Vehicle Safety, J.Lo's Fragrance and E.T. Are Most Popular Consumer News Worldwide According to Annual Medialink Rankings

Business Wire, Feb 26, 2003

Entertainment Editors/Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 26, 2003

More Than a Decade of Results Show Shift in News Production

Practices, Enduring Viewership Preferences

For the fifth year in a row, vehicle crash testing dominated the list of the 10 video news releases (VNRs) of 2002 that were most watched on local and network television worldwide, it was announced today by Medialink Worldwide Incorporated (Nasdaq: MDLK), a global leader in providing news and media services for professional communicators.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety's (IIHS) series of vehicle crash tests reached more than a half billion viewers in the United States, while second place finisher, the Lancaster's Group launch of Jennifer Lopez's new fragrance, Glow, also reached a half billion viewers with an international distribution. With Universal Pictures' announcement of the re-release of "E.T.- the Extra-Terrestrial-the 20th Anniversary" the top three news stories alone reached a total global audience of more than 1.5 billion viewers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

VNRs and their radio counterpart, audio news releases (ANRs), offer the compelling third-party content that TV and radio newsrooms need, with the production quality broadcast standards require. Medialink, the world's leading source of sponsored video and audio news, has compiled the annual list of VNRs most widely watched by viewers since 1989.

"More than a decade of results from Medialink's Top 10 lists illustrate both the dramatic shift in news production practices and enduring viewership preferences," said Ivan Purdie, Executive Vice President of Global Broadcast Services. "Use of third-party video news is now standard practice in television newsrooms everywhere because they have consistently been found to be reliable sources for content on topics that hold the most audience appeal such as consumer health and safety, entertainment and public policy."

In 2002, of the nearly 1,000 U.S. television stations that aired Medialink-distributed VNRs, more than 200 used VNRs more than 100 times each. For the year, some 44,000 airings of VNRs distributed by the Company were detected on television stations in the top 10 markets alone.

Broadcast usages are confirmed through three electronic tracking systems, including Medialink's exclusive Teletrax, the first truly global electronic video tracking service, and information culled from NewsIQ(sm), the Company's proprietary online television monitoring system.

In addition to the top three, consumer-related news covering space exploration, sports, new digital and automotive products, archeological finds and alcohol abuse topped the charts. The launch of The European Space Agency's Envisat, the world's largest earth observation platform, generated news interest with 285 million in audience, placing it fourth on the Top 10 VNR list.

Closely following in fifth place is the introduction of the new Fevernova football developed by the German company Bayer. In the entertainment arena, Universal appears on the 2002 list for a second time with its premiere of "Red Dragon," ranked No. 6. On the consumer products side are Sony Ericsson's new line of mobile mobile phones, which was seventh, and the introduction of the Ford Fusion automobile at the Geneva Motor Show, No. 8. Rounding out the list are a story on the brother of Jesus where The Discovery Channel released what may be proof that Jesus existed, which was ninth and the release of data by the Porter Novelli and The NIAAA on the effects of drinking on college students, No. 10.

MEDIALINK'S TOP 10 U.S. VIDEO NEWS RELEASES OF 2002

1. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) made the list for the fifth consecutive year earning top placement in 2002 with a series of 5 VNRs: Midsize Cars Crashworthiness, Small SUV Bumper Crash Tests, Small and Midsize Cars Bumper Crash Tests, Small SUV Crashworthiness, and Crashworthiness Evaluation 2002. Produced by the IIHS, these VNRs share important consumer information and updates on the crashworthiness of new vehicles and damage in low speed bumper tests and combined had a total viewership of 545 million.

2. News about the Lancaster Group's launch of Jennifer Lopez's new perfume, Glow, was distributed across the U.S., Europe and Latin America. The fancy celebration at Trump World Tower in New York City along with a fireworks display over the Hudson River captured news interest worldwide, reaching an audience of 534 million

3. The special premiere of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestial-the 20th Anniversary", released by Universal Pictures, captured news viewers around the world with footage of the stellar red carpet event, complete with live orchestra and behind-the-scenes footage of the event preparation. This news package reached 457.4 million viewers via 269 airings in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the U.S.

4. The launch of The European Space Agency's Envisat, the world's largest earth observation platform generated news interest, reaching 285 million viewers in Europe, Latin America and the U.S. Last year, the European Space Agency, STS-100, ranked #8 on the top 10 list with the announcement of its first European astronaut, Umberto Guidoni from Italy, to visit the International Space Station.