Vancouver, British Columbia, April 4, 2022 – Westward Gold Inc. (CSE: WG, OTCQB: WGLIF, FSE: IM50) (“Westward” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it will be a featured company on the educational short-form documentary series “Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid” (“Viewpoint”). The long-running series, hosted by the well-known actor, produces educational documentaries on a range of topics including business, technology, travel, health, and culture – with a focus on highlighting innovation around the world. Viewpoint is distributed nationwide in the United States through public television stations and major networks (See ‘Content & Distribution’ section below for additional details). Previous episodes of the series can be viewed online at www.viewpointproject.com/dennis-quaid-ptv-segments/.
Background
In August of 2021, Viewpoint producers reached out to Westward as part of their search for a featured company to headline a planned episode on junior mining and exploration in the U.S. After several weeks of discussions with senior producers and writers, the Company was chosen and offered the chance to participate. Given the educational aim of the series, one of the primary goals of the episode would be to bring attention to innovative technologies and their impact on mineral exploration. Westward’s use of hyperspectral core imaging fit this mandate, and was a significant contributing factor in Viewpoint’s selection.
Westward management along with a Viewpoint production team were in Nevada in December of 2021 to complete filming. In addition to the final products designed for television release, the Company will also retain all the high-definition raw footage (5+ hours) for potential future use.
Content & Distribution
There were two segments produced for television release:
Public Television Segment
This 5-minute documentary segment aims to educate its audience about the featured topic of the episode – in Westward’s case – the business and technology of mining exploration in the United States. The segment is distributed via public television stations (including PBS) in all 50 states, and bridges the gap between 55-minute and/or 25-minute shows. Each public television station will have the right to air the segment for one year, and on average these segments appear 45-60 times per quarter, reaching approximately 60 million households.
Westward’s episode can be viewed online here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bsxkDM6Gb0. An introduction to the subject matter by host Dennis Quaid will be added to the video for its television release, and airings are currently expected to begin in June of 2022.
Educational Commercial Spot for Major Networks
This 60-second educational commercial segment is designed for distribution via major networks in the U.S. It will air once nationally, and 400 times regionally in the top 100 most populous cities. Viewership is estimated at approximately 84 million households, and all airings will occur between 6 - 11 p.m. local time. Example networks which will carry the segment include CNBC, FOX Business, Bloomberg TV, Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic and HLN.
Westward’s 60-second segment can be viewed online here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2v1tNGP6fI and airings are currently expected to begin in June of 2022.
Colin Moore, President and CEO of Westward, noted: “We were thrilled to be selected as a featured company for Viewpoint, and it was a great experience working with their team. Despite mining’s position as a vital global industry, it is often not well-understood by the public, and educational platforms such as these offer a chance to shed some light on what it is that we do. The potential for increased brand awareness for Westward in the U.S. is a welcome by-product of the broad distribution these videos will receive.”
In total, Westward was responsible for paying a participation fee, and crew travel fees, for an aggregate of US$27,900. The large majority of costs were covered through public television funding sources for the series. Viewpoint estimates that costs for a comparable, unsubsidized project (including filming, editing, airings, distribution, Dennis Quaid, ownership, licencing rights, etc.) would typically total in excess of US$250,000.
About Westward Gold
Westward Gold is a mineral exploration company focused on developing the Toiyabe, Turquoise Canyon, and East Saddle Projects located in the Cortez Hills area of Lander County, Nevada. From time to time, the Company may also evaluate the acquisition of other mineral exploration assets and opportunities.
For further information contact:
Colin Moore
President, CEO & Director
Westward Gold Inc.
colin@westwardgold.com
Tel: +1 (647) 403 0391
www.westwardgold.com
The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, the need for additional capital by the Company through financings, and the risk that such funds may not be raised; the speculative nature of exploration and the stages of the Company’s properties; the effect of changes in commodity prices; regulatory risks that development of the Company’s material properties will not be acceptable for social, environmental or other reasons, availability of equipment (including drills) and personnel to carry out work programs, that each stage of work will be completed within expected time frames, that current geological models and interpretations prove correct, the results of ongoing work programs may lead to a change of exploration priorities, and the efforts and abilities of the senior management team. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company’s forward-looking statements or information. These and other factors may cause the Company to change its exploration and work programs, not proceed with work programs, or change the timing or order of planned work programs. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company’s forward-looking statements and information are based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations, and opinions of management as of the date of this press release, and other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements and information if circumstances or management’s assumptions, beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, or changes in any other events affecting such statements or information.