Press Release

LocalBusiness.com Releases Fourth Quarter '50 To Watch' List In New York City

List Recognizes 1,350 Emerging Small- and Medium-Sized Companies in 27 Markets Nationwide

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- LocalBusiness.com, (www.LocalBusiness.com), the essential business knowledge solution for small- and medium-sized businesses, released today its quarterly ``50 to Watch'' list (formerly ``dbusiness.com 50 to Watch'') of the 50 most newsworthy emerging private and public small-to-medium-cap companies in each of its 27 markets nationwide, including New York City.

Each quarter, LocalBusiness.com unveils its ``50 to Watch'' list that highlights companies that are newsmakers and are poised for change. Some companies have defined new standards, attracted significant venture capital investment, forged influential business models, developed products and services that will change business, while others may make the news in the next quarter for the challenges they face.

``The companies on the LocalBusiness.com ''50 to Watch`` list represent a diverse selection of emerging companies that will be making news over the next three months. Some of these companies possess tremendous growth potential and some face significant challenges in this volatile market,'' said Kurt Greenbaum, Executive Editor of LocalBusiness.com. ``In other words, we can learn as much from companies that are struggling as we can from those that are thriving. Our readers visit LocalBusiness.com not only to use our business tools, but also to receive in-depth coverage on these emerging companies in their market.''

To generate the LocalBusiness.com ``50 to Watch'' list, reporters and editors research the public and private companies in their cities, network in the VC and local business community and analyze the information sent to them by companies who nominate themselves for the list. Innovation, vision, significant venture capital funding, valuable customer contracts and new markets are among the criteria that place companies on the ``50 to Watch'' list.

LocalBusiness.com's Fourth Quarter ``50 to Watch'' list for New York City includes the following companies:

• 24/7Media 4 Kids Entertainment Alloy Online
• AppliedTheory Arbinet-thexchange beenz.com
• beliefnet.com Buyandhold.com Carday
• ClubMom CommunityConnect Concrete Media
• Contentville Fathom.com GiftCertificates.com
• GORP.com iClips Impath
• Inforocket Intralinks.com iTurf
• iVillage iWon LivePerson
• Mail.com Mimeo.com MobileLogic
• MobileQ.com NetCreations PartMiner
• PhoneFree.com Promotions.com Quixi.com
• Rare Medium Group ScreamingMedia SoftWatch Ltd.
• StarMedia Network Take-Two Interactive Software THCG
• The FeedRoom The Knot The Princeton Review
• TheGlobe.com Upoc Vindigo
• VitaminShoppe.com WebClipping.com Wit Soundview Group

How To Be Considered for the LocalBusiness.com ``50 To Watch'' List

Reporters and editors begin to develop each ``50 to Watch'' list early in the preceding quarter by researching information about public and private emerging companies. Overall, they seek companies that have attracted or will be attracting substantial venture capital, possess strong management, that are building new markets or job opportunities and that are poised for a major news announcement.

In addition, a company can nominate itself online to be considered for the LocalBusiness.com ``50 to Watch'' list. To nominate a company that might be worthy of attention in one of the markets, simply visit http://www.LocalBusiness.com/Top50/nominatedb50.htm. The deadline for submissions is 15 business days prior to the end of each quarter. The next LocalBusiness.com ``50 to Watch'' list will be for the first quarter of 2001 and will be released on January 2, 2001.

About LocalBusiness.com

LocalBusiness.com is the leading Internet provider of local business applications, breaking local news and intelligence, tools and research resources for small- and medium-sized businesses in over 28 major markets across the United States. In addition, LocalBusiness.com provides its services and applications under a private-label offering. LocalBusiness.com recently acquired TrueAdvantage, a top B2B online provider of private-label sales leads and RFP (requests for proposals) services. With more than 100 private-label partners accessing sales leads worth over $1.1 billion, TrueAdvantage has built one of the largest private-label of RFP/sales leads networks in the nation. The acquisition of TrueAdvantage, in addition to the 28 local B2B destination sites and other private-label applications, has positioned LocalBusiness.com as the leading business knowledge solution for small- and medium-sized businesses. The company's institutional investors include U.S. Equity Partners, L.P., the private equity fund sponsored by Wasserstein Perella & Co., Inc., TMCT Ventures, a venture capital fund, and Tribune Ventures, the strategic investment unit of Tribune Company. LocalBusiness.com also publishes digitalsouth magazine (digitalsouth.com), the only publication that covers leading-edge technology companies, venture capital and finance from the Mason-Dixon line to the Florida Keys and west to Texas.