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Month: July 2021

Marc Scarpa: “We're breaking the entry barrier to the DeFi world”

by: Cassandra Tanti
30/07/2021

Monaco Life speaks to the entrepreneur behind DeFiance Media, a new 24-hour streaming broadcast network that delivers news and information on today’s decentralised economy and digital lifestyle, with an innovative twist.
Marc Scarpa is a streaming media veteran who is combining his decades-long experience with the world’s hottest obsession: decentralisation.
He is the co-founder of DeFiance Media, a video-news startup that reaches 65 million US households and another 15 million globally through various networks and distributors such as Local Now, NetRange, Select TV and Glewed TV.
Now, DeFiance Media has launched a new website and mobile experience providing enhanced coverage of the DeFi sector to digitally-focussed people who are looking for news that aligns with their alternative thinking.
Monaco Life: What is DeFiance Media and where does it fit in today’s media industry?
Marc Scarpa: DeFiance Media is a 24-hour linear broadcast channel dedicated to decentralised culture, finance and technology. We reach 80 million homes globally now on OTT, OTA, streaming platforms and connected devices. Our primary mission is to promote the adoption of the decentralised evolution. Everything has existed in the centralised world for so many years, but decentralisation and distributed lifestyle is where we are at right now.
What kind of content do you carry and create?
Our programming algorithm is very specific, we are covering what we feel are the top 10 topics that are part of this new evolution of cultural creatives: blockchain, digital currencies, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, cyber security – a very under reported market that affects almost everybody – alternative energy, connected living, biotech, social impact projects, and regenerative culture.
What we aim to do at DeFiance Media is offer an alternative voice and to really target that new group of cultural creatives, of which there are about a quarter of a billion of them on the planet. That group has not really been given a single broadcast media outlet that represents them and covers the topics that they are interested in, the way that they want it to be covered.
Currently, there is a barrier of entry to get into this DeFi world, knowing who to follow and where to find them. We want to make it a frictionless experience for people to come in and see what this world is about, to engage and participate in it, and to ultimately be a contributor to it.

DeFiance Media’s original programming includes interviews with people at the forefront of the decentralised world

There are many individuals who do cover these topics in their various platforms, but they are scattered all over the internet. Is the aim of DeFiance Media then to bring all of this content together in a one-stop-shop kind of arrangement?
Exactly. YouTube, for example, is an amazing platform but it is fragmented and there is a lot of noise there because it has no real curation process. What we are doing is very much what Arianna Huffington did in curating media and news. We are taking the best of the best content creators that already have a voice in our 10 topics, and inviting them to be a part of our media network. We are getting them out to a new, larger, linear audience, while at the same time still creating our own original programming.
We offer the television experience with a 24-hour live linear feed with curated programming from our contributors and original programming that we make. We also have the news where we reference other news outlets that have the best stories of that day, from Science Daily and MIT Press, to Blocworks and Bitcoin Magazine, which is clickable directly to the sources.
And we have a curated social media, featuring the greatest minds of our era who are writing about everything from AI to biotech.
This is all real-time.
So yes, we provide curation because there is a lot of noise out there. We are building our offering both in television and on the desktop and mobile experiences.
Can you tell us more about your original content?
One of our favourite shows is ‘Anything is Possible’ with Patrick Tsang, an entrepreneur and investor who is promoting positivity with the life ethos that anything is possible. He is interviewing everyone from Anthony Scaramucci and Tim Draper to Baroness Michelle Mone and AI entrepreneurs. The way he approaches that half hour interview show is less about business and more of a one-on-one conversation with the individual. He wants to understand why these people are motivated to create what they’re creating.
We also have a programme called ‘Cashless with Sarah Austin’, who has been listed as one of Forbes’ 30 under 30 and who interviews men and women at the forefront of the new digital economy.
So, while all of the news articles from third party sources serve as someone’s daily reading, the original broadcasting programming is taking it to the next level with more focussed feature stories on individuals.
We also do specials, like ‘Culture Conversation’, which was shot at the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami, where we interviewed Blond:ish, Tony Hawk, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Reilly, and a variety of entrepreneurs who were there talking about what they were doing in the space, the type of companies they are funding, and what this new decentralised cultural movement means to them – the key that we really try to focus on more than anything else.
Crypto titan and DeFiance Media investor Brock Pierce with ‘Anything is Possible’ host Patrick Tsang

Who is backing this project with you?
Among the many investors and partners in this venture are Co-Inventor of NFTs and Co-Founder of Tether Craig Sellars, Tsangs Group Global Family Office, who are Investors in Fubo TV and Live Company Group, Head of the Bitcoin Foundation and philanthropist Brock Pierce, Award-Winning Author and Futurist Daniel Pinchbeck, blockchain veterans Michael Cao and Winnie Liu, and powerhouse Hollywood producer Lauren Selig.
What other market-related features does the DeFiance Media platform have?
Money makes the world move forward, so we have the world’s first ever broadcast crypto ticker, allowing people to stay glued to their set and trade at the same time.
Then, and this is where it gets interesting, we allow for our viewers to make transactions. In the market section, people can get market data on, say, Ethereum with links to websites, technical documentation and news, but they can also buy and trade through the platform. People can watch someone on our channel, do research on their company, see where that token is trading at that moment in time, and make transactions.
We have a third-party provider that facilitates all of the transactions for us through a variety of exchanges. You can use your credit or debit card, or get it straight from your bank account.
What is your vision for DeFiance Media?
Our vision is to promote a positive narrative for the decentralised evolution to as many people as possible and ultimately, we would like to reach a billion households. If fashion TV can reach a billion households, there’s no reason why we can’t. We aspire along the lines of MTV News meets CNET meets Bloomberg TV, but with a very different type of programming, approach and subject matter. Right now, we are independent, and we want to continue to grow as much as possible so we can have that independent voice.
 
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Italy latest: fourth wave, health pass extended, vaccines fast tracked

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/07/2021

Italy’s independent watchdog says the nation has now officially entered a fourth wave of Covid. It comes as the government announces that it expects the total population to be vaccinated by the end of September.
According to a new report published on Thursday by Italy’s independent health watchdog the GIMBE Foundation, the number of Covid cases, admissions and deaths are increasing again.
“The number of new weekly cases continues to rise, but they are underestimated due to insufficient testing and the failure to resume contact tracing,” said Nino Cartabellotta, GIMBE’s President. “The virus is circulating more than is documented by the new cases identified. We have in fact entered the fourth wave.”
Deaths in Italy had been on the decrease for 15 weeks but are slowly creeping up again, increasing by 46% over the past week and rising from 76 to 111 on the week prior. This equates to an average of 16 deaths per day as opposed to 11 in the previous seven days.
Cases and hospitalisations are also dramatically on the rise, with cases increasing 31,963 from 19,390, a 65% uptick, and increases of 42.9% for people being isolated, 34.9% in admissions and 14.5% in intensive care. In numbers, this means the number of hospital beds occupied by Covid patients has gone from 1,088 on 16th July to 1,611 on the 27th.
“After the first signs of recovery recorded last week, there is confirmation of a slight increase in admissions, which document the hospital impact of increased viral circulation,” said Renata Gili, head of Health Services Research at the GIMBE.
The upward trend has affected all regions of the country, except Molise, an area on the east coast north of Bari.
The regions showing the greatest increase in new cases are Friuli Venezia Giulia with a 202% rise, Valle D’Aosta with 175%, and Tuscany with a 128% increase on the previous week. 40 provinces noted the incidence rates exceeded 50 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, the previous marker for moving a region into a “yellow zone” for low-moderate risk.
These increases come just as the government announced another one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be delivered to Italy in August, bringing forward estimates for completion of the nation’s vaccination programme to the end of September. The previous target was to have 80% of the public jabbed in the same time frame.
The Italian government has also just announced it will extend the country’s ‘Green Pass’ requirement, the Italian equivalent to the Monaco Safe Pass, to access most public spaces including bars, restaurants, cinemas, gyms and museums.
The Health Minister, Roberto Speranza is guarded about how this will play out, reminding people that “we still need to keep a level of maximum attention, caution and prudence,” despite 65% of the adult population having at least one jab and 58% of all when including those over 12 years old, roughly 31.4 million people.
“It is clear that the variations, including Delta, put us in a delicate position that force us to be very cautious. Anyone who compares this moment to previous phases is making a mistake. There is a big difference,” he added.
 
 
 
Photo of Palermo, Italy by Who’s Denilo? on Unsplash
 
 

Workers aged 40+ now eligible for vaccine

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/07/2021

Non-resident employees over 40 years of age and insured under the country’s social security scheme can now receive their Covid jabs free of charge as part of Monaco’s vaccination drive to cover all residents and workers as soon as possible.

There has been a progressive rollout of Monaco’s vaccination programme since it was launched earlier this year, starting with citizens, residents and students, and extending now to employees of the Principality.

On Thursday, the government announced that unvaccinated workers aged 40 and above are invited to take advantage of this programme and call the Covid Call Centre at +377 92 05 55 00 or visit www.covid19.mc to make an appointment.

The centre will then call back to set the day and time for an actual appointment, which will take place at the National Vaccination Centre located in Auditorium Rainier III. Participants must bring valid identification as well as proof of professional activity in the Principality.

A pre-vaccination medical consultation will be given before the shot is administered, and a practitioner will be on hand to answer any questions as well as provide information on the vaccine and its possible effects, given an individual’s medical history.

The appointment for the second vaccination will be made after the first inoculation has been given.

The vaccines are still open to all residents and citizens, who can get their appointments by following the same protocol described above.

The government is urging all those aged over 60 who have not yet been vaccinated to do so as soon as possible to lessen the chance of serious infection and to keep them safe.

 
 
 
Photo by Manuel Vitali, Government Communication Department
 
 
 

Summer fun in Port Hercule

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/07/2021

Monaco City Hall has added new events to its summer fun programme in Port Hercule this August for kids and kids at heart.

Forget the lazy dog days of summer, there’s too much fun to be had this month in the port to even think of staying in. 

The Monaco City Hall has set up a mini fun fair on Quai Albert 1er replete with a carousel, “crazy karting” and a bouncy castle for the kids as well as a 3×3 basketball court for adults to keep everyone busy and happy. The carousel opens at 11am and runs until 10pm, karting goes from 3pm to midnight and the basketball courts are available from 3:30pm to 8pm until 22nd August.

If the afternoon sun gets a bit too warm, there are shaded benches set up all along the quay, decorated with plants, to rest and cool down.

Additionally, in a collaboration with MC Clic, the Monaco-based company that has made a name for itself by designing and manufacturing civil drones to take aerial photos for beauty shots, building inspections and other various needs, is launching an introduction to radio-controlled cars every Wednesday until 22nd August. A circuit will be set up and anyone over the age of five is invited to test and learn to manage different radio-controlled vehicles. Sessions are for two and run for 15 minutes, depending on demand, and go from 7pm to 10pm.

For those who are looking for a bit of culture, the Grimaldi Forum and the Mairie have set up a series of panels explaining the Alberto Giacometti exhibition, currently on at the Grimaldi Forum as an enticement to go visit and see the real thing.

Finally, there are the two nights of live fireworks displays on the 31st of July and the 7th of August in the port which will replace the cancelled Monaco Art en Ciel fireworks competition usually held this time of year. The nights are sure to be spectacular so make a point of heading down.

 
 
Photo by the Mairie de Monaco 
 
 
 

Police officers to be armed with smartphones

by: Cassandra Tanti
29/07/2021

An information campaign detailing Monaco’s health pass rules will be targeted at tourists, while police officers will be armed with mobile phones to enforce the law.  
After acknowledging that the Principality, like neighbouring France and Italy, are in the midst of a “fourth wave” of the Covid epidemic, the Prince’s government has ordered that health passes be required by anyone wanting to enter a restaurant, bar or cultural venue from 23rd August.
During a recent interview with government channel Monaco Info, Director of Public Security Richard Marangoni revealed that police will once again be on the frontline this summer, ensuring that everyone is playing by the strict health rules.
“To do this, we will soon be equipped with smartphones that allow us to check the QR codes and the validity of health passes,” indicated Richard Marangoni.
The Director of Public Security also revealed that an information campaign will be conducted to make tourists aware of what is required of them, positioned primarily at entry points to the Principality. The information will be available in a several languages.
Meanwhile, information detailing all the rules applicable in Monaco has been sent to establishments open to the public, in particular bars and restaurants.
 
 
Photo by Janayara Machado on Unsplash
 
 

Opportunity opens up at France's second-busiest airport

by: Cassandra Tanti
29/07/2021

The Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is launching a call for tenders to renew three of its pop-up stores in Terminals 1 and 2.
Initiated in 2012, the pop-up stores located within the terminals of the airport have already benefited over 60 brands that have been able to test out and develop their offers to gain market share, some before growing into franchises. The airport is currently offering three locations, with one located in the landside area of the airport, and the other two in the boarding area, for an exceptional two-year concession, from 1st April 2022.
“This period corresponds to the terminal’s return to full activity, in line with the return of air traffic, both national and international,” says Filip Soete, head of the Commercial BU of the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “For the brands that will fill the positions, this is an opportunity to fully benefit from this upturn, with enthusiastic passengers in a comfortable environment enhanced by the health policy in place throughout the airport.”
An exceptional promotional opportunity
For the three brands that will be selected at the end of the call for tenders, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, which was voted the world’s best commercial airport operator in 2018, will provide unique exposure. Over the last few years, passenger traffic has been composed of 46% high-income passengers and 57% international passengers. With a unique service offering of 121 direct destinations, nearly 100 of which are international, including six long-haul destinations (Beijing, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, New York and Montreal), Nice Côte d’Azur has emerged as the primary alternative to Paris in terms of air traffic. Furthermore, thanks to its location virtually in the city centre and its quick and direct connection to Nice by tram, shops located landside welcome increasing numbers of non-travelling customers who live or work nearby, accentuating the airport’s attraction as a shopping centre.
A “sense of place” approach
For the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur group, these temporary sales areas actively support its strategy of “giving travellers the most surprising shopping experience of all Europe’s airports”. Central to this strategy is the notion of “sense of place”. It means that businesses, in particular pop-up stores, must provide passengers with a differentiating, non-standard offer, conveying the values and know-how of the surrounding region.
“Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is intended to serve as a link between the Riviera and the rest of the world. More than a showcase, for young brands it provides a laboratory in which to test their identity, territory and environment in order to recruit new customers, and even ambassadors. We see this as a stepping stone, since we provide comprehensive support and promotion for these brands to our passengers to support their visibility and performance,” says Filip Soete.
Located in the centre of Terminals 1 and 2, the next pop-ups will represent a complementary offer alongside the major brands, both national and international, that are already present.
Terms of the call for tenders
The contract will extend over a period of 12 months, from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2024.
The deadline for submitting applications is 4pm on 29th September 2021.
To participate, simply register and create an account to download the tender documents at: Consult