McClatchy Selects Switchboard Directory Services to Integrate Into Their News Sites
Nando Media To Feature Switchboard-Powered Yellow Pages Directories In Their Online Publishing Suite
WESTBORO, Mass., Oct 24, 2002--Switchboard Incorporated (Nasdaq: SWBD), a leading provider of directory technology and online yellow pages solutions, today announced an agreement with Nando Media, the interactive media division of The McClatchy Company, (NYSE: MNI), the 10th largest newspaper publisher in the U.S., to feature Switchboard's directory platform within their suite of online publishing services. In the 3-year deal, Nando will deploy Switchboard's services across the McClatchy network of online media properties.
As part of this agreement, the sites will feature locally branded merchant yellow pages based on the industry leading Switchboard Matrix(SM) technology. McClatchy sales representatives will sell display advertising in the customized directories and will share in resulting revenues with Switchboard. Switchboard will provide a full suite of customer management tools and services in support of these sales efforts.
"Switchboard's services will add incremental value to McClatchy's newspaper sites for both consumers and advertisers, helping stimulate local commerce," said James Green, president and publisher of Nando Media. "Quality services like those we are getting from Switchboard are a great complement to our existing suite of online services, and will help further propel our online media properties as the premier sources in their communities for local information."
"Nando's decision to utilize the Switchboard platform is further evidence of our growing presence in the newspaper segment," said Dean Polnerow, president and founder of Switchboard. "The McClatchy alliance will add ten new properties to our newspaper network, increasing our total number of large market daily newspapers to more than seventy. Seven of the ten largest MSAs in the country are currently serviced by newspaper properties featuring Switchboard co-branded directory services."
About Nando Media
A pioneer in Web publishing, Nando Media brings efficiency to online publishing with tools and services to help businesses succeed on the Web. Nando offers a complete publishing solution for clients, including the Digital Workbench content management system; 24-hour news and other news content products; portal development through its Community Cornerstone product; ad management services; and hosting facilities. Nando Media is the interactive media division of The McClatchy Company, (NYSE: MNI), and currently provides solutions for more than two-dozen newspapers.
About The McClatchy Company
Headquartered in Sacramento, California, The McClatchy Company is a leading newspaper and Internet publisher. It publishes 11 daily and 13 non- daily newspapers located in western coastal states, North and South Carolina and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. McClatchy has daily circulation of 1.4 million and Sunday circulation of 1.8 million. McClatchy's newspapers include, among others, the Star Tribune in Minneapolis; the three Bee newspapers in California: The Sacramento Bee, The Fresno Bee, The Modesto Bee; The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC), The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA) and the Anchorage Daily News.
McClatchy also publishes a leading local website in each of its 11 daily newspaper markets, offering readers information, comprehensive news, advertising, e-commerce and other services. McClatchy owns and operates other media-related businesses, including Nando Media, a national on-line publishing operation, and The Newspaper Network, a national sales and marketing company. McClatchy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.
About Switchboard Incorporated
Headquartered in Westborough, Mass., Switchboard Incorporated is the leading provider of Web-hosted directory technologies and customized yellow pages platforms to yellow pages publishers, newspaper publishers and Internet portals that offer online local directory advertising solutions to national retailers and brick and mortar merchants across a full range of Internet and wireless platforms. Switchboard offers a broad range of functions, content and services including yellow and white pages, product directory, What's Nearby(SM) proximity searching, and interactive maps and driving directions. Viewed more than 100 million times each month, Switchboard.com (www.switchboard.com) is an excellent resource to consumers and a showcase for Switchboard's superior directory technologies and breadth of product offerings. ePresence (Nasdaq: EPRE) owns approximately 52.0% of the outstanding shares of Switchboard. "Switchboard" and "What's Nearby" are registered service marks and "Switchboard Matrix" is a service mark of Switchboard Incorporated. Other trademarks and service marks used in this release are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events, and these statements are subject to important factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this release address a variety of subjects including, for example, the economic value and utility of the products and services offered by Switchboard to Switchboard's alliance partners and customers. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: Switchboard's alliance with Nando Media may fail to produce the expected benefits, or may fail to result in Switchboard's expanding the reach of its merchant network. For a detailed discussion of other cautionary statements, please refer to Switchboard's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Switchboard's Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on September 19, 2002 and its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2002. Switchboard cautions readers to consider carefully the foregoing factors and other such factors. Further, Switchboard's forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements are made. Switchboard disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward- looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release. SOURCE Switchboard Incorporated.
Contact: Switchboard Elaine Haney (508) 898-8146 [email protected]
Nando Media Kathy Ives (919) 836-2812 [email protected]