. (UK) Limited. We view these costs as investments in TMC’s long-term future, and believe the Company is poised to move forward with the initial roll-out of the mobile app in the U.K. shortly, while we strategize on marketing direction for the app in the U.S.
“As shareholders, we all have gone through a painful period of enduring losses, while we refocused our corporate resources in the fintech sector. I believe we will turn the corner soon and begin to see some tangible results for those efforts,” Gerber said.
Business Units
The Company’s USCF Investments subsidiary, https://www.uscfinvestments.com/, acquired in 2016 and based in Walnut Creek, Calif., serves as manager, operator or investment adviser to 15 exchange traded products, structured as limited partnerships or investment trusts that issue shares trading on the NYSE Arca.
Gourmet Foods, https://gourmetfoodsltd.co.nz/, acquired in 2015, is a commercial-scale bakery that produces and distributes iconic meat pies and pastries throughout New Zealand under the brand names Pat’s Pantry and Ponsonby Pies. Acquired by Gourmet Foods in 2020, Printstock Products Limited https://www.printstock.co.nz, is a printer of specialized food wrappers and is located in Napier, New Zealand. Its operations are consolidated with those of Gourmet Foods.
Brigadier Security Systems, https://brigadierelite.com/, acquired in 2016 and headquartered in Saskatoon, Canada, provides comprehensive security solutions to homes and businesses, government offices, schools and other public buildings throughout the province under the brands Brigadier Security Systems in Saskatoon and Elite Security in Regina, Canada.
Acquired in 2017, San Clemente, Calif.-based Original Sprout, www.originalsprout.com, produces and distributes a full line of vegan, safe, non-toxic hair and skin care products, including a “reef safe” sun screen, throughout the U.S. and in many regions throughout the world.
Marygold & Co., https://marygoldandco.com/, headquartered in Denver, Colo., is a wholly owned TMC subsidiary established in 2019 to explore opportunities in the financial technology sector. Marygold & Co. (UK) Limited, https://marygoldandco.uk/, also a wholly owned TMC subsidiary, was established in the U.K. in 2021 and operates through two U.K.-based investment advisory business units: Marygold & Co Limited (fka/Tiger Financial and Asset Management), acquired in 2022, http://www.tfam.co.uk/, and Step-by Step Financial Planners, acquired in 2024, https://www.sbsfp.co.uk/, that manage clients’ financial wealth across a diverse product range.
About The Marygold Companies, Inc.
The Marygold Companies was founded in 1996 and repositioned as a global holding firm in 2015. The Company currently has operating subsidiaries in fund management, financial services, food manufacturing, printing, security systems and beauty products, under the trade names USCF Investments, Marygold & Co., Marygold & Co. Limited, Step By Step Financial Planners, Gourmet Foods, Printstock Products, Brigadier Security Systems and Original Sprout, respectively. Offices and manufacturing operations are in the U.S., New Zealand, U.K., and Canada. For more information, visit www.themarygoldcompanies.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results and, consequently, should not be relied upon as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements and factors that may cause such differences include, without limitation, significantly reducing expenses in the Marygold & Co. subsidiary, along with the risks disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing list of factors is not inclusive. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update or publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release.
THE MARYGOLD COMPANIES, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited) | ||||||||
|
|
December 31,
|
|
June 30,
| ||||
ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
CURRENT ASSETS |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Cash and cash equivalents |
| $ | 5,677 |
|
| $ | 5,461 |
|
Accounts receivable, net (of which $1,520 and $1,455, respectively, due from related parties) |
|
| 2,292 |
|
|
| 2,678 |
|
Inventories |
|
| 2,189 |
|
|
| 2,191 |
|
Prepaid income tax and tax receivable |
|
| 2,246 |
|
|
| 1,338 |
|
Investments, at fair value |
|
| 9,232 |
|
|
| 9,551 |
|
Other current assets |
|
| 961 |
|
|
| 3,034 |
|
Total current assets |
|
| 22,597 |
|
|
| 24,253 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Restricted cash |
|
| 61 |
|
|
| 62 |
|
Property and equipment, net |
|
| 1,021 |
|
|
| 1,166 |
|
Operating lease right-of-use assets |
|
| 1,262 |
|
|
| 974 |
|
Goodwill |
|
| 2,481 |
|
|
| 2,481 |
|
Intangible assets, net |
|
| 1,218 |
|
|
| 1,375 |
|
Deferred tax assets, net |
|
| 1,969 |
|
|
| 1,969 |
|
Other assets |
|
| 2,389 |
|
|
| 619 |
|
Total assets |
| $ | 32,998 |
|
| $ | 32,899 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
CURRENT LIABILITIES |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses |
| $ | 3,782 |
|
| $ | 4,021 |
|
Lease liabilities, current portion |
|
| 627 |
|
|
| 620 |
|
Purchase consideration payable, current portion |
|
| 235 |
|
|
| 277 |
|
Notes payable, current portion |
|
| 3,517 |
|
|
| 315 |
|
Total current liabilities |
|
| 8,161 |
|
|
| 5,233 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Notes payable, net of current portion |
|
| 376 |
|
|
| - |
|
Purchase consideration payable, net of current portion |
|
| - |
|
|
| 237 |
|
Lease liabilities, net of current portion |
|
| 748 |
|
|
| 455 |
|
Deferred tax liabilities, net |
|
| 360 |
|
|
| 360 |
|
Total long-term liabilities |
|
| 1,484 |
|
|
| 1,052 |
|
Total liabilities |
|
| 9,645 |
|
|
| 6,285 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Preferred stock, par value $0.001; 50,000 shares authorized |
|
|
|
|
|
| ||
Series B: 49 issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024 |
|
| - |
|
|
| - |
|
Common stock, $0.001 par value; 900,000 shares authorized; 40,188 and 40,096 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2024 and June 30, 2024, respectively |
|
| 40 |
|
|
| 40 |
|
Additional paid-in capital |
|
| 13,196 |
|
|
| 12,825 |
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss |
|
| (568 | ) |
|
| (269 | ) |
Retained earnings |
|
| 10,685 |
|
|
| 14,018 |
|
Total stockholders’ equity |
|
| 23,353 |
|
|
| 26,614 |
|
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity |
| $ | 32,998 |
|
| $ | 32,899 |
|
THE MARYGOLD COMPANIES, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited) | ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
Six Months Ended
| ||||||||||||
|
| 2024 |
| 2023 |
| 2024 |
| 2023 | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||
Revenue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Fund management - related party |
| $ | 4,685 |
|
| $ | 4,997 |
|
| $ | 9,276 |
|
| $ | 10,047 |
|
Food products |
|
| 1,688 |
|
|
| 1,920 |
|
|
| 3,510 |
|
|
| 3,649 |
|
Beauty products |
|
| 832 |
|
|
| 842 |
|
|
| 1,430 |
|
|
| 1,617 |
|
Security systems |
|
| 585 |
|
|
| 570 |
|
|
| 1,274 |
|
|
| 1,123 |
|
Financial services |
|
| 214 |
|
|
| 128 |
|
|
| 423 |
|
|
| 256 |
|
Revenue |
|
| 8,004 |
|
|
| 8,457 |
|
|
| 15,913 |
|
|
| 16,692 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Cost of revenue |
|
| 2,076 |
|
|
| 2,091 |
|
|
| 4,203 |
|
|
| 4,128 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Gross profit |
|
| 5,928 |
|
|
| 6,366 |
|
|
| 11,710 |
|
|
| 12,564 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Operating expense |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Salaries and compensation |
|
| 2,947 |
|
|
| 2,999 |
|
|
| 6,094 |
|
|
| 5,589 |
|
General and administrative expense |
|
| 2,361 |
|
|
| 2,306 |
|
|
| 4,926 |
|
|
| 4,556 |
|
Fund operations |
|
| 1,566 |
|
|
| 1,187 |
|
|
| 2,978 |
|
|
| 2,461 |
|
Marketing and advertising |
|
| 738 |
|
|
| 718 |
|
|
| 1,407 |
|
|
| 1,685 |
|
Depreciation and amortization |
|
| 142 |
|
|
| 153 |
|
|
| 301 |
|
|
| 307 |
|
Total operating expenses |
|
| 7,754 |
|
|
| 7,363 |
|
|
| 15,706 |
|
|
| 14,598 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Loss from operations |
|
| (1,826 | ) |
|
| (997 | ) |
|
| (3,996 | ) |
|
| (2,034 | ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Other income (expense): |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Interest and dividend income |
|
| 1,064 |
|
|
| 138 |
|
|
| 1,215 |
|
|
| 331 |
|
Interest expense |
|
| (362 | ) |
|
| (3 | ) |
|
| (393 | ) |
|
| (7 | ) |
Other expense, net |
|
| (1,105 | ) |
|
| (503 | ) |
|
| (1,124 | ) |
|
| (458 | ) |
Total other expense, net |
|
| (403 | ) |
|
| (368 | ) |
|
| (302 | ) |
|
| (134 | ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Loss before income taxes |
|
| (2,229 | ) |
|
| (1,365 | ) |
|
| (4,298 | ) |
|
| (2,168 | ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Benefit from income taxes |
|
| 482 |
|
|
| 182 |
|
|
| 966 |
|
|
| 484 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Net loss |
| $ | (1,747 | ) |
| $ | (1,183 | ) |
| $ | (3,332 | ) |
| $ | (1,684 | ) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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| ||||
Weighted average shares of common stock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Basic and diluted |
|
| 40,863 |
|
|
| 40,397 |
|
|
| 40,855 |
|
|
| 40,397 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Net loss per common share |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Basic and diluted |
| $ | (0.04 | ) |
| $ | (0.03 | ) |
| $ | (0.08 | ) |
| $ | (0.04 | ) |
Contacts
Media and investors, for more Information, contact:
Roger S. Pondel
PondelWilkinson Inc.
310-279-5965
rpondel@pondel.com
Contact the Company:
David Neibert, Chief Operations Officer
949-429-5370
dneibert@themarygoldcompanies.com
The Marygold Companies, Inc. Reports Financial Results for 2025 Second Fiscal Quarter
Kaiser & Partners’ 2024 data reveals changing news consumption patterns with an overwhelming number (84%) of respondents citing at least one way they fact-check news read on social media
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In its fourth annual survey on trust and credibility in news sources, Kaiser & Partners, an Earnscliffe Strategies Company (K&P), highlights the resilience of established news media as the most trusted source of information with almost three in five (59%) respondents agreeing. The findings also reveal a generational shift towards diverse platforms while reinforcing the continued dominance of traditional outlets.
Highlights
- Over half (56%) of respondents in Canada say the way they consume news has changed over the past year, with the most cited changes being an increase in online news from established news sources (25%) and watching more broadcast TV news (20%). This trend is especially notable among Gen Z and Boomer respondents.
- For the fourth consecutive year, established media (i.e., newspapers/online newspapers, broadcast news, radio) remains the source of information that all generations find the most credible. This is perhaps one of the catalysts of change noted above.
- Three in five (62%) respondents say that recent changes to news media have caused them to trust it less. The top factors eroding trust are political or celebrity influencers on the news (33%), paid/advertorial content (31%), and algorithm-fed newsfeeds (31%).
- When it comes to news on social media, most respondents (84%) say they use at least one means of fact-checking, such as finding other articles to confirm information (32%), finding the original source (23%), or vetting the credibility of the person sharing the information (20%).
Trust in Established News Media Rises Across Canada
For the fourth consecutive year, established news media remains the top source for credible news with nearly three in five (59%) respondents agreeing. Almost half (45%) of Gen Z respondents find established news media amongst the most credible sources compared to nearly a quarter (22%) of Gen Z respondents who said they found information from experts on social media to be the most credible (the highest among generations). It’s clear younger Canadians are increasingly turning to online platforms but still demonstrate a growing appreciation for credible, fact-checked journalism.
“Trust is foundational in the media, and Canadians are showing us that established journalism remains vital,” said Janine Allen, president at Kaiser & Partners. “However, with evolving consumption patterns and increasing access to diverse platforms, communicators need to meet audiences where they are, while maintaining credibility and integrity.”
About a third of respondents in Canada pointed to three main causes of trust erosion: political or celebrity content in the news (33%), the prevalence of paid or advertorial content from organizations (31%), and algorithms that tailor news feeds (31%). Gen Z and Millennial respondents – that is, those from generations with higher reported rates of social media usage – are more likely to say that algorithms influencing results on their feeds (35% each) is causing them to trust media less.
Navigating Social Media in the Age of Misinformation
With the rise of social media as a main news source, an overwhelming number (84%) of respondents have cited at least one way of fact-checking information they see on these platforms. Methods include seeking corroborating articles (32%), verifying the original source (23%), or evaluating the sharer’s credibility (20%). But not all generations have the same reflexes when it comes to fact-checking, with Boomers being the most likely to say they would just ignore information if they feel it is fake (22%) or that they do not fact check news on social media at all (14%). Gen Z respondents, for their part, are more likely to cross-reference using other social media sources (15%) or speaking to their friends or family (18%).
The Impact of Bill C-18
Canada’s Online News Act and the resulting Meta news ban have notably reshaped the information ecosystem with over half (56%) of respondents saying the way they consume news on social media has changed, impacting where they check on Canadian or international news. Nearly one in five (20%) respondents say they’ve increased reliance on traditional media for Canadian news, with Boomers (25%) leading this trend. Meanwhile, Gen Z respondents are adapting by turning to alternative platforms like Reddit and TikTok, reflecting a generational divide in how the law has influenced news habits.
In terms of international news, over half (56%) of respondents stated that their consumption had changed in the wake of Bill C-18, but the way this change occurs varies across generations. Younger respondents were more likely to say they decreased their international news consumption (14% of Gen Z and 15% of Millennials compared to 6% of Boomers) and admit that they were less aware of global events (13% of Gen Z and Millennials each, compared to 4% boomers) as a result of these changes.
Looking Ahead
As social media use grows, particularly among Gen Z, the divide between traditional and digital platforms will continue to shape the media landscape. Despite challenges, the enduring credibility of established news media suggests an unabated demand for rigorous, fact-based journalism.
“Canadians of all ages are navigating an evolving news environment,” Allen continued. “The findings highlight opportunities for the media and communications industry to innovate and rebuild trust, ensuring accessibility and reliability in today’s digital age.”
About Kaiser & Partners
Founded in 2011, Kaiser & Partners Inc., an Earnscliffe Strategies company, quickly became Canada’s leading public relations and communications agency. With practitioners operating across Canada, the agency offers clients a full suite of bilingual, strategic communications services across industry sectors. Visit the agency’s website at www.kaiserpartners.com.
About the Survey
The survey, conducted by Earnscliffe Strategies’ opinion research team, was in field from November 28 to December 1, 2024, and engaged a representative stratified sample of 2,018 respondents living in Canada (with an effective national sample size of 1,875) who are members of Leger’s LEO panel. For comparison purposes only, a survey of this size would have a margin of error of +/- 2.3% at a confidence level of 95%.
Contacts
Media Inquiries:
Carrie Pala
carrie.pala@kaiserpartners.com
613-408-2846
SERIES TO STREAM GLOBALLY IN APRIL
MBS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ADN, ANIPLUS, GKIDS, AND TROPICS, ANNOUNCE THE THEATRICAL GLOBAL PREMIERE FOR UPCOMING ANIME SERIES, WITCH WATCH
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc. announced in partnership with ADN, Aniplus, GKIDS, and Tropics, a global theatrical premiere for the highly anticipated new anime series WITCH WATCH, based on the Weekly Shonen Jump manga of the same name. The theatrical premiere will begin outside of Japan on mid-March, ahead of the worldwide streaming release scheduled for April.
Based on the popular manga by Kenta Shinohara (SKET Dance), WITCH WATCH is a hilariously magical rom-com following teenage witch Nico and her Ogre familiar Morihito, who is tasked with her protection after a dire prophecy is cast over her. With a witch-in-training and an Ogre now living under one roof, what could possibly go wrong? WITCH WATCH brings together a hilariously offbeat cast of mystical characters, and as they deal with various magical mishaps, this hilarious and spellbinding new rom-com will leave you in stitches week after week.
The series is brought to life by Bibury Animation Studios (The Quintessential Quintuplets), is directed by Hiroshi Ikehata (FLCL Progressive), and features character designs from Haruko Iizuka (Horimiya) with music from Yukari Hashimoto (A Sign of Affection).
Worldwide Theatrical Release
In celebration of the launch of the new TV animation series, scheduled to begin streaming in April, the theatrical premiere of WITCH WATCH, released under the moniker WITCH WATCH: WATCH PARTY, kicks off with screenings in North America on March 16th from GKIDS. WITCH WATCH: WATCH PARTY will additionally come to theaters in Asia beginning March 13th from Tropics, in selected European countries in March from ADN, and in Korea in March from Aniplus. Further release details will be announced in collaboration with the theatrical premiere partners in each region.
“WITCH WATCH is an exciting animation born from an outstanding original story and the passionate dedication of its production team. Nico's whimsical and extraordinary magic will surely captivate your heart and leave a lasting impression. With its hilarious twists and turns, we hope you'll enjoy laughing out loud in the theater,” said Producer Hiroyuki Aoi of Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc.
Global streaming release
WITCH WATCH will stream globally this April. For platform specific details, please check ADN, Aniplus, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, and Tropics’ website.
For more information about WITCH WATCH, please visit the official English language social media accounts:
X: @WITCHWATCH_EN
Instagram: @witchwatch_en
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@witchwatch-anime
About WITCH WATCH
Morihito Otogi, a high school student who comes from a lineage of ogres, enjoys a peaceful, ordinary life until his childhood friend, Nico, moves in with him. Nico is a witch-in-training, and chooses Morihito to be her familiar. While Nico is thrilled to reunite with her old friend and crush, Morihito is tasked with the perilous duty to protect her from a foretold calamity. Between the unpredictable chaos caused by Nico’s magic, and the awkwardness of sharing a home, their lives become a whirlwind of supernatural hijinks and threats.
Puppy love meets magical mischief and danger in WITCH WATCH, the endlessly charming and riotously funny new anime series. Based on the Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Kenta Shinohara (SKET Dance), get the first sneak peek of the upcoming anime with WITCH WATCH: WATCH PARTY, a special theatrical premiere event featuring the first three episodes and exclusive interviews.
About MBS
Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc. (MBS) is known as a pioneer in the Japanese broadcasting industry. Tracing back through history, MBS was one of the first commercial radio stations in Japan, starting its first radio broadcasts in 1951 and later beginning terrestrial television broadcasting in 1959. MBS has its head office in Osaka, which is the business center of Kansai, the western part of Japan, with new emerging businesses and innovative ideas. For anime, MBS has been co-producing and broadcasting for more than half a century. The broadcaster is the TV home to numerous global hit anime franchises like “Attack on Titan,” “Full Metal Alchemist” and “Jujutsu Kaisen.” In addition to co-producing those and many other series, MBS was a co-producer of “Akira,” seen as one of the most influential anime films of all time. https://www.mbs.jp/english/
Contacts
Press Contact
GKIDS for MBS: gkids@42west.net
Nominations are now open for the 17th annual Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, presented by Western Union
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The story of Canada is the story of immigrants coming to this land for freedom, opportunity and success. While immigration numbers are currently trending down, the contributions that immigrants have made to building this country are undeniable. Canadian Immigrant, with the support of presenting sponsor Western Union, is therefore pleased to open the call for nominations for the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards of 2025, to shine a spotlight on these nationbuilders who have adopted Canada as their own.
Now in its 17th year, the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, supported by COSTI, is the first and only national awards program celebrating immigrant success stories from coast to coast.
Spotlighting immigrants from diverse backgrounds who contribute to Canada’s economy, innovation, arts and communities, is an important way of bringing communities together, instead of farther apart. The Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards is the leader in sharing the inspiring stories of immigrants to not only honour their contributions, but to provide role models for other newcomers.
Do you know someone who deserves to be recognized among the top immigrants in Canada? Canadian Immigrant and Western Union are now calling on Canadians to nominate an immigrant or refugee who has an inspirational success story to share at www.canadianimmigrant.ca/top25.
Immigrants who have been honoured with this prestigious national award in past years include two Governor Generals, actors like Mena Massoud, of Aladdin movie fame, athletes like Toronto Argonauts’ Hénoc Muamba, restaurateurs like Vikram Vij, and artists like ballerina Chan Hon Goh, as well as many unsung heroes who have made giving back to Canada an integral part of their lives.
“We cannot wait to see who will be nominated this year!” said Sanjay Agnihotri, Publisher of Canadian Immigrant, a national multimedia platform and producer of the awards. “From what we have seen over the last decade and a half, there seems to be a neverending supply of inspiring immigrant role models who have gone above and beyond to build successful lives in Canada, while making this country a better place. At Canadian Immigrant, we are grateful to have this amazing platform to recognize and amplify these inspirational Canadians.”
“Western Union’s mission throughout our long history as a company is one of being purpose-driven, connecting people and communities through financial inclusion, while placing the customer at the center of everything we do,” said Nathan Stone, Country Director of Western Union, Canada. “The close connection between our Canadian customers and their families living abroad together with the role our services play in helping create better lives are inextricably linked. As sponsor of these prestigious awards, we celebrate the contributions made by those that call Canada their new home and support them in their journey toward prosperity.”
Eligibility Criteria
A nominee can be anyone who has immigrated to Canada and has since contributed to the success and uplifting of this country and/or its people. Achievements can be either professional or personal. Nominees must be aged 15 or older, hold landed immigrant (permanent resident) or citizen status in Canada, and reside in Canada.
Nomination Process
Nominations can be made at www.canadianimmigrant.ca/top25 until March 7, 2025, 11:59 p.m. EST. A distinguished panel of judges made up of past winners will review all nominees and present a list of 75 finalists who will be announced in April, after which all Canadians can vote for their favourite nominees. The 25 winners will be announced in August 2025 in Canadian Immigrant and online at CanadianImmigrant.ca.
Entrepreneur Award
This will be the 11th consecutive year and 2nd year sponsored by COSTI that one of the Top 25 winners will also be selected for the additional Entrepreneur Award, honouring one of the Top 25 who has demonstrated entrepreneurial excellence in business. No additional application is required to apply for this award.
Youth Award
For the ninth consecutive year, one of the Top 25 will be awarded the additional Youth Award, which recognizes young immigrants between the ages of 15 and 30 who are making a difference through achievement and/or service, and who exhibit great potential as long-term contributors to Canada. No additional application is required to apply for this award.
About Canadian Immigrant
Attracting more than 400,000 readers each month and over 100,000 visitors a month online, Canadian Immigrant is a national multimedia platform to help immigrants succeed in Canada, with content, resources and events on careers, education and settlement. Canadian Immigrant is the producer of the cross-country Canadian Immigrant Fairs. Canadian Immigrant is a division of Metroland Media Group, a dynamic media company with more than 100 community and daily newspapers in print and online, as well as innovative websites including wheels.ca, goldbook.ca, save.ca and localwork.ca. Learn more at canadianimmigrant.ca.
About Western Union
Western Union is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Western Union’s platform provides seamless cross-border flows and its leading global financial network bridges more than 200 countries and territories and over 130 currencies. We connect businesses, financial institutions, governments, and consumers through one of the world’s widest reaching networks, accessing billions of bank accounts, millions of digital wallets and cards, and approximately 600,000 retail locations. Western Union connects the world to bring boundless possibilities within reach.
Contacts
Canadian Immigrant
Laura Jackman, 647-212-0549
ljackman@metroland.com
Western Union
Brad Jones
Bradley.Jones@wu.com
Celebrating the Story of Canada Through Immigrant Success Stories
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--500 Degrees, an agency of digital content makers specializing in design and implementation of digital content for multi-use retail on a global scale, recently announced the promotion of Shawn Brown to President and Chief Operating Officer. Brown, who previously served as Executive Vice President and COO, will oversee the creative, client services and production teams. The leaders of those disciplines will report directly to Brown.
“I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to step into this leadership role. My goal is not only to drive the company forward but also to cultivate a culture of hard work and innovation, while building meaningful relationships and delivering unwavering support to our clients,” said Brown. “I look forward to working with the talented team at 500 Degrees to drive the growth of our company and build a lasting legacy of innovation and excellence.”
Brown will focus on three key priorities: fueling growth through diversification and strategic partnerships, leveraging emerging technologies to enhance client support and launching a new digital content studio to streamline content development and accelerate time-to-market.
500 Degrees, which has locations in Columbus, Miami and Toronto, creates digital, print and experiential content designed to engage consumers across every channel, at every step of the buying journey. With a focus on QSR, the agency delivers fully integrated technology and creative.
500 Degrees is part of Eastport Holdings, a network of forward-thinking, digital-first agencies that provide a comprehensive range of specialized marketing solutions to clients across North America, South America and Europe. As President and COO, Brown will serve as the primary liaison with Eastport leadership, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment across strategic initiatives and partnerships within the Eastport ecosystem.
“Shawn has been a driving force behind the success of 500 Degrees and is responsible for building strong, long-lasting client relationships, while fiercely promoting professional growth and development for our U.S. and Canadian teams,” said Bubba Patton, Chairman, Eastport Holdings. “His extensive experience, visionary leadership and deep commitment to excellence make him ideally suited to guide 500 Degrees to its next phase of success.”
About 500 Degrees
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, 500 Degrees is a tech-enabled business services and creative agency dedicated to producing and delivering high-quality digital content on a global scale. Since its founding in 2015, 500 Degrees has established a strong foundation in the retail, food and quick-service restaurant (QSR) industries, providing innovative solutions that drive meaningful results. The agency is powered by a team of more than 90 talented professionals working across business hubs in Ohio, Florida and Toronto, Canada. As part of the Eastport Holdings agency network, 500 Degrees leverages its global reach and local expertise to help brands create impactful, scalable content that resonates with audiences worldwide.
About Eastport Holdings
Eastport Holdings, LLC is a marketing services holding company whose portfolio of firms helps transform their U.S. and global clients with advertising, data intelligence, strategic media planning and buying, digital experience, content fulfillment, brand activation, public relations and other specialty communications services.
Eastport’s 500+ professionals serve a diverse range of ambitious clients and brands, including Burger King, Microsoft, PA Lottery, VARI desk, HUGHES, Dish Latino, Facebook, Pepsi, POLARIS, Honda, Tim Hortons and Popeyes.
Contacts
MEDIA CONTACT
Bridget McNie
Senior Communications Director
412-953-9114
bmcnie@9rooftops.com
Shawn Brown Appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of 500 Degrees
Generative AI streamlines translation of member communications and documents for Medicare Advantage Organizations
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Messagepoint announced today that it has been named a winner for the second consecutive year in the 2025 BIG Innovation Awards, presented by the Business Intelligence Group, in the software category. The Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange, a SaaS solution designed to support Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) in preparing health plan materials, was recognized for its groundbreaking new AI-powered translation capabilities.
“The demand for translated Medicare Advantage materials has surged in the last few years due to regulatory changes and growing recognition of diverse member needs. For years, MAOs have relied on fragmented, expensive and time-consuming translation services for member materials, frequently rushing to meet the stringent deadlines of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,” said Sohail Malik, vice president, Healthcare Solutions at Messagepoint. “Messagepoint’s AI-powered translation and translation accuracy checks enable translation of these complex materials faster, more affordably and with greater accuracy than ever before. We’re honored to be recognized by the Business Intelligence Group for this innovation.”
The Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange leverages Messagepoint’s no-code content authoring environment to automate and streamline the preparation of complex, regulated documents—including the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), Evidence of Coverage (EOC) and Summary of Benefits (SB)—as well as other communications, such as pre- and post-enrollment materials and marketing materials.
This award centers on the platform’s innovative AI-powered translation and translation accuracy capabilities, powered by Messagepoint’s proprietary AI engine, MARCIE, which include:
- AI-powered translation into 60+ languages up to 20 times faster than humans
- AI-powered accuracy checks that validate semantic meaning, formatting, variables and named entities are consistent across all language versions of a communication, significantly reducing quality assurance time and preventing translation errors
- Integrated glossaries that align AI translations with corporate and industry-specific terminology
In preparation for the 2025 Annual Enrollment Period, the Healthcare Touchpoint Exchange helped teams reduce translation workloads by 50%, reduce translation costs by over 60% and save thousands of hours in quality assurance.
“Humanity relies on innovation to improve our lives and the planet,” said Russ Fordyce, CEO of the Business Intelligence Group. “We’re thrilled to spotlight Messagepoint as a shining example of innovation making a profound impact globally.”
The 2025 BIG Innovation Awards celebrate organizations and individuals pushing boundaries and advancing their industries. Winners are evaluated by a panel of seasoned business leaders and executives who consider creativity, measurable results and overall impact in their selections.
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 Business Intelligence Group
The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, these programs are judged by business executives having experience and knowledge. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Patricia Kilgore
Sterling Kilgore
630-567-9379
Caruso instinctually renders AI voice content perfectly—the first time—and is 30% faster on average than previous models.
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WellSaid, the industry’s most trusted AI voice platform for businesses, today announced the upcoming launch of its highly anticipated “Caruso” model. As the company’s fastest and most performant model yet, Caruso offers the highest audio quality available in the industry to date, and is set to redefine the way creators work. Coming Q1 2025, Caruso will be available in WellSaid Studio and equipped with new features like AI Director, which leverages patented technology to enable users to adjust emotional intonation and performance just as a human director would in a professional recording studio. Caruso improves first-take capabilities and, unlike competitors, limits the need for re-rendering content. With Caruso, users can expect WellSaid voices to say it right the first time.
“We’re excited to introduce Caruso, with new architecture built from the ground up that’s designed to deliver faster speeds, the highest quality audio in the market, and a more intuitive product to give our business users a competitive edge,” said Brian Cook, CEO of WellSaid. “With these upgrades, users can enjoy AI voices that say it right the first time, drastically reducing the time and effort that goes into re-rendering audio clips, setting us apart from competing platforms. Not only will Caruso help organizations streamline workflows, but it will help them improve their bottom line.”
With the launch of Caruso, customers can expect the following updates:
- Ultra-High Quality and Speed: Caruso sets a new standard for high-fidelity AI voices and studio-quality voice narration with the highest quality audio output in the market to date – ready for any type of prime-time coverage. Additionally, users will see reduced latency, with Caruso rendering audio 30% faster.
- Improved Control with WellSaid’s AI Director: Pitch, pace, and emotional intonation adjustments allow users to precisely instruct each script to get the most engaging performance every time, making AI voice narration feel like working with a real voice actor.
- Improved Pronunciation: Caruso’s intelligent engine, combined with Oxford phonetic spelling data, reduces the need for users to modify or store mispronounced words. Where other AI Voice platforms fail in pronunciation, Caruso eliminates the need for users to spend time tweaking their scripts by saying it right the first time.
- Enterprise Capabilities: Increased team collaboration features allow companies to integrate WellSaid seamlessly into existing workflows. Additionally, in line with the EU AI Act, WellSaid actively employs responsible AI practices that support transparency, consent, and privacy.
The new Caruso model builds on WellSaid’s flagship AI voice platform that optimizes audio content creation for corporate training, advertising and marketing, product and customer education, and more. Unlike competitors, WellSaid’s closed-source platform uses exclusive voice data from professional voice actors who have consented and are compensated for their work. This approach ensures WellSaid customers have commercial usage rights for any voice content they create on the WellSaid platform. WellSaid is trusted by over 50 percent of Fortune 500 brands, including LinkedIn, T-Mobile, ServiceNow, Accenture, and more.
For additional information, please visit wellsaid.io/caruso.
About WellSaid
WellSaid is an advanced AI voice platform. The company’s Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology leverages proprietary AI models, which are trained on exclusive and licensed voice data, to generate natural sounding voice overs. WellSaid’s TTS system can produce unique dialects, accents, and languages to optimize audio content creation for corporate training, advertising, products, experiences, video production, publishing, audiobooks, and more. Built with ethics at its core, WellSaid’s responsible AI platform is trusted by 50 percent of leading Fortune 500 brands including LinkedIn, T-Mobile, ServiceNow, and Accenture. For more information, visit wellsaid.io.
Contacts
PR
Devan West
wellsaid@bigfishpr.com
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Postmedia Network Canada Corp. (“Postmedia” or the “Company”) today released financial information for the three months ended November 30, 2024.
“The results of our first quarter signal a positive start to the 2025 fiscal year and demonstrate meaningful progress, with total revenue growing compared to this time last year,” said Andrew MacLeod, Postmedia President and Chief Executive Officer.
“I am particularly encouraged by the trajectory of our advertising revenue stream, which is showing positive year-over-year growth. This, combined with strong performance in our circulation and parcel divisions, reflects the successful execution of our strategic initiatives and the increasing value we deliver to our partners,” said MacLeod. “As we move forward, we remain focused on sustainable growth and operational excellence across all our business segments."
First Quarter Operating Results
Revenue for the quarter was $110.3 million as compared to $104.6 million in the same period in the prior year, representing an increase of $5.7 million (5.4%). The revenue increase was primarily due to increases in advertising revenue of $5.6 million (11.1%), circulation revenue of $3.3 million (10.3%) and parcel revenue of $0.4 million (2.8%), partially offset by decreases in other revenue of $3.6 million (43.8%). Excluding the impact of the Saltwire asset acquisition, advertising revenue for the quarter increased by 1.4%. As such, excluding the impact of any acquisition related activity, advertising revenue has increased in comparison to the same quarter in the prior year for the first time since the third quarter in 2022.
Total operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization and restructuring increased $6.1 million, or 6.1%, for the quarter ended November 30, 2024, relative to the same period in the prior year. The increase relates to increases in compensation, distribution and other operating expenses, partially offset by a decrease in newsprint and production expense.
Operating income before depreciation, amortization and restructuring in the quarter was $5.5 million, a decrease of $0.4 million relative to the same period in the prior year. The decrease in operating income before depreciation, amortization and restructuring is due to an increase in operating expenses excluding depreciation, amortization and restructuring, partially offset by an increase in total revenue. Excluding the impact of the Saltwire asset acquisition, operating income before depreciation, amortization and restructuring in the quarter was $3.1M.
Net loss in the quarter ended November 30, 2024 was $24.5 million, as compared to a net loss of $10.6 million in the same period in the prior year. The increase in net loss was primarily the result of an increase in restructuring expenses, interest expense, loss on disposal of right-of-use assets, foreign currency exchange losses and a decrease in operating income before depreciation, amortization and restructuring, partially offset by a decrease depreciation, amortization, and net financing expense.
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.sedarplus.ca.
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 130 brands across multiple print and digital platforms. Award-winning journalists and innovative product development teams bring engaging content to millions of people every week whenever and wherever they want it. This exceptional content, reach and scope offers advertisers and marketers compelling solutions to effectively reach target audiences. Our expertise in home delivery and expanding distribution network powers Postmedia Parcel Services. For more information, visit www.postmedia.com, www.postmediasolutions.com and www.postmediaparcelservices.com.
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 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 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.
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, 2024 and 2023. 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) | ||||
(In thousands of Canadian dollars, except per share amounts) | For the three months ended | |||
| November 30, 2024 | November 30, 2023 | ||
|
|
| ||
Revenues |
|
| ||
Advertising | 56,473 | 50,852 | ||
Circulation | 35,936 | 32,588 | ||
Parcel Services | 13,149 | 12,791 | ||
Other | 4,712 | 8,383 | ||
Total revenues | 110,270 | 104,614 | ||
Expenses |
|
| ||
Compensation | 35,608 | 35,261 | ||
Newsprint | 2,872 | 3,250 | ||
Distribution | 37,514 | 31,894 | ||
Production | 10,639 | 11,274 | ||
Other operating | 18,167 | 17,062 | ||
Operating income before depreciation, amortization, impairment, and restructuring | 5,470 | 5,873 | ||
Depreciation | 2,233 | 3,495 | ||
Amortization | 1,742 | 2,114 | ||
Restructuring | 2,026 | 1,561 | ||
Operating loss | (531) | (1,297) | ||
Interest expense | 10,743 | 8,678 | ||
Foreign currency exchange losses | 12,914 | 748 | ||
Net financing expense related to employee benefit plans | 289 | 346 | ||
Loss (gain) on disposal of right of use assets and other assets | 250 | (914) | ||
(Gain) loss on derivative financial instruments and financial assets at fair value through profit and loss | (242) | 86 | ||
Loss on debt refinancing | - | 367 | ||
Net loss after income taxes | (24,485) | (10,608) | ||
|
|
| ||
|
|
| ||
Loss per share |
|
| ||
Basic and diluted | $(0.25) | $(0.11) | ||
|
|
| ||
Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (UNAUDITED) | ||||
(In thousands of Canadian dollars) | As at November 30, 2024 | As at August 31, 2024 | ||
|
|
| ||
Assets |
|
| ||
Current Assets |
|
| ||
Cash | 6,203 | 2,454 | ||
Trade and other receivables | 58,990 | 53,931 | ||
Assets held-for-sale | 2,560 | 2,560 | ||
Inventory | 1,973 | 2,318 | ||
Prepaid expenses and other assets | 7,324 | 8,522 | ||
Total current assets | 77,050 | 69,785 | ||
Non-Current Assets |
|
| ||
Property and equipment | 32,983 | 35,089 | ||
Intangible assets | 22,012 | 19,868 | ||
Right of use assets | 18,316 | 19,783 | ||
Derivative financial instruments and other assets | 4,656 | 4,399 | ||
Total assets | 155,017 | 148,924 | ||
|
|
| ||
Liabilities and Deficiency |
|
| ||
Current Liabilities |
|
| ||
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | 61,821 | 38,509 | ||
Provisions | 1,179 | 1,514 | ||
Contract Liabilities | 16,399 | 16,716 | ||
Current portion of lease obligations | 7,648 | 7,773 | ||
Current portion of long-term debt | 27,676 | 29,509 | ||
Total current liabilities | 114,723 | 94,021 | ||
Non-Current Liabilities |
|
| ||
Long-term debt | 334,940 | 323,129 | ||
Employee benefit obligations and other liabilities | 34,218 | 34,250 | ||
Lease obligations | 17,856 | 19,345 | ||
Total liabilities | 501,737 | 470,745 | ||
|
|
| ||
Deficiency |
|
| ||
Capital stock | 820,357 | 820,357 | ||
Contributed surplus | 19,679 | 19,511 | ||
Deficit | (1,186,756) | (1,161,689) | ||
Total deficiency | (346,720) | (321,821) | ||
Total liabilities and deficiency | 155,017 | 148,924 | ||
Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (UNAUDITED) | ||||
(In thousands of Canadian dollars) | For the three months ended | |||
| November 30, 2024 | November 30, 2023 | ||
|
|
| ||
Cash Generated (Utilized) by: |
|
| ||
Operating Activities |
|
| ||
Net loss after income taxes | (24,485) | (10,608) | ||
Items not affecting cash: |
|
| ||
Depreciation | 2,233 | 3,495 | ||
Amortization | 1,742 | 2,114 | ||
Loss on debt refinancing | - | 367 | ||
(Gain) loss on derivative financial instruments and financial assets at fair value through profit and loss | (242) | 86 | ||
Non-cash interest | 9,822 | 7,251 | ||
Loss (gain) on disposal of right of use assets and other assets | 250 | (914) | ||
Non-cash foreign currency exchange losses | 12,951 | 1,008 | ||
Share-based compensation plans | 168 | 203 | ||
Net financing expense relating to employee benefit plans | 289 | 346 | ||
Employee benefit plan funding in excess of compensation expense | (761) | (780) | ||
Net change in non-cash operating accounts | 7,523 | (7,577) | ||
Cash flows from (used in) in operating activities | 9,490 | (5,009) | ||
Investing Activities |
|
| ||
Net proceeds from the sale of assets held-for-sale and other assets | - | 2,365 | ||
Purchases of property and equipment | (127) | (244) | ||
Purchases of intangible assets | (376) | (123) | ||
Cash flows (used in) from investing activities | (503) | 1,998 | ||
Financing activities |
|
| ||
Advances from asset-based lending credit facility | 1,376 | 15,393 | ||
Repayment of short term promissory note | (5,000) | - | ||
Repayment of unsecured promissory notes | - | (4,696) | ||
Repayment of senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility | - | (14,500) | ||
Advances from senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility | - | 8,500 | ||
Advances of first lien senior secured notes | - | 20,158 | ||
Repayment of senior secured notes | - | (24,475) | ||
Proceeds from sale of building classified as restricted cash | - | 6,968 | ||
Debt issuance costs | - | (1,740) | ||
Lease payments | (1,614) | (1,581) | ||
Cash flows (used in) from financing activities | (5,238) | 4,027 | ||
Net change in cash for the period | 3,749 | 1,016 | ||
Cash at beginning of period | 2,454 | 6,191 | ||
Cash at end of period | 6,203 | 7,207 | ||
Supplemental disclosure of operating cash flows |
|
| ||
Interest paid | 921 | 2,280 | ||
Contacts
For more information:
Media Contact
Communications
inquiries@postmedia.com
Investor Contact
John Bode
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer
investors@postmedia.com
Postmedia Reports First Quarter Results
AdvertisingHealth’s World Top 10 List names Klick Agency of the Year with nine campaign award distinctions, including #1 overall campaign, #1 Health & Wellness campaign, and #1 Pharma campaign
NEW YORK & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Klick Health kicked off 2025 on another high note – taking top honors on the 2024 AdvertisingHealth World Top 10 list, released earlier today. The large global independent agency was crowned Agency of the Year, after winning nine of the biggest campaign accolades for excellence in health advertising and becoming the world’s #1 most-awarded health agency.
“Being recognized as the most-awarded health agency in the world — with three campaigns on the list — is a testament to our team’s boundless talent, passion, and purpose-driven creativity,” said Chief Creative Officer Rich Levy. “This recognition reflects the power of creativity to make a real difference in people’s lives. Thank you to AdvertisingHealth for this humbling recognition, and to every Klickster who pushes boundaries and redefines what’s possible each and every day.”
AdvertisingHealth ranked ‘47,’ the inspirational animated short Klick co-created for Café Joyeux with Zombie Studio, Canja Audio Culture, and the Down syndrome community, as its #1 overall campaign, #1 Health & Wellness campaign, and #1 North American campaign (marking the second consecutive #1 Health & Wellness campaign win for Klick after ‘The Bridge’ took the top spot last year). Earlier this week, production industry trade magazine SHOTS included ‘47’ on Monday’s Top 100 of 2024 list.
AdvertisingHealth also named ‘Voice 2 Diabetes,’ Klick’s smartphone app that turns voice samples into an equitable life-saving tool by using AI to detect Type 2 diabetes, its #1 Pharma campaign, #4 North American campaign, and #5 overall campaign. It further recognized 'American Cancer Story,' the emotional coming-of-age short film Klick created for Change the Ref (co-written and directed by José Padilha and produced by Taking Over Films, with original score by Maroon 5's James Valentine and VFX by Pierre Buffin) as its #3 North American campaign, #4 overall campaign, and #4 Health & Wellness campaign. Additionally, Café Joyeux and Zombie Studio won Client of the Year and Production Company of the Year, respectively for ‘47.’
"We are incredibly proud of the groundbreaking creativity and innovation that our people continue to bring to life as new standards in health advertising," said Klick Co-Founder and Chairman Leerom Segal. "The dedication to crafting work that not only resonates with but helps drive healthy change makes these achievements all the more rewarding."
In 2024, Klick’s work was lauded with a whopping number of Grand, Gold, Silver, and Bronze trophies, including eight Cannes Lions, 52 Clios, 30 The Creative Floor Bricks, 45 LIAs, four The One Show Pencils, and four D&AD Pencils.
AdvertisingHealth’s annual World Top 10 showcases the world’s most-awarded health & wellness and pharma campaigns, and the agencies that created them. Scores are based on the health accolades won at Cannes Lions, Clio Health, The One Show, The Creative Floor Awards, D&AD Awards, and London International Awards (LIAs).
About Klick Health
Klick Health is the world’s largest independent commercialization partner for life sciences, focused on hacking the boundaries of health by developing, launching, and supporting life sciences brands to achieve their full potential. The agency provides best-in-class marketing and advertising, media strategy and purchasing, medical affairs and medical communications, value and market access services, as well as enterprise omnichannel enablement among its specialized offerings. Klick’s client service is rooted in deep medical and scientific understanding, enabled by nearly 250 post-graduate, in-house medical experts; unrivaled decision sciences capabilities; and innovative, results-driven creative.
One of the most-awarded advertising agencies on the planet, Klick was named 2024 Clio Health Independent Agency of the Year, London International Awards Global (and Regional) Independent Health & Pharma Agency of the Year, as well as Cannes Lions #2 Healthcare Agency and #2 Healthcare Network for the second year running. Cannes Lions also recognized Klick as the 2024 #3 Independent Agency of the Year. In 2024, Klick won over 140 top creative honors, including the coveted Cannes Lions Innovation Grand Prix, and eight agency distinctions from the most respected advertising awards shows. Klick has also been ranked a Best Managed Company, Great Place to Work, Best Workplace for Women, Best Workplace for Inclusion, Best Workplace for Professional Services, Most Admired Corporate Culture, and a FORTUNE Best Workplace in Advertising.
Established in 1997, Klick Health (including Klick Katalyst and btwelve) has offices in New York, Philadelphia, Saratoga Springs, Toronto, London, São Paulo, and Singapore. It is part of the Klick Group of companies, which also includes Klick Media Group, Klick Applied Sciences (including Klick Labs), Klick Consulting, Klick Ventures, and Sensei Labs. Follow Klick Health on LinkedIn and for more information on joining Klick, go to careers.klick.com.
Contacts
Press Contact
For more information, please contact Klick PR at pr@klick.com or (416) 214-4977
Klick Health Recognized as World’s Most-Awarded Agency by AdvertisingHealth
Award-winning independent agency continues to stack global talent roster with accomplished healthcare marketing veterans in Client Services, Creative, Growth, Media, Medical, Strategy, and new Managing Director, APAC
TORONTO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#AI--Klick Health today announced the addition of 22 seasoned healthcare marketing leaders across its Client Services, Creative, Growth, Media, Medical, and Strategy teams in North America, Singapore, and the UK. Today’s announcement reinforces Klick’s ongoing growth and momentum as the world’s largest independent commercialization partner in life sciences.
“We’re energized by the solid growth we’ve continued to see this year across the business and are beyond excited about the accomplished marketing leaders who have made their move to Klick,” said CEO Lori Grant. “It’s very clear that there’s something different about joining an independent agency that has a people-centric culture, hacker roots, plays the long game, and prioritizes client outcomes. With the additions we’re announcing today, the strongest team in the industry just became even stronger.”
CLIENT SERVICES EXPANSION + NEW LEADERSHIP IN APAC
Klick Health President Ari Schaefer said, “The growth of our Client Services team and Managing Director cohort around the globe reflects our commitment to client-centricity and their outcomes. Senior hires like Fred and Graeme bring decades of experience navigating the most complex challenges of the life sciences industry, both in North America and Asia Pacific, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome them to Klick.”
Graeme Read, Managing Director, APAC
With a passion for life-changing ideas that improve the health of humanity, Read's 37-year career spans the life sciences and health and wellness industries in sales and marketing, advertising and communications, and digital health. He has held senior regional and global positions client and agency-side in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, China, India, and the UK.
Read joins Klick with strong credentials in both the strategic and commercial sides of the business. He has led markets, regions, and disciplines, bringing commercial acumen, senior client relationships, strategic thinking, integrated communications expertise, and deep APAC and EMEA experience. Previously, as President, McCann Health Asia-Pacific, Read led a team of 600 professionals across 12 offices in Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Philippines, India, and Australia. Under his leadership, the agency was named Campaign Asia’s Specialist Agency of the Year multiple times and won numerous creative and strategic awards across all major global and APAC awards shows. Prior to joining Klick, Read held a leadership role at Hello Health Group, the leading digital health company in Emerging Asia.
“I’m thrilled to join Klick at a time when Asia-Pacific is experiencing rapid transformation in healthcare communications and digital innovation, driven by evolving patient expectations and the growing demand for integrated, data-driven approaches,” said Read. “Pharma and consumer health companies are seeking a fresh approach, and APAC is ready for an agency like Klick to disrupt the status quo. Klick’s unique model, powered by a single global P&L and seamless regional collaboration, stands apart by delivering client-focused solutions at scale, more innovation, and better value for clients across this diverse and dynamic region.”
Fred Hickman, SVP, Group Account Director
Hickman has 18 years of experience in pharmaceutical marketing, working with major pharma companies, as well as clinical-stage companies and biotechs launching their first assets. Previously in senior client service roles at agencies like 21GRAMS and Grey Group, he has worked across a wide range of therapeutic areas (including autoimmune diseases, emergency hospital products, diabetes, medical devices, neurological conditions, and rare diseases) and has the innate ability to simplify business challenges and orchestrate collaboration across teams, with expertise across HCP and consumer marketing. Hickman thrives on brand building, strategic planning, and understanding the buying journey to identify where brands can intersect most appropriately and effectively to drive customer demand.
"I’m thrilled to join Klick and be part of a leading global agency, where excellence and innovation are at the core of everything it does,” Hickman said. “Klick’s commitment to constantly learn and evolve perfectly aligns with my personal vision of growth and striving for impactful, forward-thinking solutions. This is exactly the kind of dynamic environment where I want to be, contribute, collaborate, and thrive."
CREATING EVEN MORE MOMENTUM IN CREATIVE
Klick’s Chief Creative Officer Rich Levy called out four new senior creative professionals who joined his growing award-winning team, saying “As both our creative reputation and that of the healthcare industry continue to resonate with more people around the world, we’ve been attracting brilliant creative leaders – many of them from outside of traditional healthcare, who’ve been seeking more purpose in what they do. We’re thrilled to welcome Jan, David, Chuck, and Samantha to Klick as we prepare to ring in another invigorating year of awe-inspiring, results-driven work for our clients.”
Jan Franks, VP, Creative Director
With over 20 years of experience in healthcare advertising and a mission to make great healthcare creative possible, Franks has developed a reputation for translating powerful strategic thinking into highly visible creative. Before joining Klick, she served as SVP, Group Creative Director at McCann Health, working on leading brands in cardiovascular, diabetes, renal, and women’s health. Previously, she held copywriting roles at Saatchi Healthcare and Y&R (now VM). Franks’ work has been recognized with Clio Health, The Creative Floor, The One Show, and other awards. She has served on Clio Health juries and has given talks about creativity at industry events, like the DTC National Conference.
Franks said, “Klick’s burgeoning creative reputation is something everyone in the industry is noticing. I was curious to discover the ‘secret sauce’ that makes Klick so special, and now that I’m here, I’m starting to understand. It’s a culture where being different isn’t merely tolerated, it’s actively encouraged – and that’s what makes creativity thrive.”
David S. Newton, VP, Creative Director
Newton also brings more than two decades of healthcare marketing experience to Klick’s Creative team. A screenwriter and playwright in college, he has brought his love of storytelling to pharma blockbusters and rare disease treatments alike, helping launch both household names and brands that count their patients by the dozen. His career has taken him across ‘Medicine Avenue’ and back, working on a myriad disease states and branded campaigns. Most recently, he spent over 12 years as a senior creative at FCB Health after roles at CDM, Medicus, Gray Worldwide, and The Bloc. Newton is particularly proud to have had one of his commercials parodied by The Tonight Show and to have contributed to a Times Square billboard.
“I’m so chuffed to join Klick’s amazing team of storytellers,” Newton said. “As inventive and hyper-targeted as technology allows us to be, as creatives, we’re still searching for that one magical truth we can use to create a connection that moves and motivates people, and this is a great place to do just that.”
Chuck Pagano, VP, Creative Director
Pagano joins Klick with 15+ years of award-winning healthcare advertising and PR experience, most recently helping run the Haleon business at Weber Shandwick, leading brands like TUMS, Nicorette, and Breathe Right, while also overseeing the creative work for Anheuser-Busch and Mondelez. Previously, he helped launch and lead health and life sciences specialty shop Team Life JWT, creating groundbreaking work for Coppertone, Lotrimin, and Berocca, among other brands. He’s held past creative roles at other agencies, including TBWA\Chiat\Day, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB, McCann, and Hill Holliday. Pagano claims he’s been lucky enough to have his work recognized by all the awards shows that matter…and quite a few that don’t. (But don’t tell him that.) He also serves as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University, where he teaches Brand Storytelling and Copywriting to the next generation of creatives.
“Creatively speaking, the health and wellness space is booming — and Klick is at the forefront of it, doing precisely the type of work I aspire to do. Klick’s creative work is not only winning awards, it’s challenging systemic and societal issues and offering real-world solutions — having a deep and lasting impact on patients’ lives,” Pagano explained.
Samantha Ha, Creative Director, APAC
Ha joins Klick’s Singapore team with over 13 years of experience as a copy-based creative. She has held senior copywriter roles at several Singapore agencies, including Mediabrands Content Studio, MRM, Tag, and Grey Group Singapore. Through the years, she has worked across industry sectors that include automotive, CPG, health, and hospitality, having contributed to global and regional accounts for top-tier brands like, Disney, FrieslandCampina, Honda, P&G, Starbucks, and Unilever. Ha started her career as a copywriter in the Philippines.
“I feel very fortunate at this stage in my career to focus on creative work that is also fulfilling,” said Ha. “The more I’ve learned about Klick’s culture, tools, and capabilities, the more thrilled I’ve become — not to just create outstanding work, but to make a difference in people’s lives while I’m at it.”
NEW ADDITIONS TO KLICK MEDIA
Klick Media President Ray Rosti commented on the agency’s thriving Media practice in welcoming three proven digital healthcare marketers to the team. "Our focus on digital innovation and delivering impactful results for our clients is driving our rapid growth. Erica, Chris, and Brian are proven leaders in the pharma landscape and we know their diverse experiences and expertise will have a positive impact on the strategies we bring to life for our clients."
Chris Bannan, VP, Media Strategy & Planning
With almost two decades of digital marketing expertise, both on the agency and client side, Bannan has led and mentored teams of high-performing, collaborative marketers and planners and is dedicated to driving customer centricity and delivering measurable business outcomes. He started his career hand-coding websites in 2004 before expanding into SEO, paid search, analytics, programmatic, and other media. At AstraZeneca, he led a team of in-house digital channel experts, collaborating with media agencies to architect a successful pilot of an innovative media approach for the cardiovascular, renal, and diabetes business units. The effort drove a positive ROI and was recognized with an internal transformation award. Bannan has also held key media roles at digital agencies within global media holding companies (Publicis, Omnicom, WPP), as well as independent shops.
According to Bannan, “I started thinking about joining Klick after running into a former colleague, who was so excited to be a Klickster. When I researched the company, their ‘hacker roots’ really resonated with me, along with initiatives like its $1,000,000 Klick Prize for game-changing AI ideas. The people at Klick are brilliant, humble, and kind — and now I’m the one sharing how excited I am to be a Klickster!”
Brian Brophy, VP, Media Strategy & Planning
Brophy brings a passion for working at the intersection of audience insights, commercialization strategy, and the ever-evolving media publisher and tech landscape. His 15 years of experience includes senior roles with Real Chemistry (most recently as Senior Group Director, Integrated Media) and Publicis Health Media, where he led strategic media planning and activation for a wide range of pharma and consumer health clients, including Amazon Health, Dexcom, and Galderma.
"Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to partner with dozens of life sciences agencies, and Klick has always stood out. I've found the work they do to be exceptional, driven by really thoughtful people who have been a pleasure to partner with. I couldn’t be more excited and proud to join the Media team at Klick."
Erica Gusler, VP, Media Strategy & Planning
Gusler returns to Klick's growing Media practice with her 11+-year background in healthcare media. She most recently served as VP, Media at Avalere Health with a focus on delivering meaningful patient and HCP experiences on behalf of her clients. Prior, Gusler spent over three years at Klick, most of that time as Director of Media Strategy & Planning. In addition to her work on helping launch and support blockbuster drugs, she has led client campaigns across therapeutic areas that include neurology, oncology, and rare diseases.
"As a returning Klickster, I can vouch that there truly is something different here,” Gusler stated. “Every craft is best-in-class. The level of expertise at Klick allows us to deliver better business outcomes for clients and more impactful interactions between patients and brands. I am really energized about being able to contribute to that again through Klick’s strategic Media offering!"
REINFORCING EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE KLICK MEDIVERSE
Chief Medical Officer Holly Henry, who has assembled one of the largest agency medical teams on the planet (called the Klick Mediverse), welcomed four new industry veterans, “to support our evolving specialty medical business. We are excited about how Brian, Robert, Steve, and Quentin complement our Mediverse and can’t wait to see what 2025 brings!”
Brian Raineri, PharmD, EVP, Medical Communications Business Strategy
A pharmacist by training with over 25 years of healthcare communications experience, Raineri has worked across all facets of the healthcare communications industry — including advertising and medical communications — as a medical strategist, account lead, and managing director. His true passion lies in medical communications, particularly in the commercial medical communications space. He joins Klick after an 18-year tenure at IPG, where he spent the last eight years as Co-Managing Director of the Trio office. Known for his ability to partner with clients and cross-functional stakeholders to elevate medical communications, Raineri has a proven track record of building high-performing teams and fostering a culture that inspires both innovation and growth.
“I have admired Klick for years — from their innovation and creativity to their people-first philosophy and culture,” explained Raineri. “Growing Klick’s commercial medical communications capabilities and offerings, while building on the incredible work they’ve done in medical affairs, is a natural next step and an exciting opportunity. I’m thrilled to be a part of the Klick Mediverse as we take medical communications to the next level for our clients and the patients and HCPs they serve.”
Robert Groebel, SVP, Strategic Stakeholder Engagement
Groebel joins Klick’s thriving medical team with over 25 years of experience in healthcare innovation and strategy, defined by a deep commitment to advancing healthcare engagement, digital transformation, and data-driven decision-making. A recognized leader in driving transformative solutions, he has held pivotal positions, including Global VP of Medical Affairs Strategy at Veeva Systems, as well as global leadership roles at Boehringer Ingelheim and Shire. Over the years, Groebel has led efforts to optimize commercial and medical strategies across a wide range of therapeutic areas, including immunology, neurology, oncology, and rare diseases.
"I am inspired to be part of a truly unique organization that sits at the intersection of health, technology, and communications,” said Groebel. “With an unparalleled focus on innovation and a culture driven by collaboration, we are uniquely positioned to deliver transformative solutions that drive patient outcomes and accelerate clinical adoption. It’s this bold vision and commitment to making a real impact that energizes me every day."
Steven Candela, PhD, VP, Scientific Strategy
Dr. Candela joins Klick after more than two decades working across the pharmaceutical industry in CR&D, medical affairs, scientific communications, and advertising. Besides running his own “virtual agency” for years, he has held senior management positions at agencies, like Health and Wellness Partners and 21GRAMs, consistently delivering valued scientific analysis and sophisticated educational, promotional, and clinical strategies. Candela has specialized in neurology, oncology, and psychiatry throughout his career, but is well-versed in multiple therapeutic areas and has led a wide range of disease state and therapy-related projects supporting compounds in early clinical development, high-profile launch brands, and established products. He holds a PhD in psychology from Harvard University, and was named a 2022 Elite Master Educator by PM360 magazine.
Said Candela, “I joined the Klick team because I feel that innovation is a genuine part of the company’s DNA and not a buzzword here. As team members, we not only have latitude to pursue new ideas and new approaches, consistently looking to optimize internal processes and maximize our clients’ success, but we are actively encouraged to do so and ask, ‘What really is the most efficient approach? How do we cut to the heart of this matter? So what if this is how it’s always done — what is actually the best way to do this?’ It’s been a very satisfying reorientation towards work for me.”
Quentin O’Brien, MPH, VP, Scientific Strategy, Medical Communications & Innovation
A 2024 MM+M 40 Under 40 honoree with nearly a decade of experience in medical communications, O’Brien takes on a new role within Klick’s Medical Communications & Innovation team, leveraging both her in-house medical affairs expertise and agency background working across a wide variety of therapeutic areas, including immunology, neurology, psychiatry, and rare disease. Previously, O’Brien served as VP, Scientific Director at Health and Wellness Partners, as well as Scientific Communications Manager and Medical Science Liaison at pharmaceutical companies like Mallinckrodt and Orexo. Additionally, her clinical knowledge as an EMT and her lived experience as a rare disease patient and advocate give her a unique point of view that she uses to elevate medical communications for all of her clients.
“As a medical communicator, I am always looking for innovative and more effective ways to educate healthcare providers, patients, and every other stakeholder who touches the healthcare system,” O’Brien explained. “Given Klick’s focus on digital and creative innovation, joining its Medical Communications & Innovation team was a no-brainer. And as a values-driven individual, I am excited to join an organization that puts people first and is committed to not only doing amazing work, but also to improving people’s lives through that work.”
STRATEGY TEAM ADDS SIX INDUSTRY PROS
The agency’s Chief Strategy Officer Carl Turner also grew his global team, welcoming six seasoned strategy leaders from the US, UK, and Asia-Pacific region. In highlighting what makes Klick so different in the world of healthcare marketing strategy, he said, “We're blending unexpected expertise and untamed curiosity to modernize pharma marketing. This is ‘hybrid strategy’ — where we break silos and hack boundaries. Our strategists are mavericks, which is why Amanda, Stephen, Elizabeth, Cara, Dhillon, and Stephanie complement our incredible team so well.”
Amanda Kleinberg, SVP, Strategy
Kleinberg joins Klick’s Strategy team with a special focus on integrating an earned-first perspective to the brand experience. An accomplished award-winning communications, corporate reputation, and advertising professional, she spent the last 12 years in senior strategy and planning roles at Weber Shandwick and Edelman — supporting a diverse range of clients by creating work that drives business, builds brands, grows reputation, fights stigmas, compels action, and sparks conversation. Kleinberg has worked extensively in mental health, rare diseases, women’s health, and health areas that have a disproportional impact on LGBTQ+ and Black communities.
“I’m excited to join Klick because I see it as a company that recognized the opportunity to do things in a different way and decided to disrupt the agency world accordingly. Klick's ever-evolving capabilities are essential in today's media landscape, where capturing our audience's attention requires a unique mix of data-driven intelligence and creativity like never before,” Kleinberg explained.
Stephen Troncoso, SVP, Strategy
Troncoso brings to Klick 15 years of experience in marketing and advertising, with an excellent reputation for leading strategy for clients with expertise addressing a range of healthcare challenges. Focused on commercial planning, brand development, omnichannel experience, and the integration of cutting-edge technologies, previously he served as VP, Strategy at VML and led the strategy team at Wunderman Thompson’s DC office. He is passionate about driving innovative strategies that make meaningful differences in the lives of patients and achieve transformative growth for client partners.
“I’m thrilled to join Klick for so many reasons — from the opportunity to work on groundbreaking health products to collaborating with some of the most intelligent, thoughtful, and compassionate people I’ve ever met,” he said. “Most importantly, I was drawn to Klick’s philosophy and values, and the leadership team’s genuine commitment to living them, which was clear to me from our very first conversation.”
Elizabeth Chambers, VP, Group Director, Strategy, EMEA
Chambers joins Klick with nearly 20 years of proven industry experience working with 80 percent of top pharma companies and providing strategic counsel in support of transforming their brands. She was previously Healthcare Strategist at independent creative agency woolleypau, as well as a public governor for her local hospital’s NHS Foundation trust. She began her career as a cell biologist specializing in cancer and epigenetics. She also spent over 13 years at Langland, where she served in a number of roles, including Director of Planning and Global Business Partner. With expertise spanning a wide range of therapeutic areas (including cardiovascular, infectious disease, neurology, oncology, rare diseases, and transplant), Chambers has helped shape numerous creative and effectiveness award-winning campaigns, focusing on pre-launch disease engagement through to end-of-lifecycle and portfolio management.
Chambers said, “I chose to join Klick because I love that it is an independent with scale, intelligent creative, trailblazing activations, and so many industry leaders to collaborate with in-house. I am excited by Klick’s commitment to global, the impact that having a single P&L model makes in being able to work seamlessly across the agency, and the opportunity we have to build and implement global brands that make a difference in people’s lives.”
Cara Lane, VP, Group Director, Strategy
Lane has spent over a decade helping shape how regulated industries approach social media, most recently in senior social strategy roles at H4B Chelsea and FCB Health for the last eight years.
Contacts
Sheryl Steinberg
PR@klick.com
(416) 214-4977
Read full story here
Klick Health Heads into 2025 with 22 New Senior Leaders
2024’s ‘Holiday Hugs’ clinches top spot as agency provides a quindecennial look at how its festive videos showcase creativity, connection, and kindness
TORONTO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#KlickHealth--To celebrate 15 years of its heartwarming tradition, Klick Health invited staff to rank their all-time favorite holiday videos — which have brought joy to millions over the years — with this year’s production, ‘Holiday Hugs,’ topping the list.
“The world has changed since we uploaded our first holiday video in 2010 to a relatively new phenomenon called YouTube, but our values remain the same,” said Chief People Officer Glenn Zujew. “We love that Klicksters are so passionate about creating and starring in our annual holiday video and it’s clear from their rankings that they are committed to celebrating human connection with creativity, kindness, and even a little humor.”
Klicksters’ Top 4 All-Time Favorite Klick Holiday Videos
#1. 2024: ‘Holiday Hugs,’ spotlights the agency using AI and other magic to orchestrate a series of surprise reunions for Klicksters. One Creative Director said the video “is as innovative as it is evocative. It perfectly combines technology and AI, delivers on an emotional insight, features Klicksters authentically, and gives all the holiday feels.”
#2. 2021: ‘#SpreadJoy,’ the feel-good video shows hundreds of Klicksters using the $100 bills the agency gave them to spread joy. One Project Manager commented, “It’s heartwarming to see how small acts of kindness can brighten someone else’s day. I loved seeing all the creative ways people used the money to spread cheer.”
#3. 2018: ‘Meet Klickmas, the World’s First Year Round Christmas Agency’ transforms Klick into Klickmas, the world’s first all-Christmas all-the-time ad agency. A Strategist said it made them feel good about joining, “an agency that liked to have a laugh, poke fun at themselves, and really just embrace some of the silliness of the holiday season.”
#4. 2014: ‘Klick Epic Office Remix with Andrew Huang’ shows the YouTube sensation turning Klick’s office sounds into a must-see (and hear) remix of a holiday classic. A Communications team member said, “It was fun for so many Klicksters to star in the video and work with Andrew to create the coolest version of Jingle Bells we'd ever heard. People said they watched our video over and over because it was so fascinating!"
“We are extremely proud of this beloved tradition,” said Chief Creative Officer Rich Levy. “With over 60 million views, Klick’s holiday videos continue to inspire joy and connection among clients, partners, and the public. This tradition not only celebrates the agency’s culture, but also supports meaningful causes — like the Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC).
Indie Agency News recently called ‘Holiday Hugs’ “what may be the most wholesome imaginable use of AI-generated imagery,” while Ad Age showcased it in “Campaigns to Know About Today.” Jillian Racoosin Kornmeier, Executive Director of F4SC said that the organization, “is proud to partner with Klick Health to bring loved ones closer and promote the transformative power of a hug.”
Klick is donating $1 to F4SC for every view of ‘Holiday Hugs’ (up to $10,000). Visit YouTube to watch ‘Holiday Hugs’ and Klick’s ‘Quick Guide to Creating the Perfect A.I. Hug.’
About Klick Health
Klick Health is the world’s largest independent commercialization partner for life sciences, focused on hacking the boundaries of health by developing, launching, and supporting life sciences brands to achieve their full potential. The agency provides best-in-class marketing and advertising, media strategy and purchasing, medical affairs and medical communications, value and market access services, as well as enterprise omnichannel enablement among its specialized offerings. Klick’s client service is rooted in deep medical and scientific understanding, enabled by over 185 post-graduate, in-house medical experts; unrivaled decision sciences capabilities; and innovative, results-driven creative.
One of the most-awarded advertising agencies on the planet, Klick was named 2024 Clio Health Independent Agency of the Year, London International Awards Global (and Regional) Independent Health & Pharma Agency of the Year, as well as Cannes Lions #2 Healthcare Agency and #2 Healthcare Network for the second year running. Cannes Lions also recognized Klick as the 2024 #3 Independent Agency of the Year. In 2024, Klick won over 140 top creative honors, including the coveted Cannes Lions Innovation Grand Prix, and eight agency distinctions from the most respected advertising awards shows. Klick has also been ranked a Best Managed Company, Great Place to Work, Best Workplace for Women, Best Workplace for Inclusion, Best Workplace for Professional Services, Most Admired Corporate Culture, and a FORTUNE Best Workplace in Advertising.
Established in 1997, Klick Health (including Klick Katalyst and btwelve) has offices in New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, London, São Paulo, and Singapore. It is part of the Klick Group of companies, which also includes Klick Media Group, Klick Applied Sciences (including Klick Labs), Klick Consulting, Klick Ventures, and Sensei Labs. Follow Klick Health on LinkedIn and for more information on joining Klick, go to careers.klick.com.
Contacts
Press
For more information, please contact Marisa McWilliams at pr@klick.com or (416) 214-4977
Klick Health Celebrates 15 Years of Holiday Videos With Its Team’s Top 4 Faves
BRAMPTON, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DATA Communications Management Corp. (TSX: DCM; OTCQX: DCMDF) (“DCM” or the "Company"), a leading Canadian provider of print and digital solutions that help simplify complex marketing communications and workflow, today celebrated the 20th anniversary of its listing on Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) by participating in today’s market-opening ceremony.
To mark the occasion, DCM President & CEO Richard Kellam, CFO James Lorimer and members of DCM’s leadership team joined representatives of TSX to ring the opening bell, symbolizing 20 successful years as a public company.
“We are pleased to be recognized by TSX for reaching this 20-year milestone as a public company and to reflect on the progress we have made transforming our business to meet the evolving needs of our clients and leveraging technology and innovation to enhance our product and service offerings,” said Kellam.
Added Kellam: “We are particularly proud of the strong and enduring client relationships we have built over the last two decades with leading Canadian companies across a broad range of industries including financial services, transportation, retail, government, healthcare and lottery. We look forward to continuing to serve these clients and to driving the growth of our business and creating value for all our stakeholders over the next two decades and beyond.”
About DATA Communications Management Corp.
DCM is a leading Canadian tech-enabled provider of print and digital solutions that help simplify complex marketing communications and operations workflow. DCM serves over 2,500 clients including 70 of the 100 largest Canadian corporations and many leading government agencies. Our core strength lies in delivering individualized services to our clients that simplify their communications, including customized printing, highly personalized marketing communications, campaign management, digital signage and digital asset management. From omnichannel marketing campaigns to large-scale print and digital workflows, our goal is to make complex tasks surprisingly simple, allowing our clients to focus on what they do best.
Additional information relating to DATA Communications Management Corp. is available on www.datacm.com, and in the disclosure documents filed by DATA Communications Management Corp. on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking” statements that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan”, and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect DCM’s current views regarding future events and operating performance, are based on information currently available to DCM, and speak only as of the date of this press release.
These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. They should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such performance or results will be achieved. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance, objectives or achievements of DCM to be materially different from any future results, performance, objectives or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional factors are discussed under the headings "Liquidity and capital resources" and “Risks and Uncertainties” in DCM’s Management Discussion and Analysis and in DCM’s other publicly available disclosure documents, as filed by DCM on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Unless required by applicable securities law, DCM does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Contacts
For further information
Mr. Richard Kellam
President and Chief Executive Officer
DATA Communications Management Corp.
Tel: (905) 791-3151
Mr. James E. Lorimer
Chief Financial Officer
DATA Communications Management Corp.
Tel: (905) 791-3151
ir@datacm.com
University of Toronto Press is pleased to represent Bristol University Press on campuses in North America, increasing access to international educational materials.
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--University of Toronto Press (UTP), Canada’s largest university press and leading academic publisher, is pleased to announce it is now representing Bristol University Press, a UK-based academic publisher, across college and university campuses in Canada and the U.S. This collaboration marks an expansion of UTP's sales representation in the region.
UTP's sales team will represent Bristol University Press titles alongside its own as well as titles published by other university presses, including Hopkins University Press. This includes textbooks, digital content, and other resources designed to support university and college-level teaching and learning. This initiative enriches the diversity of academic resources available to educators and students and underscores UTP's commitment to broadening its sales offerings for academic institutions.
“We are seeing growing demand for diverse, high-quality resources that directly enhance the educational experience. As we continue to expand strategic partnerships to meet this demand, we are thrilled to work with Bristol University Press to represent its internationally respected scholarship,” says Antonia Pop, Vice President, Publishing at UTP. “Our team has strong, personal relationships with universities and colleges across North America, ensuring direct and meaningful presence in the region.”
“We are delighted to work with UTP to represent our authors in the higher education community in Canada and the U.S.,” says Alison Shaw, CEO of Bristol University Press. “Many of our titles address the social, economic, political and environmental challenges the world faces and will be impactful additions to universities and colleges where these discussions are already taking place.”
Leveraging its unique position as an academic publisher with a dedicated campus sales team, UTP continues to foster global connections and contribute to a more vibrant and sustainable educational landscape in North America.
About Bristol University Press
Winner of the IPA Independent Academic and Professional Publisher of the Year 2024 award, Bristol University Press, along with its imprint Policy Press, is a UK-based academic publisher committed to publishing high-quality international scholarship in the social sciences and aligned disciplines, with a focus on global social challenges. For more information, please visit https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/.
About the University of Toronto Press
The University of Toronto Press (UTP) is one of the largest university presses in North America, publishing landmark scholarship since 1901. Each year UTP releases over 250 new scholarly, course, and general interest books in both print and ebook format and over 80 journals. In addition, UTP manages the distribution for over 200 publishers and imprints in Canada, the US, and around the world, with warehouses in Toronto, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. UTP also runs all of the University of Toronto Bookstores across the three main campuses, serving over 95,000 students and 15,000 faculty. For more information, please visit utorontopress.com.
Contacts
MEDIA
Anne-Marie Tremble, Senior Account Manager, Talk Shop Media
annemarie@talkshopmedia.com | 613-914-3551
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VIQ Solutions Inc. (“VIQ”, “VIQ Solutions” or the “Company”) (TSX: VQS), a global provider of secure, AI-driven, digital voice and video capture technology and transcription services, today announces the retirement of Susan Sumner as Chief Operating Officer and President of the Company. Ms. Sumner will continue as a part-time advisor to the Company until January 31, 2025. In connection with her retirement, Ms. Sumner has informed the Company that she will resign from her director position on the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) as of January 31, 2025.
Ms. Sumner has served as Chief Operating Officer of VIQ since July 2018, President of VIQ since February 2021, and has been a member of the Board since April 2022.
Sebastien Pare, Chief Executive Officer and Director of VIQ stated: “It has been an honor and a privilege to have worked with Susan over the last number of years. Over the years, Susan has offered a lot of time, effort and encouragement while performing her roles at the Company and has been part of moving VIQ forward throughout her time with us. All of us at VIQ thank Susan for her contributions to our success over the years.”
For more information about VIQ, please visit viqsolutions.com.
About VIQ Solutions
VIQ Solutions is a global provider of secure, AI-driven, digital voice and video capture technology and transcription services. VIQ offers a seamless, comprehensive solution suite that delivers intelligent automation, enhanced with human review, to drive transformation in the way content is captured, secured, and repurposed into actionable information. The cyber-secure, AI technology and services platform are implemented in the most rigid security environments including criminal justice, legal, insurance, government, corporate finance, media, and transcription service provider markets, enabling them to improve the quality and accessibility of evidence, to easily identify predictive insights and to achieve digital transformation faster and at a lower cost.
Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) under applicable securities legislation. Such forward- looking statements or information are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.
Forward-looking statements (typically contain statements with words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "project" or similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur). These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include but are not limited to statements with respect to finding a replacement for Susan Sumner.
Forward-looking statements are based on several factors and assumptions which have been used to develop such statements, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although VIQ believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements because VIQ can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct.
Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this press release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the factors described in greater detail in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s annual information form and in the Company’s other materials filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
These factors are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company; however, these factors should be considered carefully. Such estimates and assumptions may prove to be incorrect or overstated. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and the Company expressly disclaims any obligations to update or alter such statements, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Contacts
Jacob Manning VIQ Solutions
Email: marketing@viqsolutions.com
VIQ Solutions Announces Retirement of Director and Chief Operating Officer
