Appointment of journalist Alexander Zaitchik to the top job kicks off development roadmap that includes a cryptographic token sale this year
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA (May 24, 2018) – 360 Blockchain Inc. (“360” or the “Company”) (CSE: CODE - FWB: C5B) is pleased to announce that investigative journalist Alexander Zaitchik will join portfolio company Pressland (http://pressland.com) as its first Editorial Director. The contracted position will report to 360 Blockchain’s Strategic Advisor Jeff Koyen.
“Alex is one of the most talented journalists I’ve ever known and we’re extremely fortunate that he’s making himself available to lead Pressland’s editorial operations,” said Jeff Koyen, serving as Pressland’s project lead. “His pedigree of trust and transparency is impeccable. This will prove critical as we relaunch Pressland as an enterprise platform for media integrity.”
Mr. Zaitchik’s reporting has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The New Republic, The Intercept, The Baffler, Vice, Men's Journal, Foreign Policy magazine and many others. He has reported from more than two dozen countries and is the author of two nonfiction books about politics and the media.
Mr. Zaitchik and Mr. Koyen have a proven track record of building media properties together. In 2002, they co-edited the Prague Pill, a fortnightly newspaper published in the Czech capital. In 2003, they successfully relaunched New York Press, a weekly newspaper distributed throughout New York City. They have continued to work together in both freelance and contracted capacities.
“As a journalist whose work depends on public trust in the media, I’m worried about the current state of affairs,” said Mr. Zaitchik. “Pressland’s mission to reclaim this trust is more important than ever, and I’m thrilled to join the company at this critical time for the industry.”
Founded as “Yelp for Media” in 2014, Pressland will relaunch this year as a blockchain-powered enterprise platform dedicated to improving media transparency with a reliable, open-source directory of professionals, publishers and institutions. Pressland’s unique technology leverages human intelligence via paid microtasking, network analysis of the macro media ecosystem and automated data collection. Planned revenue streams include SaaS products, data licensing, premium memberships, white-label services and transaction fees.
Additionally, Pressland intends to issue its own transactional currency in the form of a blockchain-based cryptographic token. The token sale will be managed by Mr. Koyen. Further details about the token sale — including a white paper and pre-sale opportunities for accredited investors — will be released in June.
“Blockchain technology enjoyed its first hype cycle last year, but 2018 will be the year we see practical applications solving real-world problems, including those related to online trust and transparency,” said George Tsafalas, 360’s CEO. “We continue to be excited by Pressland’s progress and Jeff Koyen’s plan for its future.”