Zora, the NFT minting platform, has made a significant move into the print media industry by launching a physical version of its Zine digital magazine. The new print edition, called Zora Zine Print Issue 001, is designed to be a collectible item and can be redeemed through the application of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on the blockchain. Each of the 2,500 copies of the magazine is backed by an Ethereum-based NFT and is priced at 0.0777 ETH per copy.

While some may view this move as regressive, Zora sees print media as a vital tool that can advance the values and objectives of Web3. According to Yana Sosnovskaya, the head of editorial at Zora Zine, the physical print aims to capture the spirit of Web3 and will be fascinating to revisit as time goes on, players rotate, rules change, ideas swirl, and waves of hype come and go.

As with its digital counterpart, the physical print edition of Zora Zine will continue to experiment with blockchain-based solutions that aim to decentralize and democratize the media industry. One such project in the first print edition of Zora Zine is “Fake Ads,” where 22 artists have come together to create fabricated Web3 products and services. Zora aims to reward each artist with an honorary fee and additionally monetize their work through a series of open edition NFT mints. This approach ensures that the Web3 principles of the magazine will exist in harmony with its new physical collectibles.

It is worth noting that Zora has previously experimented with decentralized technology tools to offer artists, journalists, photographers, and other contributors a share of its revenue. Other experiments have involved crowdfunding writing gigs and allowing audiences to choose the kinds of stories they would like to see published.

The first printed edition of Zora Zine focuses on the theme of “Intergenerational Dynamics” and features over 60 contributors, including well-known figures within the tech industry such as Kevin Kelly, the executive editor of Wired, and Jaron Lanier, a computer philosopher and futurist. At 250 pages, the magazine includes insightful articles, interviews, and artwork, making it a valuable collectible for anyone interested in the intersection of Web3 and print media.