NSW:Man shot with pellet gun at Liverpool

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2011
NSW:Man shot with pellet gun at Liverpool

SYDNEY, Aug 15 AAP - A man working at a party supplies shop in Sydney's southwest has
been shot with pellet gun.

The 29-year-old was at work on Hoxton Park Road, Liverpool, when he got into an argument
with two men over hired party equipment about 12.15pm (AEST) on Monday.

Following the brief dispute, police said one of the men shot the staff member in the
leg with a pellet gun.

The men then fled the store and police were notified.

The 29-year-old was treated by NSW Ambulance Paramedics before being taken to Liverpool
Hospital with a welt injury on his thigh.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or any suspicious activity
in the area, to come forward.

The men were of Asian and Caucasian appearance.

AAP tr/it

KEYWORD: PELLET

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Kids to learn how to cope with emergencies

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2007
Qld: Kids to learn how to cope with emergencies

BRISBANE, Feb 16 AAP - Primary school children in Queensland will learn vital skills
for coping with emergencies under a new program launched today.

Police Minister Judy Spence said the program would teach school children in grades
five, six and seven valuable skills to help them respond appropriately to unsafe or emergency
situations.

"Too often we hear of avoidable incidents and injuries that involve young people, whether
at home, in the car or in play," Ms Spence said.

Every year, more than 15,500 children aged under 15 years were taken to hospital in
Queensland for injuries suffered in their homes or yards, she said.

"This new program has been adapted from the Junior Neighbourhood Watch Project and
aims to teach young people 'real life' skills and awareness to help lead them safely into
adulthood," Ms Spence said.

It consists of a series of teaching modules and exercises covering a range of topics,
from basic CPR and first aid, to crime prevention, fire safety, emergency and disaster
preparedness and personal protective behaviours.

"This is important, as young people are more likely to become victims of crime than
any other age group," Ms Spence said.

The program was successfully trialled in four primary schools last year and will be
rolled out across the state this year to schools interested in participating.

The most common causes of child deaths from unintentional injury are car crashes, pedestrians
being hit by motor vehicles, drowning and house fires.

AAP rad/pjo/imc/bwl

KEYWORD: SKILLS QLD

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:Main stories in Tuesay's papers =2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2011
NSW:Main stories in Tuesay's papers =2

The Sydney Morning Herald:

Page 1: Tens of thousands of bus commuters face hours of extra gridlock each week because
traffic authorities have removed the requirement for an afternoon bus lane during widening
of the M2.

Page 2: The cost of private health insurance will rise for middle and high income earners
after the May budget if three lower house independents can be persuaded to agree to means-test
the 30 per cent rebate.

Page 3: Marrickville Council's push for a boycott of Israel is likely to be quashed
at a meeting on Tuesday night.

World: The UK could put forces on the ground in Libya after the British Prime Minister
said London is preparing to do more to help rebels oust Muammar Gaddafi.

Business: Outgoing CEO of supermarket giant Woolworths, Michael Luscombe, says consumers
are doing it tough and warned that low and middle income earners need protection of a
carbon tax is introduced.

Sport: The future of Sydney Roosters start Todd Carney was still in limbo on Monday
night as club officials remain undecided whether he will be sacked after spending a night
drinking with teammate Anthony Watts who is charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend.

MORE ct/mm

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS NSW 2 SYDNEY

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

--Computacenter shares surge on news of net cash rise

Internet Business News
01-12-2011
--Computacenter shares surge on news of net cash rise

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

12 January 2011 - Shares in IT services provider Computacenter (LON:CCC) surged yesterday to their highest in six years after it reported a massive increase in its net cash pile, adding that annual profits are expected to land within the upper range of forecasts, the Financial Times wrote.
Chief executive Mike Norris stated that most customers showed all signs of possessing both the desire and the money for IT infrastructure upgrades. Computacenter has improved revenues in all of its three key markets -- the UK, Germany and France.

Customer financing excluded, net cash reserves grew from GBP86.4m (USD139.9m/EUR104.1m) at end-2009 to GBP138.6m. While this provides the firepower for acquisitions, Norris said Computacenter will stay put until it completes the upgrade of its own IT system in the summer.

The shares ended the day at GBP4.20, closing 9% higher.

((Comments on this story may be sent to info@m2.com))

(Copyright M2 Communications, 2011)

FED:PM sends message to soldiers' families

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2010
FED:PM sends message to soldiers' families

SYDNEY, Aug 21 AAP - Prime Minister Julia Gillard has sent her condolences to the families
of two Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

"Obviously as a nation, we've lost two very brave men," she told reporters at the Richmond
Air Force Base on Saturday.

"And there are families in this nation today that have lost two men they love very much.

"As prime minister, on behalf of the nation, I express my condolences to the families
of Thomas Dale and Grant Kirby.

"They have received the worst news families could get."

MORE mg/apm

KEYWORD: AFGHAN AUST GILLARD

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Brumby accuses Rudd of ransom as sides stand firm

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2010
Fed: Brumby accuses Rudd of ransom as sides stand firm

By Sandra O'Malley, Senior Political Writer

CANBERRA, April 13 AAP - Victorian Premier John Brumby is accusing Kevin Rudd of holding
the states to ransom, refusing to bow to pressure to sign up to the prime minister's health
reform plan.

Mr Brumby is the fiercest critic of Mr Rudd's proposal for the commonwealth to take
majority control of public hospital funding and has signalled he won't sign up to the
commonwealth offer in its current form.

Mr Rudd will officially put his ambitious plan to a leaders' meeting next Monday -
and they have to sign up or lose $3 billion in additional health funding he's offering.

As the countdown continued to the crucial Council of Australian Governments (CoAG)
meeting, both Victoria and Canberra further entrenched their opposing positions.

Mr Brumby, who will outline his argument to a national audience in Canberra on Wednesday,
believes his state will go backwards under what's being proposed by federal Labor.

"(It's possible) the system would be more confused not less confusing ... and it would
mean that in a variety of circumstances our state could go backwards," he told Fairfax
Radio Network.

"They are risks I am not prepared to take for the state."

Health Minister Nicola Roxon made it clear the government meant business.

"We say to Mr Brumby and to any other premier, we are not prepared to put extra investments
in the system without reform," she told reporters.

"We won't be putting extra money on the table for business as usual.

"This is the crunch time. If an agreement isn't reached at this meeting, there will
be a referendum."

Mr Brumby doesn't believe the all or nothing rhetoric.

"You've got to go back - a long way probably to the Bjelke-Petersen government in the
'70s - for the last time I can remember that a government held the states to ransom and
said if you don't do things the way I tell you I am going to take the money off you,"

he said.

Mr Rudd appealed to premiers to act on behalf of the nation rather than their vested
state interests.

"I would ask all the premiers to rise to the occasion and to grasp this opportunity
to forge a national agreement, in the national interest," he told reporters.

If Victoria and the commonwealth found little to agree on, Mr Brumby - who advocates
a single funding model as part of his alternative proposal - had an unusual ally.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott indicated the coalition would be willing to consider the idea.

"A single funder is worth looking at ... in the longer term," he told ABC Radio.

The coalition also wants the government to explain what it claims is $18 billion in
unfunded spending contained in the final blueprint Mr Rudd handed to the states.

As he set off for the seventh day of his Pollie Pedal on a bitterly cold Canberra morning,
Mr Abbott showed he was fazed by little, including the prospect of an early election.

There is increasing speculation the government may be "clearing the decks" to set itself
up for an early poll by dealing with a myriad of problematic issues.

"This is a government increasingly caught in a pattern of failure and waste and if
the prime minister wants an early election in this kind of disarray (then) fair enough,
let's have it," Mr Abbott said.

AAP so/sb/apm

KEYWORD: ELECTION WRAP

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Water minister missing on Mt Feathertop

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2009
Vic: Water minister missing on Mt Feathertop

Police are trying to track down a weak signal from the mobile phone of Water Minister
TIM HOLDING .. who's missing on Mount Feathertop in the Victorian Alps.

Search coordinator Acting Superintendent WAYNE ROTHERHAM has told ABC radio a signal
was emitted from the phone late last night .. but it was weak and failed to provide a
location.

Police and SES volunteers are out searching for Mr HOLDING .. an experienced hiker
who went trekking alone on Saturday.

He sent a text message to his partner that night saying he'd reached Federation Hut
and would be home yesterday afternoon .. but never arrived.

Temperatures on the mountain plunged to minus seven over the weekend .. and the forecast
is for snow showers and strengthening winds today.

AAP RTV ees/gfr/jmt

KEYWORD: HOLDING (MELBOURNE)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Recession argument not the main issue: Turnbull

AAP General News (Australia)
04-22-2009
Fed: Recession argument not the main issue: Turnbull

SYDNEY, April 22 AAP - Policies to improve Australia's economy are more important than
arguing over the definition of recession, Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says.

Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Glenn Stevens says Australia is now in recession
while Treasurer Wayne Swan is still holding back on conceding the point.

Mr Turnbull said defining whether the national economy was in recession was a distraction
to the main fiscal problems.

"I don't think the question of whether we are technically in a recession today or not
is the real issue," Mr Turnbull told the Seven Network on Wednesday.

"The real issue is, what are we doing to get out of it?

"Where are the policies?

"Mr Rudd's had his two cash splashes. He said they'd create jobs. Have they created jobs? No.

"He said they would provide economic growth. Have they created any economic growth?

No, we're going backwards. We're continuing to go backwards."

Mr Turnbull said the past two stimulus packages had not worked.

"The only thing I'll guarantee you these cash splashes will deliver, is bigger and
bigger mountains of debt which will mean higher interest rates and higher taxes in the
future, but no jobs," he said.

AAP krc/evt/ldj

KEYWORD: ECONOMY TURNBULL

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Man arrested over actor Joyce Germain's death

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2008
NSW: Man arrested over actor Joyce Germain's death

SYDNEY, Dec 17 AAP - A man will face court early next year in relation to the death
of American woman Joyce Germain.

Ms Germain, 59, was found in the bathroom of her apartment on Bourke Street, Darlinghurst,
by police rescue workers who forced entry after she was reported missing in April 2006.

Deputy NSW coroner Hugh Dillon in November described the case as "suspicious and bizarre".

But after extensive police investigations and this year's coronial inquest, the cause
of death remains undetermined.

However, following the receipt of forensic results, a 29-year-old man has been arrested
in relation to the case.

The man has been charged with misconduct with a corpse, entering a dwelling with intent,
entering a dwelling and committing a serious indictable offence, and perverting the court
of justice.

He has been conditionally bailed to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on January 22.

Anyone with information relating to the Joyce Germain investigation is urged to call
Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

AAP cjb/ss

KEYWORD: GERMAIN

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Bad: Collated badminton results today

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2008
Bad: Collated badminton results today

BEIJING, Aug 11 AFP - Collated badminton results today:

Men's singles (prefix number denotes seeding) (round of 32)

2-Lee Chong Wei (MAS) bt Ronald Susilo (SIN) 21-13 21-14

Marc Zwiebler (GER) bt Andrew Smith (GBR) 16-21 21-13 21-17

Przemyslaw Wacha (POL) bt Christian Bosiger (SUI) 21-12 11-21 21-19

Lee Hyunil (KOR) bt 5-Kenneth Jonassen (DEN) 15-21 21-14 21-19

6-Sony Dwi Kuncoro (INA) bt Ponsana Boonsak (THA) 21-16 21-14

Ville Lang (FIN) bt Raju Rai (USA) 21-19 21-16

3-Bao Chunlai (CHN) bt Kevin Cordon (GUA) 21-17 21-16

Kestutis Navickas (LTU) bt Stanislav Pukhov (RUS) 21-12 21-17

8-Peter Gade (DEN) bt Nabil Lasmari (ALG) 21-6 21-4

1-Lin Dan (CHN) bt Ng Wei (HKG) 21-16 21-13

Wong Choong Hann (MAS) bt 7-Taufik Hidayat (INA) 21-19 21-16

Erwin Kehlhoffner (FRA) bt Eli Mambwe (ZAM) 21-15 21-17

4-Chen Jin (CNH) bt John Moody (NZL) 21-9 21-11

Shoji Sato (JPN) bt Anup Sridhar (IND) 21-13 21-17

Park Sunghwan (KOR) bt Edwin Ekiring (UGA) 21-5 21-8

Hsieh Yu Hsing (TPE) bt Nguyen Tien Minh (VIE) 21-16 15-21 21-15

Women's singles (round of 16)

5-Pi Hongyan (FRA) bt Eriko Hirose (JPN) 21-12 16-21 21-6

2-Zhang Ning (CHN) bt Jun Jaeyoun (KOR) 21-11 21-12

Maria Kristin Yulianti (INA) bt 6-Tine Rasmussen (DEN) 18-21 21-19 21-14

Saina Nehwal (IND) bt 4-Wang Chen (HKG) 21-19 11-21 21-11

7-Xu Huaiwen (GER) bt Tracey Hallam (GBR) 21-10 21-7

3-Lu Lan (CHN) bt Anna Rice (CAN) 21-7 21-12

1-Xie Xingfang (CHN) bt Olga Konon (BLR) 21-16 21-15

8-Wong Mew Choo (MAS) bt Petya Nedelcheva (BUL) 21-16 21-8

Women's doubles quarter-finals

Miyuki Maeda/Satoko Suetsuna (JPN) bt 1-Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen (CHN) 8-21 23-21 21-14

2-Du Jing/Yu Yang (CHN) bt Kumiko Ogura/Reiko Shiota (JPN) 21-8 21-5

3-Wei Yili/Zhang Yawen (CHN) bt Cheng Wen Hsing/Chien Yu Chin (TPE) 21-14 21-18

4-Lee Hyojung/Lee Kyungwon (KOR) bt Jiang Yanmei/Li Yujia (SIN) 21-15 21-12

AFP

KEYWORD: OLYR08 BAD COLLATED

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Fisherman tells jury about RiverCat hitting dinghy

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2008
NSW: Fisherman tells jury about RiverCat hitting dinghy

By Margaret Scheikowski

SYDNEY, April 2 AAP - A fisherman became emotional today while telling a jury he did
not have time to grab his father before a RiverCat ferry hit their dinghy in Sydney Harbour.

Sam Karatasas was giving evidence at the NSW District Court trial of the RiverCat captain
accused of dangerous navigation causing the death of his father.

Mr Karatasas, 37, said he and his dad, 72-year-old Peter Karatasas, were fishing in
the harbour early on January 5 last year when he saw the RiverCat, the Dawn Fraser.

He recalled "frantically waving my arms", hoping to grab someone's attention so the
vessel could be diverted.

"I think I was yelling at the time `move, divert', I was screaming," he said.

"I screamed to my dad to jump. As it was approaching so fast I did not have time to grab Dad.

"I did not have time to grab Dad," he repeated, as his voice faltered.

Ezra Hilkiah, 52, from Carramar in Sydney's west, has pleaded not guilty to dangerous
navigation occasioning death.

Mr Karatasas died eight days after the crash as a result of the injuries he suffered.

Sam Karatasas told the jury that after he jumped in the water he heard an impact.

"Everything that was on the boat was just floating in the water," he said.

From the time he first saw the RiverCat until he jumped in the water he said the vessel
did not alter its speed or direction.

Mr Karatasas helped his father until another vessel came and he was taken to hospital.

He said he and his dad had belonged to a fishing club and had previously fished near
the harbour bridge as many as 15 times.

There were no restrictions to fishing or drifting in that area, he told the jury.

The trial is continuing before Judge David Freeman.

AAP mss/hn/jfm/de

KEYWORD: HILKIAH

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Business coalition seeks climate strategy

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2007
Qld: Business coalition seeks climate strategy

A coalition of influential Australian businesses has called for a national low emission
technology strategy to fight climate change.

The Australian Business and Climate Group says such a strategy's needed to complement
any national emissions trading scheme.

In a report released at the Australia-New Zealand Climate Change Conference in Brisbane
.. the group says the nation needs to use both technological and economic measures to
tackle climate change.

The companies involved include Deloitte .. Anglo Coal and BP Australia.

AAP RTV pjo/af/rt

KEYWORD: CLIMATE BUSINESS (BRISBANE)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Hockey says AWA figures don't show whole story=2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2007
Fed: Hockey says AWA figures don't show whole story=2

Mr Howard told reporters today during a visit to Lowood, west of Brisbane, he could
not verify the figures, but believed workers had been trading off conditions well before
the Work Choices laws came into force.

"I have no way of knowing whether these figures are correct," Mr Howard said.

"They didn't come out through the agency head.

"But I do know this - that even if they were correct they would only tell one side
of the story because it's long been the case that people might give up their penalty rates,
and this happened before Work Choices, then they get something in return."

AAP jmm/pjo/it/bwl

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE AWAS 2/LEAD 2 BRISBANE (REOPENS)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Cyclist killed after collision with 4WD

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2006
Vic: Cyclist killed after collision with 4WD

A cyclist has died north-east of Melbourne after being struck by a four-wheel drive.

The man had been riding his bike south along the Maroondah Highway in Merton just after
10 (AEDT) this morning .. when he was hit from behind by the Nissan Patrol.

He died at the the scene .. while the male driver of the Nissan was taken to the Yea
Hospital suffering from shock.

AAP RTV hmg/dk/els/ibw

KEYWORD: TOLL VIC (MELBOURNE)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Motorist and pedestrian trade blows next to highway

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2006
NSW: Motorist and pedestrian trade blows next to highway

SYDNEY, Aug 9 AAP - A pedestrian and a motorist have become involved in a scuffle after
a verbal altercation alongside the Hume Highway in Sydney's west.

A 35-year-old man was crossing the highway at the intersection of Hollywood Drive,
Lansvale when he became involved in a verbal argument with a 38-year-old man in a green
Mazda at about 6pm (AEST) yesterday, police said.

The driver then got out of his car and a physical fight started between the two men.

Both suffered lacerations and bruising and had to be taken to hospital for treatment
but have now been released.

Police are now investigating the matter and anyone who witnessed the incident is being
urged to contact authorities.

AAP nr/cmc

KEYWORD: PEDESTRIAN

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Four injured with two airlifted from head-on smash

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2006
Vic: Four injured with two airlifted from head-on smash

MELBOURNE, April 3 AAP - Four people were injured, including a man and a teenaged boy
who were airlifted from the scene of a head-on collision south of Melbourne today.

A Metropolitan Ambulance Service spokesman said two cars collided at the intersection
of the Baxter-Tooradin Road and the Tyabb-Tooradin Road at Pearcedale about 7.45am (AEST)
today.

A man in his 50s with possible abdominal injuries was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital.

A boy in his mid-teens, also with possible abdominal injuries, was airlifted to the
Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Both were in a serious but stable condition.

Another man, also in his 50s, suffered a broken leg and was taken by road ambulance
to the Cranbourne Hospital in a stable condition.

Another teenager was taken to Frankston Hospital with minor injuries.

AAP jrd/dk/drp/nf

KEYWORD: AIRLIFT

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

VIRGINIA SEEKS TO NARROW GAP BETWEEN DIGITAL HAVES, HAVE-NOTS.(BUSINESS)

Digitization without representation.< That's the crux of what's better known as the ``Digital Divide.''
Technology has an increasingly important role in all aspects of society, particularly in the vital areas of commerce, communications and education. The latest numbers show that as many as 110 million people in the U.S. have Internet access. Just like us, they buy, they chat, they learn and play.
But not all Americans are benefiting from the digitization of the republic. We send e-mail, they can't. We buy things online for less than they can in stores. We can apply for jobs online, they can't. We compete, they can't.
Look at the stats:
A recent study by the National Telecommunications and Information Association found that 12 percent of the people earning less than $10,000 a year use the Internet, compared with an estimated 59 percent of those earning $75,000 or more a year.
The U.S. Commerce Department says the divide for home Internet access between those at the highest and lowest income levels widened 29 percent from 1997 to 1998.
Haves and have-nots have always been at odds. But the divide started to garner more attention last summer. Now, government wants to do more to fix things. (Hey, for government, eight to nine months is fast turnaround time.)
Last week, the highest tech honcho in state government, Donald W. Upson, aka secretary of technology, rode onto the Peninsula. He met with groups for minorities, the disabled, senior citizens and small businesses to brainstorm ways to spread the state's technology-fueled fortune.
``Gov. Gilmore's agenda when it comes to technology is very simple,'' Upson said. It is ``To build the best business environment for companies anywhere in the United States, anywhere in the world,'' and ``to ensure that all Virginians have digital opportunity.''
What those opportunities will be is still uncertain, since Upson was in feedback-receiving mode.
The Virginia Electronic Commerce Technology Center (Net graybeards know it by its old acronym, SEVAnet) and the state's Center for Innovative Technology are also doing something to plug the divide.
Last week, VECTEC and CIT officials visited businesses on Virginia's Eastern Shore, a place - how can we put this nicely - not known as a hotbed of economic development. Geographically and culturally isolated from the rest of the state as it is, it's still home for the 66 or so business people who turned out to learn more about electronic commerce.
Beth Parkhurst, e-commerce coordinator for the Eastern Shore Regional Partnership, explained the turnout as the desire ``for knowledge to become globally competitive.''
Bill Muir, director of VECTEC, said he and Karen Jackson, an electronic commerce specialist with Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology, were floored by the response - they had expected maybe 30 people.
It was surprising, Muir said, because, ``They're a conservative group of business people.'' Maybe so, but they apparently recognize that an online presence helps level the playing field when a consumer must choose between trekking to the department store or simply pointing and clicking to buy an item.
So far, three Eastern Shore companies have signed up to partner with VECTEC on building an online presence and handling secure e-commerce transactions.
``This project is so exciting because we're finally getting the opportunity to run with the rest of the world,'' Parkhurst said.
They will likely pay $1,000 to $2,000 apiece to receive a year's worth of e-commerce expertise from VECTEC.
But before anyone can cross the divide to the Net, they have to have good phone service.
Robust competition among telecom providers will be crucial, said B. Keith Fulton, director of technology programs for the National Urban League in New York. It could also be one of the biggest obstacles to accessing the Net's full capabilities.
``In most central business districts,'' Fulton said, ``there are five to six telecom companies fighting for business.
``In urban areas though, you usually have just one, which keeps the price of connecting high. This uneven deployment stifles opportunities in these areas.''
There's much more that can be said and - we hope - done about the Digital Divide. One column, as complete and effective as these are each week, can't fix a problem this big. Government groups can hold summits, conferences and forums. Unless we find paying gigs as professional meeting attenders, we won't make all the sessions, but we can keep tabs on the situation with the help of Web sites such as www.digitaldivide.gov, from the U.S. Commerce Department, and www.digitaldividenetwork.org.
The understated irony in that activity is that we have Net access to check and see how much farther ahead we are. 

Playboy.com Reveals 85% Rise in Web Traffic, According to Nielsen//NetRatings

    --  Game Show Bride Bares All, Spawns 85% Traffic Increase to 

        Playboy.com 

    --  Summer Movies Drive Internet Users to Entertainment Sites 

    --  Weekly Internet Ratings 

The Internet ratings report for the week ending July 2 from Nielsen//NetRatings, the fastest growing Internet audience measurement service in the industry from Nielsen Media Research, ACNielsen eRatings.com and NetRatings, Inc. (Nasdaq:NTRT), reveals that Playboy.com experienced an 85 percent increase in traffic among at-home users.
Darva Conger, the game show bride from "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire," fueled the surge in viewers as the site publicized her "baring all" in this month's issue of Playboy magazine. During this past week, Playboy's online audience grew to more than 419,000 unique visitors as compared to 227,000 the week prior. Nearly 29 percent of Playboy's audience visited the pages featuring Darva.
Summer Movies Drive Internet Users to Entertainment Sites
As the summer movie season swings into high gear, movie-goers are surfing the Web and hitting the entertainment sites to get the latest information on the summer blockbusters. Eonline.com led the pack with a traffic increase of 70 percent among at-home users. Moviefone.com also experienced a dramatic rise in traffic this past week, attracting nearly 901,000 unique visitors as compared to a unique audience of 584,000 the week before.
"There is a lot of money to be made on the Web by sites allowing movie-goers to purchase tickets in advance," said Allen Weiner, vice president of Analytical Services at NetRatings. "MovieFone, an America Online company, does the best job of connecting film fanatics with local show times and enabling them to buy tickets at selected cooperating theaters."

Nielsen//NetRatings Audience Traffic to Entertainment Sites, At-Home 

              Unique Audience       Unique Audience 

                      At-Home               At-Home          % 

Site               June 19-25        June 26-July 2     Growth 

Eonline.com           582,792               988,578      69.6% 

EW.com                229,335               375,902      63.9% 

WarnerBros.com        213,797               340,834      59.4% 

Moviefone.com         583,820               900,944      54.3% 

Entertainment.MSN.com 427,074               642,872      50.5% 

Entertaindom.com      127,107               145,927      14.8% 

      The following set of at-home and at-work information includes: Top 

25 Web Properties, Top 10 Internet Advertisers, Top 10 Banner Ads and 

Average Web Usage statistics for the week ending July 2, 2000. 

           Nielsen//NetRatings: Top 25 Web Sites by Property 

                        June 26 - July 2, 2000 

              Ranking of the Most Visited Web Properties 

Top 25 Properties, At-Home 

                                               Unique      Time Per 

                                             Audience        Person 

Property                                        (000)   (hrs:min:sec) 

1.       AOL Websites                          25,679       0:13:18 

2.       Yahoo!                                23,698       0:28:32 

3.       MSN                                   17,768       0:21:12 

4.       Microsoft                             14,856       0:05:36 

5.       Lycos Network                          8,627       0:10:30 

6.       Excite@Home                            8,426       0:15:38 

7.       GO Network                             7,293       0:14:43 

8.       AltaVista                              4,939       0:09:05 

9.       eUniverse Network                      4,821       0:09:17 

10.      Time Warner                            4,784       0:08:04 

11.      NBC Internet                           4,670       0:08:02 

12.      eBay                                   4,513       0:51:12 

13.      About.com                              3,979       0:07:00 

14.      Amazon                                 3,570       0:09:53 

15.      iWon.com Inc.                          3,056       0:27:58 

16.      Ask Jeeves                             3,035       0:06:42 

17.      LookSmart                              2,808       0:04:58 

18.      EarthLink                              2,741       0:12:47 

19.      The Go2Net Network                     2,735       0:05:29 

20.      American Greetings                     2,555       0:07:30 

21.      Macromedia                             2,501       0:09:33 

22.      Real Networks                          2,497       0:04:25 

23.      Viacom International                   2,278       0:11:23 

24.      CNET Networks                          2,272       0:06:29 

25.      Unicast Communications Corporation     2,170       0:03:11 

Top 25 Properties, At-Work 

                                               Unique      Time Per 

                                             Audience        Person 

Property                                        (000)   (hrs:min:sec) 

1.       Yahoo!                                13,155       0:38:41 

2.       AOL Websites                          12,362       0:17:27 

3.       MSN                                   10,695       0:28:51 

4.       Microsoft                              9,040       0:08:27 

5.       Lycos Network                          5,344       0:12:36 

6.       Excite@Home                            5,178       0:14:17 

7.       GO Network                             4,939       0:17:22 

8.       Time Warner                            3,450       0:17:16 

9.       AltaVista                              3,344       0:11:49 

10.      Amazon                                 3,044       0:10:47 

11.      eBay                                   2,789       1:09:10 

12.      NBC Internet                           2,615       0:09:04 

13.      About.com                              2,370       0:06:40 

14.      iWon.com Inc.                          2,336       0:33:18 

15.      ZDNet                                  1,972       0:09:24 

16.      eUniverse Network                      1,941       0:07:30 

17.      CNET Networks                          1,920       0:07:09 

18.      CNN                                    1,818       0:25:03 

19.      Weather Channel                        1,774       0:09:18 

20.      Real Networks                          1,744       0:04:16 

21.      Ask Jeeves                             1,660       0:05:48 

22.      The Go2Net                             1,611       0:07:54 

23.      EarthLink                              1,522       0:11:59 

24.      Travelocity                            1,492       0:12:38 

25.      LookSmart                              1,474       0:03:35 

Example: The data indicate that nearly 2.2 million home Internet users visited at least one of the Unicast Communications Corporation-owned sites during the week, and each person spent, on average, a total of 3 minutes and 11 seconds at one or more of their sites.
Notes: Rankings are based on audience measurement of people who have access to the Internet at-home and at-work. Work rankings are based on persons at work who have access to a non-shared personal computer. A property is defined as a consolidation of multiple domains and URLs owned by a single entity. Reach is a measure of the unduplicated audience that visits a property. The data are expressed as the percentage of the total universe of Internet users who logged onto the Internet at least once during the reporting period.

               Nielsen//NetRatings: Top Ten Advertisers 

                        June 26 - July 2, 2000 

      Top advertisers, ranked by banner impressions, are based on data 

from BannerTrack(SM), Nielsen//NetRatings' syndicated advertising 

research report. An impression is counted each time an ad banner is 

fully loaded onto a user's screen. 

Top 10 Advertisers, At-Home          Top 10 Advertisers, At-Work 

                  Impressions                       Impressions 

Advertiser(1)       (000)   Reach %  Advertiser(1)   (000)    Reach % 

1.  TRUSTe           492,820   24.5  1.  TRUSTe      388,628     32.3 

2.  AllAdvantage     220,339    4.2  2.              253,207      3.3 

3.  Microsoft        213,393   34.9  3.  Microsoft   136,772     41.3 

4.  Yahoo!           176,268   26.1  4.  GetSmart    116,711     12.5 

5.  Amazon           123,777   31.4  5.  Yahoo!      105,486     30.7 

6.  Next Card        117,291   24.1  6.  Next Card    89,801     32.1 

7.  Casino On Net     92,562   11.8  7.  Amazon       89,549     41.0 

8.  eBay              87,666   15.0  8.  E*TRADE      58,119     13.7 

9.  America Online    85,885   24.7  9.  eBay         57,679     18.9 

10. Barnes and Noble  77,027   21.2  10. Datek        57,146      9.8 

(1) Impressions reported include house ads, which are ads that run on 

an advertiser's own web property. 

      Example: An estimated 77 million Barnes and Noble ad banners were 

completely loaded on at-home users' computers during the surfing week. 

These banners were delivered to 21.2 percent or 12.6 million home 

Internet users. 

            Nielsen//NetRatings: Top Ten Ad Banners Viewed 

                        June 26 - July 2, 2000 

      Top Banners, ranked according to reach percentage, are cited from 

BannerTrack(SM), Nielsen//NetRatings' syndicated ad research service. 

Top 10 Ad Banners Viewed At-Home 

Advertiser(2)     Reach %  Creative 

1.  Capital One     9.3    How FAST do you want your credit decision? 

2.  Bonzi Software  7.8    Warning: Your Internet Connection Is Not 

                           Optimized. Download InternetBOOST '99 Now! 

3.  Crutchfield     7.4    Woofers, tweeters, and amps...Oh my! 

                           Get your chance to win a $1000 shopping 

                           spree from Crutchfield.com! 

4.  Aria            6.3    Instant Approval -- Instant Savings -- 0% 

                           Intro APR 

5.  AmeriDebt       5.2    Danger! Bill Problems? We Can Help You 

                           Save $! 

6.  ClassMates      4.7    Do you know this person? Who could she be? 

7.  Capital One     4.5    Max Credit Limit $20,000. Fixed APR 9.9% 

8.  E Term          4.5    Save 50-70% on Term Life Insurance 

9.  Allstate        4.1    Competitive rates  24 hour claim service 

10. Aria            4.1    Instant Approval -- Instant Savings -- 0% 

                           Intro APR 

Top 10 Ad Banners Viewed At-Work 

Advertiser(2)     Reach % Creative 

1.  Capital One    14.7    How FAST do you want your credit decision? 

2.  Bonzi Software 12.7    Warning: Your Internet Connection Is Not 

                           Optimized. Download InternetBOOST '99 Now! 

3.  Aria           10.2    Instant Approval -- Instant Savings -- 0% 

                           Intro APR 

4.  Allstate       8.6     Competitive rates 24 hour claim service 

5.  RadioShack     8.1     Experience the RCA Digital Entertainment 

                           Center ONLY @ RadioShack 

6.  gURL           7.6     it's all in the cards...explore the tarot 

                           at gURL.com! 

7.  Aria           7.4     Instant Approval -- Instant Savings -- 0% 

                           Intro APR 

8.  Achieva        7.2     Achieva.com College Prep Services 

9.  Crutchfield    7.1     Woofers, tweeters, and amps...Oh my! 

                           Get your chance to win a $1000 shopping 

                           spree from Crutchfield.com! 

10. E Term         7.1     Save 50-70% on Term Life Insurance 

(2) Ad banners that run predominantly on an advertiser's own property 

or house ads are not included in the above. 

              Nielsen//NetRatings: Average Internet Usage 

                        June 26 - July 2, 2000 

      Data below represent activity for the average Internet user during 

the designated weekly period. 

                   Current Week   % Change     Current   % Change from 

                        At-Home  from Last        Week       Last Week 

                                      Week     At-Work 

Number of Sessions 

 per Week                     6          0          10           0 

Number of Unique 

 Sites Visited                6          0          12           0 

Page Views per Week         224      +1.8          356        -1.7 

Page Views per 

 Surfing Session             38          0          35           0 

Time Spent per Week   3: 01: 04      -0.2    5: 24: 09        -2.6 

Time Spent during 

 Surfing Session      0: 30: 57      +0.2    0: 31: 48        -0.5 

Duration of a Page 

 viewed               0: 00: 49      +0.2    0: 00: 55        -0.5 

Average Click Rate 

 for Top Banners           0.32     +18.5         0.22      +46.67 

Active Internet 

 Universe (actually 

 surfed)           59.5 million      -1.4 28.4 million        -0.6 

Current Internet 

 Universe Estimate 

 (had access, but 

 did not necessarily 

 go online)       137.6 million      +0.1 34.4 million           0 

About Nielsen//NetRatings
Nielsen//NetRatings, the audience measurement service from Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings, Inc., collects real-time data from more than 65,000 panel members in the United States. The U.S. panel sample consists of 57,000 at-home users and 8,000 at-work users. These panels collectively represent the largest representative media research sample of Internet users in the industry. Worldwide, in partnership with ACNielsen eRatings.com, Nielsen//NetRatings measures the Internet experiences of over 135,000 people.
The Nielsen//NetRatings service uses unique technology capable of measuring both Internet use and advertising to provide the most timely, accurate and comprehensive Internet usage data and advertising information in the global marketplace. Nielsen//NetRatings leverages proprietary data-collection technology from NetRatings, Nielsen Media Research's 50 years of expertise in research and audience measurement, and ACNielsen's international leadership in supplying market research information covering more than 100 countries. 

manufacturing cost of finished goods

manufacturing cost of finished goods See cost of goods manufactured.

Advantage Credit Offers Credit Reporting Services Through the Myers' Internet OriginatorNetwork Platform.

Business Editors/Technology Writers

NAMB 2002

CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 2002

Advantage Credit announced today at the NAMB 2002 Annual Convention that its credit reporting services are now available through Myers' Internet OriginatorNetwork--a back-office portal that provides access to web-based origination products and services.

"Myers is one of the most widely used platforms in our industry," said Lance Forchilli, V.P. of Business Development for Advantage Credit. "That supports our goal of giving brokers the right credit reporting technology and service by being integrated with the industry's most popular networks," he continued. Advantage serves the credit reporting needs of over 5,000 mortgage originators through Online Services, the company's web-based credit reporting system, and through WinACI, a Windows-based system. The company's clients include some of the nation's largest mortgage brokerages, including Allied Mortgage and Carteret Mortgage.

Myers' Internet, through its OriginatorNetwork, brings the ability to order settlement services electronically and website management tools, access to marketing services plus other small business tools to over 7,000 of its own mortgage broker and banker clients.

"We are pleased to partner with Advantage Credit to offer their credit products," said Warren H. Myer, CEO of Myers' Internet, Inc. "Now users of OriginatorNetwork will be able to order products from Advantage Credit with a few clicks of the mouse."

About Myers' Internet, Inc.

Myers' Internet, Inc. is the leading provider of Internet infrastructure to the mortgage industry. Myers' solutions allow for a completely electronic transaction, connecting consumers with originators and originators with lenders and service providers. Using Myers' Webwiz technology, an originator can build a state-of-the-art customized website in minutes.

Myers' OriginatorNetwork enables originators to shop rates, process loans and connect to lenders electronically--resulting in faster processing and reduced costs. Myers' premier websites, OriginatorNetwork.com, BestRate.com and LoanApp.com are among the best-known mortgage-related sites. For more information, visit http://www.myersinternet.com, or call (408) 428-9960.

About Advantage Credit

Founded in 1991, Advantage Credit is a wholly owned subsidiary of Advantage Plaza, Inc., and a 3-time Inc. 500 winner located in Pensacola, Florida. The company provides credit reporting services to mortgage originators and other business-to-business markets. Advantage Plaza is also the parent company of Advantage Hire, which provides pre-employment background reports to businesses ranging from mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies.

For more information, contact Advantage Credit at (800) 600-2510, or email info@advantagecredit.com, or visit http://www.advantagecredit.com.

Siemens Challenges U.S. Mobile Phone Market With GSM/TDMA Handset to Capitalize on Carriers' Interest in Globally Dominant GSM Standard.

Busines Editors & High-Tech Writers

CTIA WIRELESS 2001

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 21, 2001

Siemens today revealed preliminary details about its first mobile phone designed expressly for the U.S. market, the S47.

Announced at the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) Wireless 2001 Show, the new dual-mode GSM/TDMA handset gives consumers the freedom of domestic and international roaming and is GPRS-enabled to support high-speed wireless data access.

The S47, targeted for availability in the fourth quarter of 2001, is the first phone to support two TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) and two GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) frequencies, giving both carriers and consumers unprecendented flexibility in where the phone can be used. It complements Siemens' S40 triple-band GSM phone that will be available in the United States beginning next month. Adding a TDMA phone enables Siemens to provide its phones to more U.S. carriers, many of whom are also transitioning to GSM technology. GSM is the current mobile phone technology in most regions of the world outside the United States.

The S47 is also GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)-enabled. GPRS is an upgrade to GSM that enables high-speed wireless Internet access of speeds up to 115 Kbps. It is considered an important step towards ultimate third-generation

(3G) wireless services and uses packet switching to transfer data at higher speeds.

Additional smart-phone functionality will include a personal organizer, mobile Internet access via a WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) browser, and voice-activated dialing. In addition to its unique technical capabilities, the phone will feature an extremely appealing design in a small, lightweight size. The S47 will support TDMA 800 MHz and 1900 MHz frequencies as well as GSM 900MHz and 1900 MHz, making it the first global phone of its type.

"The S47 is a remarkably flexible phone that powerfully illustrates Siemens' long-term commitment to the U.S. mobile market, and it gives us the opportunity to be a significant player in the dual-mode GSM/TDMA space," said Florian Seiche, vice president and general manager of the Mobile Phones unit within Siemens Information and Communication Mobile. "With our global track record of success with GSM, we believe we can take advantage of the accelerating growth of GSM networks in North America. Many of the top carriers in the U.S. currently have TDMA networks, so this dual-mode phone gives Siemens a strong position to supply phones that meet the demand of carriers and their customers as the transition from TDMA to GSM is made."

GSM/TDMA Subscription Background

The subscription base for GSM is picking up strong momentum in North America. Additionally, several operators in the U.S. and Mexico have announced plans to install GSM/GPRS overlay networks in addition to their existing TDMA voice networks. The second and seventh largest U.S. carriers, Cingular Wireless and VoiceStream Wireless, respectively, have already deployed GSM technology. AT&T Wireless, the third largest U.S. carrier, has announced plans to overlay its existing TDMA/CDPD network with a GSM/GPRS platform.

About Siemens Information and Communication Mobile

The Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group (IC Mobile) offers the complete range of mobile solutions including mobile devices, infrastructure and applications. Devices include mobile phones, wireless modules, mobile organizers, cordless and corded phones as well as products for wireless home networks. The infrastructure portfolio includes the complete range of mobile network technologies from base stations and switching systems to intelligent networks, e.g. for prepaid services. Applications cover UMTS services for Unified Messaging, Location Based Services, and Mobile Payment. For the fiscal year 2000 (which ended Sept. 30, 2000), IC Mobile recorded sales of $8.23 billion and EBIT of $693 million. The group employs 27,450 employees worldwide. For further information about Siemens IC Mobile, please visit our home page at http://www.icm.siemens.com.

Any statements in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties; actual results may differ from the forward-looking statements. Siemens AG undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

PakNetX PNX ACD Earns Internet Telephony 1998 Product of the Year Award.

SALEM, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 1998--

Peerless Internet Switchtry-wide recognition as the first and only H.323ny industry analysts, consultants and editors," said Chris Botting, vice president of marketing for PakNetX. d conference to the Internet call center. Video capabilities can be tapped with the simple addition of a desktop camera. Callers can reach a representative by clicking a "Connect Me" button from a company's Web site, by using a standard for the Technology Marketing Corporation. "Leveraging our relationship with the widely respected TMC Labs, the editors of Internet Telephony magazine and the engineers of TMC Labs put a tremendous amount of effort into picking the most important and influential products of 1998. The Internet Telephony magazine Product of the Year Award is designed to draw attention to those vendors whose products have helped redefine a fledgling technological anomaly into an unimagined telecommunications revolution. The PNX ACD 2.0 distinguishes itself as one of the most forward thinking and useful products announced in this field of voice/data convergence."

About Internet Telephony magazine

Internet Telephony has a circulation of 23,310 and is published by Technology Marketing Corporation. The January issue, featuring the Product of the Year awards, will be available on newsstands in mid-January.

About PakNetX

Headquartered in Salem, New Hampshire, PakNetX Corporation is the premier developer of Internet telephony and multimedia call center solutions. The PakNetX PNX(tm) ACD is the first application built upon the PakNetX PNX software-only telephone switch, providing businesses with the advanced call management features normally only found in traditional circuit-switching equipment. The PNX ACD allows companies to handle H.323/T.120-based audio, video and data calls as easily as traditional telephone calls, giving businesses unprecedented Internet-based customer service and interaction capabilities. PakNetX and the PNX ACD were recently honored with a "Best of Show" award from Customer Support Management magazine and a "Judge's Choice Award" from Computer Telephony magazine.

Editor's Note: For further information on PakNetX and an archive of news announcements, visit the Online Press Room at www.paknetx.com.

PNX is a trademark of PakNetX Corporation.

One out of Five Americans Have Used Internet Audio or Video in the Past Month According to Arbitron/Edison Media Research

More than one out of five Americans, representing 50 million consumers age 12 and older, have used Internet audio or video in the past month, according to a new study by Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) and Edison Media Research.
The study, entitled "Internet and Multimedia 11: New Media Enters the Mainstream," also revealed that the long-standing model of free programming supported by advertising is preferred by Internet broadcast users. Given the choice between free programming with commercials, a small monthly fee with fewer commercials or a higher monthly fee with no commercials:
-- Sixty-one percent of people who tune to Internet audio
and 59 percent of those who watch Internet video
prefer free programming supported by advertising.
-- Only 14 percent of Internet audio users preferred
either of the two subscription choices.
-- Twenty percent of Internet video users prefer paying a
small monthly fee for programming with few commercials
and 12 percent prefer a higher monthly fee with no
commercials.
The scope of the latest research from Arbitron and Edison Media Research has been expanded to include information on "Early Adopters," those who are among the first to buy new products and services, and their interest and usage of new media and consumer entertainment services. The study found that Internet broadcasting is a strong medium for reaching Early Adopters, with 20 percent of them having tuned to Internet broadcasts in the past week. Overall, the weekly Internet broadcast audience is 50 percent more likely to be early adopters than the total population.
"Fueled by increasing broadband penetration, Internet broadcasting is rapidly approaching mainstream status among Americans," said Bill Rose, vice president and general manager, Arbitron Internet Broadcast Services. "The growth in regular usage of Internet audio and video is compelling evidence that Internet broadcasting is becoming more of a regular habit. As such, marketers should consider including Internet broadcasting in their media mix since frequent users of Internet audio and video are very likely to try new products and services, make purchases online, and consume new forms of audio and video entertainment."
The study also revealed that weekly Streamies own one-and-a-half times more DVDs than average consumers. One in five of the most frequent movie-goers (those who have watched five or more movies in the past three months) have watched an Internet broadcast of a movie trailer in the past month.
"Internet broadcasting represents a significant promotional opportunity for movie studios," said Larry Rosin, president, Edison Media Research. "Online movie trailers are a compelling advertising vehicle because the people who have watched online trailers see far more movies than the average consumer."
The study also revealed that "monthly Streamies" - those who have used Internet audio or video in the past month - are far more likely to book hotels and buy airline tickets online than the general population. Sixty percent have used the Internet to book a hotel or buy an airline ticket for personal travel versus 36 percent of the total population. Furthermore, more than two out of five monthly Streamies have booked a hotel or bought an airline ticket for business travel.
Additional findings from the study include:
-- Eighty percent of the total population now has access
to the Internet from any location, up from 75 percent
in the Arbitron/Edison Media Research survey from
January 2003.
-- The number of Americans with residential broadband
Internet access has tripled since January 2001, rising
to 21 percent as of July 2003. One-third of early
adopters live in homes with residential broadband.
-- Online Americans say that pop-up ads are the most
annoying type of Internet advertising by more than a
six-to-one margin. Twenty-five percent of those who
have at-home Internet access use software programs to
block pop-up ads, while 34 percent use programs at
home to block spam or junk e-mail and 16 percent
employ software to eliminate banner ads.
The findings reported here are based on a July 2003 survey consisting of 2,005 telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of Arbitron's Spring 2003 radio diary keepers. Since 1998, Arbitron and Edison Media Research have conducted 11 groundbreaking studies of the Internet and streaming media, one every six months. This latest study, as well as previous studies, may be downloaded free of charge via the Arbitron and Edison Media Research Web sites at www.arbitron.com and www.edisonresearch.com.
About Edison Media Research
Edison Media Research conducts survey research and provides strategic information to radio stations, television stations, newspapers, cable networks, record labels, Internet companies and other media organizations. Edison Media Research has been cited by Advertising Age as the fastest growing company among their list of Top 100 market research companies in their past five annual listings. Edison Media Research works with many of the largest American radio ownership groups, including Entercom, ABC Radio, Infinity, Bonneville, Emmis Communications and Westwood One, and also conducts strategic and perceptual research for a broad array of companies including AOL/Time Warner, Yahoo!, Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Princeton University, Northwestern University, Time-Life Music and the Voice of America. Edison Media Research also conducts research for successful radio stations in South America, Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe. Edison Media Research designed and operated the CNN RealVote election projection system in 2002, and conducts all exit polls and election projections for the six major news organizations - ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC and the Associated Press. All of Edison Media Research's industry studies can be found on the company's Web site at www.edisonresearch.com and can be downloaded free of charge.
About Arbitron
Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) is an international media and marketing research firm serving radio broadcasters, cable companies, advertisers, advertising agencies and outdoor advertising companies in the United States, Mexico and Europe. Arbitron's core businesses are measuring network and local market radio audiences across the United States; surveying the retail, media and product patterns of local market consumers; and providing application software used for analyzing media audience and marketing information data. Arbitron Internet Broadcast Services measures the audiences of audio and video content on the Internet, commonly known as webcasts. The Company is developing the Portable People Meter, a new technology for radio, television and cable ratings.
Arbitron's marketing and business units are supported by a world-renowned research and technology organization located in Columbia, Maryland. Arbitron has approximately 825 full-time employees; its executive offices are located in New York City.
Through its Scarborough Research joint venture with VNU, Inc., Arbitron also provides media and marketing research services to the broadcast television, cable, magazine, newspaper, outdoor and online industries.
All names are the property of their respective owners.