Al Gore's Web Site Attracts Female Surfers While George W. Bush's Site Draws Male Surfers, According to Nielsen//NetRatings

Business Wire, Oct 31, 2000

Business Editors/Political Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2000

Nielsen//NetRatings, the leading Internet audience measurement service from Nielsen Media Research, ACNielsen eRatings.com and NetRatings, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTRT), reports that Al Gore's Web site, which includes AlGore.com and AlGore2000.com, attracted more females than males, while George W. Bush's Web site, including GeorgeBush.com and GeorgeWBush.com, drew more males than females at home this past week ending October 22. The Gore site engaged a majority 60 percent female audience, while the Bush site appealed to a 52 percent male audience.

Traffic at home to both sites jumped this past week. Bush led the online growth, with a rise of 27 percent to 285,000 unique visitors from the previous week (see Table 1). The Gore Web site totaled 232,000 unique visitors, increasing 23 percent compared to the previous week. Surfers at Gore's site spent more time viewing the site with an average duration of 10 minutes, while visitors to Bush's Web site stayed for more than seven minutes.

"All eyes are on Al Gore and George W. Bush for the big prize, with many speculating about how the Internet will play in helping the outcome of the election," said Allen Weiner, vice president of analytical services, NetRatings. "The Web holds tremendous promise as a weapon for political candidates with its ability to deliver a broad message to many users, as well as a targeted one."

Table 1. Nielsen//NetRatings Weekly Election 2000
Data for Gore and Bush Sites (U.S., Home)

Gore 2000 Property           Unique Audience   Time Spent (hr:min:sec)

Week ending October 22           232,000              0:10:21
Week ending October 15           188,000              0:06:35
Week ending October 8            179,000              0:15:27
Week ending October 1              (a)                  (a)

Bush for President Property  Unique Audience   Time Spent (hr:min:sec)

Week ending October 22           285,000              0:07:13
Week ending October 15           225,000              0:11:36
Week ending October 8            207,000              0:08:08
Week ending October 1            164,000              0:05:44

(a) Falls below Nielsen//NetRatings' normal reporting levels of
approximately 100,000 unique visitors.

Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, October 2000

About Nielsen//NetRatings

Nielsen//NetRatings, the audience measurement service from Nielsen Media Research and NetRatings, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTRT), collects real-time data from more than 70,000 panel members in the United States. The U.S. panel sample consists of 62,000 at-home users and 8,000 at-work users. These panels collectively represent the largest representative media research sample of Internet users in the industry. Worldwide, Nielsen//NetRatings services are provided via a partnership with ACNielsen eRatings.com, a venture between ACNielsen (NYSE: ART) and NetRatings, Inc. and measure the Internet experiences of more than 200,000 Internet users.

Nielsen//NetRatings services use unique technology capable of measuring both Internet use and advertising to provide the most timely, accurate and comprehensive Internet usage data and advertising information in the global marketplace. Nielsen//NetRatings services leverage proprietary data-collection technology from NetRatings, Nielsen Media Research's 50 years of expertise in research and audience measurement, and ACNielsen's international leadership in supplying market research information covering more than 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.nielsen-netratings.com.

Editor's Note: Please source all data to Nielsen//NetRatings.