CMP Media Announces a Series of Strategic Initiatives in the Key Information Technology Markets, the Next Step in Its Long-term Growth Strategy.

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 13, 1998

Announces First Venture with Business Week, Forms Research

Company, and Reconfigures its Product Lineup 

CMP Media Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX), a leading technology media company, today announced a series of strategic initiatives designed to deliver increased value to technology marketers. These include the announcement of a conference to be held jointly with Business Week and the launch of a research company called Reality Research, Inc.

In addition, CMP has created a tighter integration of its products and service offerings for end-user audiences -- IS, networking, enterprise Internet, communications, and PC/desktop -- that will make it easier for advertisers to reach these significant technology buyers across multiple media. All CMP print titles, CMPnet sites, and face-to-face events for these audiences will now be part of the company's Business Computing and Communications Group, which has been renamed the Business Technology Group. The CMPnet sales force, which has long been responsible for selling the company's end-user sites, will now continue doing so. In addition, CMP's e-Business Expos will remain part of the company's Business Forums division.

LANTimes to Close

As part on an ongoing evaluation of its product line, CMP will strengthen InternetWeek and Network Computing by merging the assets of LANT--including its circulation, labs, and staff where possible--into these publications. LANTimes, which CMP acquired from McGraw-Hill earlier this year, will cease publication with its October 26 issue. Advertisers will be offered a host of incentive programs to transfer their ads over to CMP's six business computing and communications titles--InformationWeek, InternetWeek, Network Computing, Data Communications, tele.com, and Windows Magazine.

"The successful rollout of our Customer First sales structure has hardwired us to our customers' needs," said Michael S. Leeds, CMP Media's president and CEO, referring to the company's recently announced portfolio sales model. "As a result, we are able to quickly recognize the shifts in the business technology market and then adapt to provide more focused solutions. Print is an important solution, but our customers also want access to buyers across multiple media, including online and events. These new ventures -- with more to be announced in the near future -- and tight market focus will allow us to meet their needs head on," he said.

Tony Uphoff, vice president/group publisher for CMP's Business Technology Group, says the new ventures are the next major step in the company's strategic plans. "CMP's strategy is to provide integrated media, reaching the markets that matter, tailored to meet the needs of individual customers," Uphoff said. "The first phase was our acquisition of the McGraw-Hill Company's technology publications and software testing lab, which was closely followed by the roll out of a new Customer First sales structure that provides a streamlined approach to media selection and enhanced access to integrated marketing services."

InformationWeek and Business Week Collaborate on CIO/CEO Conference

As the first in a series of collaborations, Business Week and Information Week will join forces to produce a CIO/CEO conference to coincide with CMP's e-Business Expo, the first show dedicated to the business of e-business. In addition, Business Week, the world's most widely read business magazine, will become a partner in e-Business Expo and develop content for its conference sessions, including a dedicated track for business unit managers. e-Business Expo will be held twice in 1999 -- June 8 - 10 at the San Jose Convention Center and December 14 - 16 at New York's Jacob Javits Center -- and is produced by CMP Business Forums. More information about e-Business Expo is available at http://www.ebusinessexpo.com.

Reality Research Launches

To increase its footprint in the technology research and consulting arena, CMP launched a new company called Reality Research, Inc. (http://www.realityresearch.com), which will provide technology vendors with customized research and consulting services to help them assess and capitalize on the growing global market for technology products and services. [See separate release "CMP Media Inc. Expands Its Services Business With the Launch of Reality Research, Inc."] Leeds noted, "Once again, we are responding to our customers' request for market research that helps them get the greatest return on their investments in new products, marketing and media."

CMP Media Inc. (Nasdaq: CMPX) is the only leading high-tech media company that provides essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum -- the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. With its portfolio of newspapers, magazines, custom publishing, Internet products, research, consulting and conferences, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers comprehensive, integrated solutions tailored to meet their individual needs. Online editions of the company's print publications, along with products and services created exclusively for the Internet, can be found on CMPnet at http://www.CMPnet.com. NSTL, the company's independent testing lab and consulting organization, serves government, corporate and technology vendor clients around the world.