Chaitime.com Signs Collaborative Multimedia Content and Branding Agreement With India Abroad Publications, Inc

Business Wire, Oct 2, 2000

Business/Entertainment Editors

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 2, 2000

Chaitime.com (www.chaitime.com), a leading online community and Internet portal serving the world's South Asian population, has signed a collaborative agreement with India Abroad Publications, Inc., the publisher of the first and largest paid circulation news weekly as well as a developer of Web sites serving the Indian community throughout North America, to jointly create editorial content and provide cross-platform advertising and sponsorship package opportunities.

The collaboration agreement, which takes effect immediately, was announced today by Jim Malmberg, Senior Vice President, Strategic Development, North America, Chaitime.com, and Gopal Raju, the Founder & Chairman of India Abroad Publications, Inc.

Under the terms of this strategic alliance, India Abroad will look to target the youthful, affluent and technologically-savvy community developed by Chaitime.com, with both organizations collaborating on the development of content for all of their combined platforms, as well as sharing editorial resources. Chaitime.com and India Abroad will also explore mutually beneficial methods for enhancing and expanding the scope of their respective news, information and merchandising services. In addition to the Chaitime.com Web site and India Abroad weekly newspaper, the agreement also encompasses India Abroad.com (www.indiaabroad.com), and India Abroad Daily (www.indiaabroaddaily.com), the newspaper's Web site editions. The two companies will also look to devise unique advertising and sponsorship packages incorporating all of the organizations' online ventures and print outlets as well as through related online and offline events devised to reach the widest possible range of the South Asian demographic.

In making the announcement, Mr. Malmberg stated: "By working together, Chaitime.com and India Abroad create a powerful resource for reaching the South Asian community living in North America, both online and in print. India Abroad and its sister publications have played a catalytic role in providing accurate news and valuable information on the important issues that are of vital concern to the Indian American community. We look forward to collaborating with them on the continued distribution of strong and politically independent editorial content as well as in offering advertisers innovative platforms for reaching this important market segment."

Mr. Raju of India Abroad Publications added: "Partnerships are key in any business venture and we are pleased to have formed this association with Chaitime.com, whose audience demographic blends well with our latest targeted marketing strategy. Combining our strength in the publishing world and their expertise in the development of content for the online community, we're able to provide valuable services to our people and others interested in reaching out to them."

About India Abroad Publications, Inc.

Established in 1970 and headquartered in New York City, India Abroad is the oldest Indian newspaper in North America and the largest outside of India with a total circulation of 64,080 (a). India Abroad is published every Friday in six local editions including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Toronto. It also has three other sister publications under its wings including India In New York (a free news weekly distributed in the metropolitan New York area), Gujarat Times (targeting the Gujarati community in the U.S. and Canada) and Sher-E Panjab (catering to the Punjabi community in the U.S. and Canada). The company operates its own Web site at India Abroad.com (www.indiaabroad.com), India Abroad Online (www.indiaabroadonline.com) and India Abroad Daily (www.indiaabroaddaily.com), as well as the India Abroad News Service.

About Chaitime.com

Chaitime.com is the premier gathering place on the Web for South Asians living at home and abroad -- a cultural destination from which to network, access information, go shopping, debate issues and build community ties. The term South Asia encompasses seven countries: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan. With offices in Philadelphia, Bombay, London, Toronto and Los Angeles, Chaitime.com reaches the global South Asian community with culture-specific channels such as: Arts & Culture, Astrology, Bollywood, Careers, Cricket, Education, Music, News, Singles Scene, Young & Desi and Weddings. Also featured are services including free e-mail, chat and discussion groups, community calendars and community home pages. Chaitime.com is headquartered in Philadelphia at 100 North 17th Street, 5th floor, Philadelphia, PA. The Company's telephone number is 215/988-1855; e-mail can be directed to feedback@chaitime.net. Additional information about Chaitime.com and a description of the services offered can be found at www.chaitime.com.

(a) Audit Bureau of Circulation, Sept. 30, 1999