DIALOG REDEVELOPS AND OPERATES UK DEPT. OF TRADE/INDUSTRY IP.

The Dialog Corporation plc (NASDAQ:DIALY, LSE:DLG), a leading provider of Internet-based information, technology and eCommerce solutions to the corporate market, has been awarded the contract to redevelop and operate the Enterprise Zone ("EZ") (http://www.enterprisezone.org.uk) Internet portal by the UK government's Department of Trade and Industry ("DTI"). EZ provides business information for small- to medium-sized companies (SMEs) and Business Links - the nationwide network of around 240 business advice centers which provide affordable advice to UK companies. EZ, which in its first year of operation had over 160,000 users and more than 5.2 million hits, is the first Internet-based government service to be handed over to the private sector.

The service is now operated by Dialog's eCommerce division which, in addition to re-engineering the branding and layout of the site, has applied its proprietary technologies and services to provide eCommerce functionality on EZ for the first time. Dialog has built an exclusive eCommerce office supplies procurement service for EZ users called LinkShopper, which enables Business Links and their customers to benefit from competitive prices and negotiated discounts as well as the cost savings inherent in purchasing goods online.

In addition to the information and services available on the site itself, EZ acts as a gateway to some of the most informative and relevant business, government, commercial, local and national sites on the Internet. Dialog has made searching the site for relevant information much easier with the application of its proprietary Muscat search technology.

Enterprise Zone has continued to break new ground since it was launched by the DTI in November 1997, including hosting the first online chat with the Governor of the Bank of England. The service, which operated with the support of Business Links as well as the DTI, has come to be recognized as an essential online resource for SMEs.

Dialog has been operating another successful DTI project - the TradeUK Export Sales Leads Service and National Exporters Database, and working with Business Links around the country. Both DTI and the Business Link network will continue to contribute to the service.

Michael Wills, Small Firms Minister, commented: "Setting up the Enterprise Zone fulfilled a government commitment to give SMEs quick and easy access to the best new electronic information and commerce. This access lets SMEs get a real competitive edge. The transfer to Dialog represents the next step forward in the evolution of the site. Dialog's expertise will allow the Enterprise Zone to continue its development as the foremost on-line resource for the SME community."

Andre Brown, CEO of The Dialog Corporation's eCommerce Division, commented, "With the launch of LinkShopper and the re-engineering of the Enterprise Zone site, we are once again applying our skills and expertise to the benefit of UK companies. By tailoring our eCommerce service for specific communities of interest, such as EZ, we are delivering on our strategy of rolling out our proprietary technologies to more and more corporate desktops throughout the UK."

Brown concluded: "We believe that making the best use of available technology is key to success in today's increasing global markets - particularly for small and medium sized enterprises. The introduction of eCommerce to the site will demonstrate the savings even small businesses can achieve through the use of the Internet. EZ's mission remains - to be the leading online business information resource for UK companies."

The Dialog Corporation (http://www.dialog.com) is a leading provider of Internet-based information, technology and eCommerce solutions to the corporate market, created by the merger of M.A.I.D plc and Knight-Ridder Information Inc. The Dialog Corporation brands include the DIALOG, DataStar and Profound range of products and services. These brands provide comprehensive, authoritative sources of information to professionals worldwide. The Dialog Corporation has world headquarters in London and US headquarters in Cary, NC. Its American Depositary Shares (ADS) are traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "DIALY" with four Ordinary Shares comprising one ADS; its Ordinary Shares trade on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol "DLG."

The Enterprise Zone, launched by DTI in 1997, has proved to be a popular resource with the SME community, with over 160,000 users and more than 5.2 million hits through December 1998. DTI handed over the running of Enterprise Zone to the private sector towards the end of 1998, and the site is now operated by The Dialog Corporation plc. The DTI and Business Link network are represented on the Enterprise Zone management board. In addition to the information and services available on the site itself, it acts as a portal to over 250 sites selected by an independent accreditation group, which ensures these linked sites are an effective source of business information. EZ also offers LinkShopper - an exclusive eCommerce office supplies procurement service for Business Links developed by The Dialog Corporation. The aim of Enterprise Zone is to become the leading portal to business information for small business and a benchmark for the provision of business information on the Internet.

For more information, call 212/835-8500.