DBC Launches My eSignal; New Customizable JAVA Based Quote Service from America's Leading Financial Information Provider.

Business Editors

HAYWARD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2000

Addressing the growing audience of active investors who need economical access to reliable, real-time streaming quotes, Data Broadcasting Corporation (Nasdaq:DBCC) today announced the official launch of My eSignal. The new customizable Java(TM)-based quote service provides real-time streaming quotes, specialized trading information, news, charts and much more -- all in a browser-based format. My eSignal provides a platform for investors to keep up with the markets, with a simple point-and-click interface.

"In today's markets, when stocks can trade hundreds of times per minute, streaming, real-time quotes can be essential to staying on top of one's portfolio," said Chuck Thompson, senior vice president and managing director of DBC. "Data Broadcasting, through My eSignal, once again is leading the charge toward assuring that the individual investor receives greater functionality at lower cost."

The February preview of a free trial of DBC's eSignal product attracted more than 6,000 registered users by mid-April.

Thompson added: "Based on the tremendous reception from our preview launch, we anticipate a strong introduction of the official My eSignal. Investors are welcoming this customizable product and its excellent capabilities for their trading needs. It is truly an individualized service that is easy-to-use and fully compatible with all operating systems."

Through a real-time streaming quotes Java applet designed to be the fastest, and a Web page containing specialized trading information, My eSignal offers customers information to facilitate successful trading, including news, commentary, research, market data, charts and links to valuable trading tools in a very simple Web interface. Customers can easily access detailed research on thousands of companies from Baseline and MarketGuide reports, greatly minimizing the time it takes to research a company's past performance. Users have the ability to create historical charts and apply valuable studies including moving averages, stochastics and Bollinger Bands. In addition, they can also follow market gainers, losers, volume leaders, breaking and market-moving headlines and stories, as well as in depth market analysis from CBS MarketWatch. SEC filings through the SEC EDGAR reports and IPO reports are also available, as is a weekly IPO calendar from Net Earnings. After gleaning this valuable information, My eSignal customers can instantly connect to their online broker to place a trade.

My eSignal runs on any operating system, including Windows, Macintosh, Unix and Linux. The product delivers streaming, real-time financial data over the Internet using Active-Push(TM) technology to continuously update quotes at the user's workstation. Unlike many other real-time, Web-based products that only provide momentary real-time snapshot quotes, My eSignal will display each individual trade as it occurs. Also, because the product is directly connected to the exchanges, it offers the fastest delivery of quotes available. In addition, My eSignal offers a live, online customer service through Live Rep and an online chat service for users.

My eSignal uses the same technology infrastructure as DBC's flagship product, eSignal, the company's leading real-time, streaming data service for traders. DBC's eSignal and My eSignal are backed by newly installed Compaq Alpha Servers, reputed to be the world's fastest supporting this reliable and speedy infrastructure. DBC installed redundant and geographically separate high-speed server farms in order to ensure the industry-leading reliability that customers count on and to handle the enormous increases in exchange data expected over the coming years. Registration for My eSignal is available at http://my.esignal.com.

About Data Broadcasting Corporation

Data Broadcasting Corporation is a leading global provider of financial and business information to institutional and individual investors. The company supplies time sensitive pricing, dividend, corporate action and descriptive information for more than 3.5 million securities traded around the world including hard-to-value unlisted fixed income instruments. At the core of the business are its extensive database expertise and technology resources.

DBC delivers real-time, end-of-day and historically archived data to customers through a variety of products featuring Internet, dedicated line, satellite and dial-up delivery protocols. Through a broad range of partnerships and alliances, the company provides links to most of the world's best-known financial service and software companies for trading, analysis, portfolio management and valuation. The company owns approximately 34 percent of MarketWatch.com (Nasdaq:MKTW), which it founded and joint ventured with CBS (NYSE:CBS).

DBC, with approximately 1,700 employees, is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts and has more than 20 offices in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia including the world's key financial centers of New York, London and Tokyo.

The company is approximately 60 percent-owned by Pearson plc (London: PSON; ADR: PRSNY), an international media company with four main businesses: Pearson Education is the world's premier educational publisher; the Penguin Group is the world's most renowned English-language publisher; Pearson Television is the world's leading independent international television producer; and the Financial Times Group is the premier source of global news, comment and analysis.

Matters discussed in this release include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may be materially different. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include the response of competitors to the company's new services, acceptance of the Internet as a valid real-time distribution platform by institutional customers, activity levels in the securities markets and other risk factors listed in the company's 10-K and 10-Q reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission.