Upside Japan to Begin Reporting From Tokyo in August;Upside Media Inc. and ASCII Corporation...

Business Editors

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 24, 2000

Upside Media, publishers of Upside Magazine, the daily news site UpsideToday, and producers of Upside Events, announced a joint venture today with ASCII Corporation, the oldest and most respected technology-related

Japan is not only the world's largest economy after the U.S., but recent studies show that Japanese are the world's leading online shoppers after Americans. Yet the IT revolution is still in its infancy in Japan. Big blue-chip firms are only now waking up to the powerful changes that the Internet has brought to corporate America, and young Silicon Valley-style companies have only begun to appear. Upside Japan will speak to both groups, providing business leaders young and old with the kind of insightful, reliable reporting on People, Technology, and Capital that has made Upside the acknowledged leader in this field since 1989.

"This partnership greatly expands Upside's global presence, linking the two most important technology markets in the world," said Upside CEO and Executive Editor David Bunnell. "Our combined editorial teams will offer in-depth reporting from within the most influential technology cities in the world - San Francisco and Tokyo."

The venture's Japanese language website, UpsideTodayJapan.com, went live in September, offering daily news on the issues, people and products driving the technology industry. Upside Japan magazine will introduce its first pilot issue before the end of the year, and begin regular monthly distribution early next year. And, Upside Events will produce its first technology conference in Tokyo in September at which time the joint venture will be formally announced.

"Japan's burgeoning venture capitalist market is hungry for qualitative information on the people and issues driving technology," said Upside Group Publisher & President Gini Talmadge. "Upside Japan will not only share the experiences of the American market, it will become a trusted source for Japanese technology executives as it has been for technology leaders in the U.S. since 1989."

ASCII Corporation has been Japan's preeminent publisher of technology content for more than 20 years. Through this joint venture, the company will substantially broaden its business content which will be exclusively provided by Upside.

"This will be the first business technology magazine of its kind in Japan," said Kosei Takahira, Director of New Business Development for ASCII. "There is a great need for Upside's experienced content and expertise and our partnership will enable us to greatly enhance our coverage to become the only single source of business technology news and views in Japan."

About Upside Media

Upside Media is a multi-media company focused on the business of technology since 1989. Known for experienced and often irreverent reporting, Upside provides straightforward commentary on the issues, people, technology, and capital that executives consistently rely on to run their companies and lead their industries. Upside Magazine delves into the technology industry every month providing its controlled executive level readership the inside story on the individuals, investments and inventions shaping the economy. UpsideToday (www.UpsideToday.com) is a dynamic daily news site that keeps pulse on the fast-paced technology industry, providing up to the minute reports on the day's financial news and profiles on the people and technology issues making headlines. Upside Events produces exclusive product launch events, and interactive executive conferences that are regarded as some of the most useful and relevant in the industry.