COMTEX Adopts NewsML, Industry Standard for News Delivery; XML-based Standard Supports Multimedia News Creation, Storage and Delivery.

Business Editors/Hi-Tech Writers

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 20, 2001

COMTEX News Network, Inc., (OTC BB:CMTX) today announced its adoption of NewsML, the standard for the management of multimedia news.

NewsML, based on the World Wide Web Consortium's Extensible Markup Language (XML), was ratified as the official standard on October 6, 2000 by the International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC).

COMTEX' adoption of NewsML ensures its compatibility with other NewsML-powered news sources, simplifying integration into COMTEX' product line.

NewsML can be used by news providers to combine their pictures, video, text, graphics and audio files in news output for multiple display platforms or devices, including Web sites, mobile phones, high end desktops, and interactive television. The technology also enables news to be transmitted in several different languages.

The common infrastructure allows news providers to combine their content from various sources with little effort, helping publishers create information packages targeted to specific audiences, improving delivery of personalized news to the end-user.

Individual searches and filter systems will be able to process information from a wider range of sources, as information from multiple publishers will be in a single format. In addition to creating a single format, NewsML offers an accurate, objective set of descriptive tools that make searching more precise.

"COMTEX' adoption of NewsML will ensure that COMTEX remains competitive in the online content market. Compatibility with other NewsML sources will make us an even more attractive partner for publishers, while easy integration and expanded multimedia use will attract a greater number of distributors to our services," said Sheri Robey-Lapan, VP, Marketing & Corporate Strategy. "The standard format, along with the search and filter capabilities will provide COMTEX' customers with the high quality, specialized content they have come to expect from COMTEX."

About COMTEX News Network, Inc.

COMTEX News Network, Inc. (OTC BB:CMTX), a full service, business-to-business infomediary, aggregates and redistributes diverse, real-time global news and information to resellers in the Internet, Wall Street and corporate markets.

COMTEX' innovative technology gathers nearly 20,000 stories a day from over 10,000 diverse, global sources to create its subject-specific, value-added headline and vertical-market news products for distribution to over 1100 information services and re-distributors throughout the world, reaching millions of end users.

COMTEX' products include CustomWires(R), Newsroom Enhanced Products and News Solutions. COMTEX also offers Publisher Full-Feeds and Processing Services. Select publishers include AllAfrica, Inc., The Associated Press, Business Wire, Bridge Information Systems, Knight Ridder/Tribune, Newsbytes, ON24, PR Newswire, South American Business Information, The Sports Network, UPI and Xinhua.

Located in Alexandria, VA, COMTEX can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.comtexnews.net.

Note: All product and Company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated herein, including the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances relating to the fact that COMTEX is in a highly competitive industry subject to rapid technological, product and price changes.

Other factors include the possibility that demand for the Company's products may not occur or continue at sufficient levels, changing global economic and competitive conditions, technological and other risks, costs and delays associated with the start-up and operation of major capital projects, changing governmental regulations and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

COMTEX undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.