PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 31, 2019--

Principals of The Cannabis Reporter, an educational, cannabis-specific online publication and producer of the award-winning syndicated talk radio broadcast titled The Cannabis Reporter Radio Show, are pleased to announce that they have signed a content licensing and partnership agreement with  NewsBank, a leading aggregator of news content for educational and research purposes. Under the new partnership agreement, NewsBank will distribute The Cannabis Reporter’s  original content to its subscribers and institutional clients in multiple markets, with exclusive distribution rights in the academic, military and government sectors.

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The Cannabis Reporter is an educational, cannabis-specific online publication and producer of the award-winning syndicated talk radio broadcast titled The Cannabis Reporter Radio Show (Graphic: Business Wire)

“We considered it an honor to be approached by NewsBank and can’t think of a better way to repurpose The Cannabis Reporter’s educational content,” said The Cannabis Reporter’s publisher and co-founder, Star Simmons. At the time Simmons was first approached by NewsBank, she learned that the company’s editors had been watching the progress of The Cannabis Reporter for several years before initially proposing the licensing partnership. The timing of the agreement also coincides with the launch of NewsBank's newest content offering, which will focus on cannabis education.

“The Cannabis Reporter is an outstanding addition to our new product, Cannabis NewsBank,” said Jim Draper, Executive Vice President, NewsBank. “It provides important coverage of the cannabis industry and the people who are making and shaping it.”

In addition to distributing feature articles and other editorial content pulled from The Cannabis Reporter’s current feeds and archives, NewsBank will also be aggregating the recorded interviews and transcripts of The Cannabis Reporter Radio Show, a weekly broadcast hosted by the publication’s co-founder and editor Snowden Bishop. The award-winning producer, journalist and former anchor of NBC affiliates in Missouri and California debuted the radio program in 2016 with an editorial mission to empower advocacy and engender widespread acceptance of cannabis through awareness-building content that appeals to mainstream audiences. Shortly thereafter, The Cannabis Reporter Radio Show became the first all-cannabis talk program to be syndicated for national radio distribution and was named “Best Radio Show” and “Best Podcast” in the 2018 Best of Cannabis Awards.

Interviews with notable cannabis activists, entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers, celebrity advocates and other influencers explore ways in which legal cannabis is transforming the field of medicine, revitalizing state economies, restoring depleted farmland, improving social justice, helping to reduce opiate abuse and inspiring innovation to transition away from fossil fuels and forest resources. Guest highlights include Mexico's 55th President Vicente Fox, recording artist Melissa Etheridge, hemp activist Micah Nelson (Willie’s son), veteran TV personality Montel Williams, NORML founder Keith Stroup, U.S. Congressman James Comer (R-KY) and Super Bowl Champion Marvin Washington, to name a few.

“We are convinced that cannabis is key to solving so many perplexing problems facing our society today,” said Bishop, who has been writing about cannabis since 2010, when she first learned about the environmental benefits of hemp. Realizing that the pervasive cultural stigma remained a major barrier to the federal policy change needed in order to unleash the potential for cannabis to address these problems, she intentionally geared the editorial focus on issues-oriented topics that would appeal to cross-generational audiences of all levels of awareness. This approach also ensured that the unconventional and often-controversial subject would be suitable for their eventual transition to mainstream radio.

“It’s impossible to grow a congregation by preaching only to the choir,” Bishop mused about the strategic decision to approach talk radio stations. At the time, there were very few stations that would accept a show about cannabis, and very few cannabis programs that could appeal to the sensibilities of primarily conservative-leaning talk radio audiences. Rooted in the belief that educating audiences about cannabis is an important public service, she explained, “Radio offered the best platform to reach the more skeptical and unaware among us, who wouldn’t go out of their way to learn about cannabis online.”

This strategy is what makes the partnership between The Cannabis Reporter and NewsBank such a great fit, according to Draper. After carefully vetting a potential source of content, NewsBank uses its extensive distribution channels to help it reach a wider audience. Users value this service for the high quality of the content included, as well as the powerful search capabilities and user-friendly interface.

“Our goal is to provide essential information about a fast-growing industry, and the inclusion of The Cannabis Reporter helps us achieve this,” Draper said. “The power of Cannabis NewsBank is that it allows our users to quickly access the information they need most to make decisions and compete successfully. Our customers in many sectors—legal, business, consumer, government and more—have found significant value here.”

The Cannabis Reporter has chronicled some of the cannabis industry’s most exciting scientific revelations, technological innovations, commercial developments and advancements in the ever-changing regulatory landscape in its original features and interviews, which will provide valuable resources for researchers, students and anyone else seeking information about cannabis.

“We feel fortunate to have recorded the insights and recollections of so many of the industry’s most prolific trailblazers, who have been – and are still – shaping the history and future of cannabis, which has become what is arguably one of the most important and transformational emerging industries of our generation,” said Bishop. With so many important interviews having aired before The Cannabis Reporter had amassed the number of followers it has today, she explained that partnering with NewsBank will enable their voices to re-emerge from the archives and be repurposed for education and research. “It is immensely gratifying to know that NewsBank will provide a second life for their valuable insights.”

About NewsBank:

NewsBank, inc., has been one of the world’s premier information providers for more than 46 years. NewsBank’s comprehensive Web-based research collections satisfy the diverse needs of public libraries, colleges and universities, schools, government libraries, genealogists, professionals, researchers, nonprofit organizations, and others. For more information, see  http://www.newsbank.com/.

About Cannabis NewsBank:

Cannabis NewsBank aggregates cannabis-related news and information from over 12,000 sources, from the 1970s to today’s news reports. Sources include many cannabis industry publications along with local coverage from  every state in the United States, as well as from Canada and countries around the globe. NewsBank created Cannabis NewsBank to address the specific business and information needs of those working in the fast-paced cannabis industry. For more information, visit  https://www.newsbank.com/cannabis-newsbank.

About The Cannabis Reporter:

The Cannabis Reporter (TCR) is an award-winning media outlet, which was launched online in 2015 to raise awareness about the medical, environmental, economic and societal benefits of regulating cannabis. Sponsored by Sunstate Technology Group and Cannasphere Biotech, and with the support of a variety of advertisers, media partners, advocacies and industry partners like the Growers Network who align with TCR’s educational and editorial objectives, The Cannabis Reporter Radio Show became the nation’s first all-cannabis talk program to achieve network syndication in the terrestrial radio landscape shortly after its 2016 debut. Hosted by award-winning producer/journalist Snowden Bishop, the weekly broadcast features compelling interviews with many of the cannabis industry’s most prolific trailblazers and thought leaders, including scientists, medical professionals, policy makers, celebrity advocates and other public figures with compelling stories to tell. TCR offers unique, value-packed marketing opportunities, including its all-new Pro Series Podcast Series featuring sponsored interviews, which are available to qualified industry stakeholders, experts and business executives.

Visit The Cannabis Reporter online or engage with TCR on Facebook @TCReporter, on Instagram @TheCannabisReporter or on Twitter @CannabisReportr. For more information or to request an interview, please contact Kelly Wood at KWPR Group by phone, (480) 239-0109, or by email, [email protected].

#TheCannabisReporter, #NewsBank, #CannabisEducation

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190531005498/en/

CONTACT: Media Contact: Kelly Wood

(480) 239-0109 |[email protected]

KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA ARIZONA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: EDUCATION OTHER EDUCATION ENTERTAINMENT TV AND RADIO HEALTH ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE NATURAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE RETAIL COMMUNICATIONS ADVERTISING PUBLISHING ONLINE TOBACCO

SOURCE: The Cannabis Reporter

Copyright Business Wire 2019.

PUB: 05/31/2019 01:45 PM/DISC: 05/31/2019 01:45 PM

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