Billboard Music Group Announces Partnership with PromoSquad for HitPredictor; Predictive Song Information Slated for Publication in Airplay Monitor.

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 23, 2003

Billboard Music Group, a division of VNU Business Media, has entered into an exclusive agreement with PromoSquad, which entitles Billboard, Airplay Monitor, and other VNU Business Media vehicles to publish data from PromoSquad, a song-research company.

The data is part of PromoSquad's ongoing research program that uses online respondents to evaluate the appeal of new music.

PromoSquad, spearheaded by respected radio consultant Guy Zapoleon and veteran radio promotion executive Rick Bisceglia, uses the latest in market research techniques to predict the success of new music releases. Billboard and sister publication Airplay Monitor publish the most trusted music charts and offer unrivaled reporting about the latest music and radio issues and trends.

"We are in the midst of a very interesting time, a true turning point for the radio and record industries in which developing artists and creating hit music is more critical than ever," says PromoSquad partner Bisceglia. "We believe that we have created a system that can really help find what both industries so desperately need: Hit Music. The end result being that the best music can get to the consumer and ultimately get them back in the stores or online to buy albums and singles."

Under the deal, Airplay Monitor is planning to introduce HitPredictor, a published weekly listing that will gauge the radio potential of new songs in various formats.

Airplay Monitor editor in chief Sean Ross says, "A decade ago, Airplay Monitor was launched as a vehicle for music monitoring technology that has transformed how PDs really knew whether a record was a hit. Guy Zapoleon and Rick Bisceglia's reputation for integrity matches that of Airplay Monitor. We're very excited about being able to partner with them to bring our audience even more actionable information every week."

Billboard also is planning a new chart, utilizing PromoSquad's data, to measure consumer interest in the songs that appear on The Billboard Hot 100. Utilizing radio audience information tracked by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems and retail sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan, the Hot 100 is one of Billboard's franchise charts, ranking the most popular singles and tracks in the U.S. for more than 40 years.

"There is always a hunger in the music industry for viable research data," says Geoff Mayfield, Director of Charts for Billboard. "The ability to utilize the resources and know-how of Guy Zapoleon, who has unparalleled respect among both radio programmers and label promotion chiefs in multiple formats, represents an unique opportunity to provide our readers with invaluable information."

Zapoleon adds, "We are extremely excited to be working with VNU, Billboard, and Airplay Monitor because of their worldwide reputation for excellence and credibility. They have consistently proven to be innovative leaders in the music industry, especially in charting retail sales and radio airplay, and there is simply nowhere else we would rather be."

It is anticipated that other PromoSquad features will eventually be added to both magazines and to other Billboard media, including Billboard.com and Billboard Information Network.

About Billboard:

Now in its 108th year, Billboard magazine is the world's premier music industry publication. It is read in 110 countries. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Music Group, which also consists of Airplay Monitor, Amusement Business, Music & Media, Billboard Bulletin, Billboard.com and Billboard Licensing. The Group is a unit of VNU Business Media, a worldwide media company that provides specialized publications, electronically delivered data, expositions and marketing services and is owned by VNU Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Netherlands-based VNU, an international publishing and information company.