BUSINESS WIRE: The Official Wire Service For The 1998 Goodwill Games.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 1998--Business Wire announced it has entered into a supplier sponsorship agreement with the 1998 Goodwill Games that will make the company the official wire service of the Games.

The 1998 Games, scheduled for July 19-August 2 in the New York metropolitan area, feature 15 of the most popular spectator sports. Two-time Olympic gold-medallist Michael Johnson of the United States headlines the field of 1,300 athletes from more than 60 countries that will be vying for $5 million in prize money and record/performance incentives, the largest purse ever for a multi-sport event. All of the venues are located in Manhattan and on Long Island. TBS Superstation, the Games' host network, will televise 45 hours of prime-time coverage of the 1998 Goodwill Games. CBS will televise 10 hours of weekend and afternoon coverage. In addition to appearing on TBS and CBS, boxing will be televised on HBO as part of the HBO After Dark series. The 1998 Games are the first time a sporting event has appeared on all three levels of television distribution.

Business Wire and its ancillary service, SportsWire, will electronically disseminate Goodwill Games news releases to the media, on-line services and databases. Business Wire will also provide the Games with a presence on the Internet with an Electronic Media Kit, a virtual press kit which will include a link to the Goodwill Games web site. In addition, Business Wire will provide advanced notification as to the availability of its services to other sponsors to assist in their issuing news both during and prior to the Games.

"Business Wire is the leading information and wire service provider," said Michael Lewellen, public relations director of the Goodwill Games, "and a relationship between Business Wire and the Goodwill Games is a natural. We are very excited about working with Business Wire, as well as knowing that our news will be delivered to the media through the industry's leader."

"Business Wire is proud to support the Games and to assist in building awareness of the Games," said Cathy Baron Tamraz, senior vice president of Business Wire. "We are excited as business professionals and sports fans to be associated with the 1998 Goodwill Games."

The 1998 Goodwill Games have re-defined "goodwill." Since the Games were inaugurated 12 years ago, the world's situation has changed dramatically, overcoming the forces that initially led R.E. Turner, vice chairman of Time Warner and founder of the Games, to conceptualize and host the Goodwill Games. Therefore, the Games have a new mission, benefiting children. To achieve its mission, the Goodwill Games will be working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and UNICEF.

The Goodwill Games are hosted through a combined effort between Goodwill Games, Inc. and the participating sports federations, in conjunction with the appropriate state, city and county governmental agencies. Goodwill Games, Inc., a division of Turner Sports, are responsible for all aspects of the event. Past sites include: 1986, Moscow; 1990, Seattle, Wash.; and 1994, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Business Wire, which opened six domestic offices in 1997, was founded in 1961 by its president, Lorry I. Lokey, veteran journalist and public relations executive. The company has 24 offices throughout the United States and affiliates around the world and is a leading source of news on major U.S. corporations, including Fortune 1000 and NASDAQ companies.

CONTACT: Business Wire/SportsWire, New York,

Michael Lissauer, 212-752-9600