AccuWeather Launches AccuWeather.com Desktop™

Advertising and branding opportunities abound on free downloadable "personal weather center"

(State College, PA, November 20, 2002) - AccuWeather, the world's leading commercial weather company, announced the release of AccuWeather.com Desktop™. Available free at www.accuweather.com, AccuWeather.com Desktop offers to website owners a means to grow brand recognition, advertising revenue, and site traffic via a new, user-downloadable computer application that gives PC users continuous weather on their computer desktops.

AccuWeather.com Desktop is an attractive advertising vehicle because it offers the weather information viewers want for any one of the 43,000 U.S. ZIP codes. It regularly updates the most accurate, timely local weather conditions, which include the exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature™ and UV index. Users also receive emailed notices of government-issued severe weather watches, warnings and advisories for the ZIP code they select. Additionally, the application shows users a localized Doppler radar view for tracking storms and other weather events.

"AccuWeather Desktop gives websites the opportunity to offer an appealing, new free tool that will draw both site traffic and advertisers," says AccuWeather, Inc. founder and president Dr. Joel N. Myers. "We are creating a personal weather center on the PC that will allow consumers to have the most convenient and compelling Internet weather tool on the market."

AccuWeather.com Desktop offers both co-branding and banner advertising opportunities for websites.

To build their own brand visibility, co-branding partners will have their company logo and links to their website displayed in a prominent position at the top of the AccuWeather.com Desktop screen. AccuWeather.com will support co-branding partners with website advertising and links from the AccuWeather.com website (www.accuweather.com) to the partner's site. In addition, co-branders will be able to sell banner advertising space on AccuWeather Desktop to their own marketing partners. To download the application, users must register at the co-brander's website.

"Co-branders will be able to collect pertinent qualitative information during the registration process that can prove very valuable," says Dr. Myers. "Research has shown AccuWeather.com customers to be comprised largely of upscale professionals who value weather information and weather-related products and who turn to the Internet as an immediate shopping resource."

AccuWeather.com Desktop excels as an advertising and branding vehicle because it is designed to encourage frequent viewing. The program's icon, which resides permanently on the desktop, will reflect changing temperatures throughout the day and can be fully opened and maximized with just a click of a mouse. Users can view continuous weather reports, including a partner's logo or advertising messages, in the corner of their monitor screens.

AccuWeather.com Desktop program runs on Microsoft® Windows®, the most popular operating environment, which is used in most workplaces and homes. AccuWeather.com Desktop also features direct links to AccuWeather.com, giving users immediate, free access to 15-day and hour-by-hour forecasts, streaming video and audio weather, up-to-the-minute radar and satellite views, and the entire suite of the broadest, deepest, most accurate weather forecasts, data, and graphics available on the web.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect to advertisers is that once AccuWeather.com Desktop is downloaded, it remains a constant presence on the users' desktop, allowing them to see ads frequently during the day, no matter what type of computer application they are using.

"AccuWeather.com Desktop is a convenient way to get up-to-the-minute, comprehensive weather information, and we're launching it just in time for the winter season when weather is on everyone's mind," says Myers. "It's designed for frequent use throughout the day, which is helpful to advertisers who rely on repeat viewings to help customers retain and act on their message. It's also a way for our co-brand partners to have a permanent, everyday link to their website audience."

AccuWeather.com will promote AccuWeather.com Desktop through advertising buys and email blasts to its database of users. Companies interested in advertising or co-branding opportunities should call 814-235-8600 or email sales@accuwx.com.

About AccuWeather and AccuWeather.com

AccuWeather.com, The World's Weather Authority®, provides a portfolio of products and services through the airwaves, via the Internet, in print, and behind the scenes that benefit hundreds of millions of people worldwide. AccuWeather.com services more than 130,000 paying customers in media, business, government and institutions, and millions more through the website. AccuWeather.com also provides content onto more than 1200 Internet sites including CNN Interactiv, ABC's owned and operated stations, The Associated Press©, The Washington Post and The New York Times.

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