Youth Media & Marketing Networks, Y2M, Announces One Million Subscribers Now Registered with College Publisher, the Leading Network of Online College Newspapers

Business Wire, March 18, 2004

Business Editors/Education Writers

College Media Advisors National Convention

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2004

Youth Media and Marketing Networks:

In addition to this key milestone, Y2M welcomes three new partners to its College Publisher Network: The Daily Trojan at the University of Southern California, The Arkansas Traveler at the University of Arkansas, and The News Record at the University of Cincinnati.

Youth Media and Marketing Networks (Y2M), a leading media and marketing services company serving the rapidly growing educated youth market, today announced that its College Publisher subsidiary has registered one million subscribers on its network of over 250 online college newspapers.

College Publisher registered subscribers are composed of readers of online college newspapers nationwide. The significant growth in registered subscribers is due to the growing size of the College Publisher Network, together with popular services such as personalized email editions of the newspaper. The network includes six of the top ten largest universities in the nation and fine daily newspapers such as The Ohio State University (www.thelantern.com), Syracuse University (www.dailyorange.com), The University of Texas (www.dailytexanonline.com),Texas A&M (www.thebatt.com) and Notre Dame University (www.ndsmcobserver.com).

Highlighting the significance of this one million subscriber milestone is the fact that many college newspaper publications have a far higher number of subscribers to their online editions than the circulation of their print edition. For instance, in the case of the University of Iowa's newspaper The Daily Iowan (www.dailyiowan.com), its subscriber database in just one year has more than tripled from a daily print circulation of 20,500 to more than 70,000 when its print and online subscribers are combined. As a result, campus newspapers are identifying online readers as the fastest growing segment of readership for their publications.

Bill Casey, the Publisher and College Media Advisor of The Daily Iowan, said that "we have a model that is working well for both our readers and advertisers." The fact that so many students, faculty and alumni have subscribed to the Daily Iowan proves that college newspapers are the leading source of relevant and compelling news.

By subscribing to a campus newspaper's electronic edition, readers can enjoy campus news in a format similar to The New York Times web or email editions. In fact, College Publisher's advanced publishing system enables over 3,000 student journalists and editors to reliably distribute their campus news in multiple media formats including websites and personalized email editions containing campus calendars, weather and headline news.

"During a time when Generation Y newspaper readership is supposedly on the decline, this marks a significant milestone in the digital media market," said John Fees, CEO and Co-Founder of Y2M. "College Publisher's one millionth subscriber proves there is a strong and growing audience for online community-based news publications and clearly demonstrates to advertisers that college newspapers remain a vital part of any media plan seeking to reach the highly valued collegiate market."

Y2M is also pleased to welcome three new college newspaper partners from some of the nation's top universities including: University of Southern California's The Daily Trojan, The University of Cincinnati's The News Record and The University of Arkansas' The Arkansas Traveler. These publications have partnered with College Publisher because they value the importance of distributing their campus news to their readers in multiple media formats while also recognizing the potential of growing their readership both on and off campus.

"Joining the College Publisher network is an exciting venture that offers the technological advances The Daily Trojan readership and staff deserve," said Mona Cravens, Director of Student Publications at the University of Southern California.

Y2M offers access to these 1 million subscribers as part of a comprehensive and integrated solution for clients seeking to reach the college market. During a time of changing media habits College Publisher has created a new media solution for both readers and advertisers.

Youth Media & Marketing Networks (Y2M) Founded in 1999, Youth Media & Marketing Networks (Y2M) is a media and marketing company serving the rapidly growing educated youth market. Y2M owns and operates College Publisher Inc., the nation's largest online network of college newspapers serving 250 campuses and over ten million university students and alumni. Y2M's subsidiary, eGrad Inc., also provides a wide range of services for graduating college students and recent alumni. Y2M delivers strategic marketing initiatives and full service media programs to many leading brands including Ford Motor Company, Earthlink, Monster, Samsung Electronics NA, Google, Educational Lending Group and Deutsch Bank. For more information, please telephone 617-399-8000 or visit www.y2m.com.