Two leaders in the commercial news distribution marketplace, PR Newswire and news aktuell, have combined forces to offer unmatched communications services to German, Austrian and Swiss companies who seek to reach international audiences, and to international companies who wish to reach German, Austrian and Swiss audiences.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO )

Relying on each company's individual expertise, news aktuell, the leading distributor of corporate news within the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), and PR Newswire, the leading distributor of corporate news worldwide, will be able to offer the most advanced, highly specialized news distribution and media targeting services for companies based or doing business in the DACH region, according to David B. Armon, chief operating officer of PR Newswire.

"The DACH region, which is home to many of the world's leading corporations, represents one of the most dynamic and economically significant regions in Europe. For companies conducting business there, the ability to efficiently and simultaneously communicate news locally and globally is essential to growth and prosperity. news aktuell and PR Newswire understand this need and today's alliance provides the answer," said Armon. "By allowing news aktuell and PR Newswire to focus on what each does best, the alliance will enable both companies to offer a superior global communication service to customers in the DACH region, throughout greater Europe, and around the world."

For PR Newswire, the alliance further strengthens the company's position as the global leader in commercial news distribution, media targeting and monitoring services by enabling PR Newswire to leverage news aktuell's leading position in the DACH region. PR Newswire will now be in position to deliver its full suite of services to customers of news aktuell, while offering its own clients expanded access to media contacts throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Further, PR Newswire's members will benefit from having their news releases distributed through the same channel as many other "must-read" stories from leading corporate, government and even law enforcement agencies in the DACH region.

By partnering with PR Newswire, news aktuell immediately gains access to PR Newswire's distribution network reaching millions of media points around the world. In addition, PR Newswire will make news aktuell's clients' news releases available to the more than 74,000 journalists registered for PR Newswire for Journalists, the general public through distribution to more than 3,600 websites and online databases and millions of investment professionals through various financial news databases such as Thomson Financial's First Call Network.

By working with a single global partner instead of multiple providers, news aktuell will be able to offer its clients a consistent level of news distribution and communications services that is unrivaled in its breadth, efficiency and accuracy.

"Through our alliance with PR Newswire, news aktuell customers will benefit from the vast international distribution network, strong media relationships, global customer service, and extensive technology PR Newswire has honed for the past 50 years," said Carl-Eduard Meyer, chief executive officer of news aktuell. "At the same time, PR Newswire clients will benefit from news aktuell's extensive news network, the long-term know-how in press release distribution and its leading role in the German speaking media and public relations industries."

About PR Newswire

Now in its 50th year, PR Newswire provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement, translation and broadcast services on behalf of some 40,000 customers worldwide who seek to reach the news media, the investment community and the general public with their up-to-the-minute, full-text news developments. Established in 1954, PR Newswire has offices in 14 countries and routinely sends its customers' news to outlets in 135 countries and in 30 languages. Utilising the latest in communications technology, PR Newswire content is considered a mainstay among journalists, investors and private individuals. PR Newswire's leading brands include Disclose and Online MEDIAtlas™. PR Newswire is a subsidiary of United Business Media plc of London. For more information, go to http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/ .

About news aktuell

news aktuell was founded in 1989 and has been part of the dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur group since 1994. dpa is one of the leading German news agencies with more than 50 offices in Germany and around the globe. news aktuell has offices in Hamburg, Frankfurt and Berlin. For serving the Swiss market, news aktuell operates a joint venture with the Swiss national news agency SDA with an office in Zurich. The Austrian market is served by APA OTS, the distribution company of the National Austrian news agency APA. news aktuell's product range includes text, photo and audio news release distribution, as well as disclosure wire. For more information please go to http://www.newsaktuell.de/ , http://www.presseportal.de/ , http://www.presseportal.at/ , http://www.presseportal.ch/ .

Contact: Rachel Asche, director, public relations, PR Newswire at

212.282.1929 or 646.295.5401

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840

SOURCE: PR Newswire; news aktuell