October 28, 2004
CONTACT: Interchange Corporation
Cameron Triebwasser (Media), 949-789-5242
Fax: 949-784-0880
ctriebwasser@interchangeusa.com
or
John Baldissera (Investors), 800-368-1217
johnb35@barrettopacific.com
Amarillo Globe-News Selects Interchange Corporation Local-Search Platform
LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Oct. 28, 2004 - Interchange Corporation (NASDAQ:INCX), a provider of local and national paid-search services, today announced that the Amarillo Globe-News, owned by Morris Publishing Group, a subsidiary of Morris Communications Company LLC, has selected Interchange Corporation's Local Direct(TM) search and advertising platform to power its online local business directory, Amarillo Direct(R). The agreement, made in conjunction with Morris DigitalWorks, the online division of the parent company, provides Amarillo Globe-News with additional revenue channels, enhanced local-search functionality, and further extends the reach of their local advertisers on the newspaper's online property, Amarillo Online: http://www.amarillo.com (Amarillo.com).
"Local Direct meets the needs of today's newspapers. Our partnership with Interchange has expanded our search capabilities, while creating new revenue streams that more directly address our advertisers' ability to target consumers. Interchange technology enhances the search experience for consumers and this is an invaluable asset to our operations," said Steven Metzinger, director of Internet operations, Amarillo Globe-News.
The Local Direct platform equips Amarillo Globe-News with full local-search functionality and allows the company to sell sponsored listings to Amarillo-based and regionally-based businesses. This gives Amarillo Globe-News the ability to serve advertisers in business categories not historically targeted by newspapers.
Powered by Interchange's local-search technology, Amarillo Direct provides added convenience for Amarillo.com site visitors by enabling them to search for products and services by keyword. Local Direct enhances the local-search experience for consumers on newspaper and other directory sites by providing them with structured, relevant search results using Interchange's Keyword DNA(TM) technology. Keyword DNA utilizes business characteristics such as location, service area, and business-specific keywords, among other data, to automatically create a unique local keyword profile for each local business. This enables newspaper sites to replace category-based searches and provides for searches of products and services using one user-friendly search box.
Local Direct also provides added revenue opportunities for Amarillo Globe-News by allowing the company to display additional local and national sponsored listings from Interchange's network of hundreds of thousands of local and national advertisers. Local Direct drives additional revenue by providing sponsored listings in instances where a newspaper does not have advertiser coverage. This allows the newspaper's core directory advertisers to have priority in any sponsored listing-based results.
"Local Direct is an ideal local-search solution for online newspaper sites. It significantly enhances their local-search capabilities while creating additional revenue opportunities," said Heath Clarke, Interchange CEO. "Our local-search and advertising platform allows every local business, with or without a Web presence, to target online consumers. We are pleased to be working with the Amarillo Globe-News on this innovative project."
Amarillo Direct attracts more than 180,000 unique users each month and is one of the most visited local websites in the Amarillo area.
Morris Publishing Group publishes 60 daily, nondaily, and free community newspapers. The parent company, Morris Communications Company LLC, broadcasts at more than 30 radio stations and two radio networks; produces 40 magazines and specialty publications; publishes more than 100 visitor publications; and owns a book publisher as well as outdoor advertising, commercial printing and online services operations. For more information, visit www.morrispublishinggroup.com.
Morris DigitalWorks (MDW), a division of Morris Communications Co., provides tools, technologies, consulting and Web development services to Morris newspapers and external clients. MDW award-winning technologies include: world-class hosting facilities, robust content management software, high performance application tools, site enhancement tools and comprehensive classified and display classified technology. For more information, visit www.morrisdigitalworks.com.
About Interchange
Interchange Corporation (NASDAQ:INCX) provides paid-search services that enable businesses to reach consumers through targeted online advertising. Interchange serves the sponsored listings from hundreds of thousands of local and national advertisers in response to consumer search requests from its Search Distribution Network. Interchange's Local Direct(TM) search and advertising platform delivers geographically targeted search results to consumers. Local Direct can be licensed to websites and search engines that provide local business information and serve local advertisers. Local Direct is powered by Interchange's Keyword DNA(TM) technology.
Interchange's search services are available at www.epilot.com. For more information, visit Interchange's corporate website at www.interchangeusa.com.
About Morris Communications Company LLC
Morris Communications Co. is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include newspaper and magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, book publishing and distribution, visitor guide publishing, radio broadcasting and online services. For more information, visit www.morris.com.
Forward-Looking Statements: All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this document regarding our anticipated financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of our management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this report, words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "plans," "expect," "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Interchange or our management, identify forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to our management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, our plans to develop our ePilot products and develop sales, marketing, finance and administrative functions, dependence on major advertisers, competitive factors and pricing pressures, changes in legal and regulatory requirements, and general economic conditions. Any forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this paragraph.
