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Prima To Publish

Electronic Arts'

Strategy Guides

Exclusive Agreement

ROCKLIN, CA/ 9/26/97-- Prima Entertainment has signed an exclusive multiyear agreement with Electronic Arts(TM) (EA) to produce the official strategy guides for all titles released under six EA brands.

Prima is a division of Prima Publishing, the world's leading publisher of strategy guides for computer and console video games. Electronic Arts, a leading independent interactive entertainment software company, includes: EA SPORTS(TM), Jane's(R) Combat Simulations, ORIGIN Systems(TM), Bullfrog(TM) Productions, and Maxis(TM).

Beginning this fall, Prima will create strategy guides for many of Electronic Arts' new games including Ultima(TM) Online, Sid Meier's Gettysburg!, Longbow 2, and Wing Commander(TM): Prophecy. In addition to writing and producing the new EA strategy guides, Prima also will act as the retail distributor.

The agreement expands Prima's already-successful relationship with EA. Prima writers have produced a number of successful guides for EA's Privateer(TM) II, 688(I) Hunter/Killer(TM), and Dungeon Keeper(TM).

Ben Dominitz, Prima's founder and president said, "We are enormously complimented by EA's confidence in our publishing business." Dominitz added, "The relationship has been both dynamic and effective, and has allowed each company to focus on what it does best, Prima on publishing strategy guides, and EA on publishing interactive entertainment software."

"EA looks forward to working with Prima to create the best strategy guides in the industry. Combining EA's award-winning interactive entertainment with Prima's publishing and distribution skills, will give gamers a great opportunity to get the most out of our games," said Ted Judson, Director of Republishing at Electronic Arts.

Prima Entertainment (http://www.primagames.com) is the world's largest publisher of strategy guides for computer and console video games, with more than 350 published guides and over 10 million strategy guides in print. The company continues to dominate the field it created in 1990 with its Secrets of the Games imprint and enjoys a dominant position on all the best seller lists. Founded in 1984, Prima Publishing has three divisions: Entertainment, Lifestyles, and Computer Products.

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), headquartered in San Mateo, California, is a leading entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenues of $625 million for fiscal 1997. The company develops, publishes and distributes software worldwide for personal computers and advanced entertainment systems. EA has international subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and North American development operations in San Mateo, Calif.; Walnut Creek, Calif.; Baltimore, Maryland; Austin, Texas; Seattle, Washington; and Vancouver, British Columbia. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://www.ea.com.

Electronic Arts, EA SPORTS, ORIGIN Systems, Bullfrog Productions, Dungeon Keeper, 688(I) Hunter/Killer, Privateer, Ultima, Sid Meier's Gettysburg!. and Wing Commander are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts or its wholly owned subsidiaries. Jane's is a registered trademark of Jane's Information Group Ltd. All other trademarks are property of their respective

owners.

HarperCollins

Joins New Marketing

Unit At News Corp

In Reorganization

NEW YORK, NY 9/24/97--News Corp. has combined its successful magazine division and wobbly book publishing arm, HarperCollins, to create a strong new marketing division called News America Marketing.

The reorganized division will be headed by Anthea Disney, current chief executive of HarperCollins and a former editor of TV Guide. Paul Carlucci is chairman and CEO.

The division is one of four new units at News Corp, which include: DiMac Marketing Corp., handling direct marketing; News America New Media, handling telemarketing; News America FSI, responsible for free-standing inserts; and ActMedia Inc., overseeing in-store promotions.

Cinar Films'

Public Offering

Nets $97 Million

MONTREAL, CANADA, 9/29/97--CINAR Films Inc. (NASDAQ: CINRF; Toronto, Montreal: CIF.A, CIF.B) has closed its public offering of 3,000,000 Subordinate Voting Shares in the United States and Canada at $33.75 per share.

The company raised net proceeds of $88,170,500, before expenses. An over-allotment option for an additional 450,000 subordinate voting shares generated another $9,618,600.

The funds will be used to expand development, production and distribution of the Company's programming, to provide working capital for Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company, Inc., a provider of supplementary educational products acquired by CINAR in July 1997, and for other general corporate purposes, including selected acquisitions.

CINAR Films Inc. is an integrated entertainment company involved in the development, production, post-production and worldwide distribution of non-violent, quality programming and educational products for children and families.

Golden To Publish

Color Books Based

On Hit TV Series

9/97--Golden Books Family Entertainment (NASDAQ:GBFE) will publish a series of color and activity books based on PorchLight Entertainment's Adventures from The Book of Virtues, the award-winning PBS television series produced in association with KCET-TV/Los Angeles.

The first books in the new series -- Storybooks to Color(TM) and Tell-A-Story Sticker Books(TM) -- will be released in February '98 in conjunction with the premiere of 13 new episodes of Adventures.

The Adventures from the Book of Virtues television series is based on William J. Bennett's "The Book of Virtues," which introduces children and families to classic stories from around the world, including European fairy tales, Greek mythology, and many others. Virtues such as loyalty, respect,friendship, and honesty will be illustrated in the Adventures Golden Books.

Total Sports

Distributor

Enters Publishing

9/97-- Longtime sports book packager Total Sports will enter digital and print publishing this fall with the release of three sports titles. The illustrated works will cover professional baseball, hockey, and college basketball. Andrews McMeel Publishing will be the exclusive distributor of original Total Sports titles under a long-term agreement.

HP Online

Book Club

Targets Youth

9/97--Hewlett-Packard Company has launched an online book club designed to encourage young people ages 8-18 to read and write.

The HP Digital Book Club (www.hp-at-home.com/bookclub), was created partially in response to a national survey which found that 42% of teenagers read only between five and 12 books per year, while almost 78% use the Internet for education and information gathering.

The website includes links to reading and writing sites, literature lists and writing tips from authors Bruce Coville and Jan and Stan Berenstain. The site also features links to classic

books and templates to create bookmarks and bookplates for students' own libraries.

People

On The Move

In Publishing

Short Takes

EXPELLED: The Association of Authors Representatives has expelled Natasha Kern from membership, on a unanimous vote of the AAR Ethics Committee. Kern apparently falsified bids during a supposed "manuscript auction" on May 19 in order to inflate an offer made by EP Dutton, a division of Penguin/Putnam. Dutton withdrew after learning it was the only company bidding.

NY TIMES COLUMN: Martin Arnold, a New York Times Sunday Magazine editor for some 20 years, has been named senior editor of culture, and will write a new weekly column on the publishing business. The column will begin in mid-October as part of the new Arts section.

GOLDEN APPOINTMENT: Margery Cuyler will join Golden Books Children's Publishing Group as Vice President, Director of Trade Publishing. The group is part of Golden Books Family Entertainment (NASDAQ:GBFE). Ms. Cuyler will release a new hardcover picture book line Winter 1999. She will also oversee development of Golden Books non-fiction efforts and a collectibles and gift line.

Ms. Cuyler, who has written 20 children's books, including best-selling That's Good! That's Bad, served as Vice President, Editor-in-Chief at Holiday House, Inc. for 21 years She then became Vice President, Associate Publisher of Books for Young Readers at Henry Holt and Co., until February 1997.

DISNEY TAPS NEW VPS: Bob Miller, former vice president and publisher of Hyperion, has been appointed vice president and group publisher, Disney Book Publishing. He will be responsible for all US book publishing operations at The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS).

Also, Lisa Holton has been named vice president and publisher of Disney Juvenile Book Publishing Group. She joins Disney after serving as vice president and publisher of Hyperion Books for Children

NEW BRASS AT PENGUIN: Maureen Gordon has been named senior vice president and associate publisher of Penguin/Putnam's Young Reader's division. She joins the division after serving as vice president of sales and marketing at Penguin Children's division.

Audrey Cusson, was named vice president and associate publisher of the Young

Reader's division. She formerly served as Putnam Children's division's vice president, associate publisher and director of marketing.

LOVETT HEADS INGRAM: Michael F. Lovett has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Ingram Book Group. Mr. Lovett succeeds Lee Synnott, who will become Vice Chairman of Ingram Book Group. Lovett has been an Ingram executive since 1985. Prior to joining Ingram, Mr. Lovett worked as a Certified Public Accountant and also in the US Air Force.

DOWLING, LAVACCA JOIN AWL: Steven Dowling, formerly head of McGraw-Hill's school unit, has been named head of Addison Wesley Longman's international group. John LaVacca has been named senior vice president of finance and administration. Peter Jovanovich, who also recently left McGraw Hill, is now AWL chief. Both Dowling and LaVacca have followed Jovanovich first to Harcourt, then to M-H and now to AWL.

ABC SHAKEUP: Patricia Vance has been named senior vice president and general manager of ABC's newly revamped website (http://www.abc.com). Vance will oversee the site development and will also continue managing ABC Interactive, the company's multimedia software publishing division.

ABC Entertainment executive vice president Rob Dwek, who joined the company several months ago to head series programming, has resigned after Stu Bloomberg was made division chairman, thus lowering Dwek's rank.

GUCCIONE PASSES AWAY: Kathy Keeton Guccione, president and chief operating officer of General Media International, died September 19 in New York City of complications resulting from breast cancer treatments. She was the wife of Bob Guccione, founder and publisher of Penthouse magazine, and several other popular consumer publications. She is survived by her husband, Bob Guccione, five step-children, and her brother, Keith Keeton and uncle William Keeton both of South Africa, and cousins Darien Keeton, Shannon Wissing and Greer Wood.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Kathy Keeton Cancer Research Foundation, 277 Park Avenue, New York NY 10172-0003. Contact: Jackie Markham, Markham/Novell Communications, (212) 687-1765

CROWN RELEASES CEO: Crown Books (NASDAQ: CRWN) has released Steve Stevens as President and CEO of Crown Books, and has named Mark Flint as acting chief operating officer. Flint had been senior vice president and chief financial officer of Dart Group Corporation, the holding company for Crown. The move was part of a strategic restructuring in which the Dart Group has assumed more day to day responsibilities for Crown, a leading discount bookseller.

Borders Group

Buys UK-Based

Book Retailer

ANN ARBOR, MICH./9/29/97 -- Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) has agreed to purchase Books, etc., a London-based retailer of books and associated products. The chain, founded in 1981, operates 22 stores in the United Kingdom. The transaction is expected to close by October 20.

Books, etc. will be wholly owned by a new Borders Group subsidiary, BGI UK, and Borders Group. The business will be led by the chain's existing management team, headed by its current chairman and CEO Richard Joseph.

Separately, Borders Group management announced the anticipated opening of its first Pacific Rim store in Singapore. The store, offering over 200,000 book and music titles as well as a cafe, is scheduled to open November 1, 1997.

Borders Group, Inc. is the world's second largest retailer of books, music, and other informational, educational, and entertainment products. The Borders Group includes Borders, Inc., over 180 superstores offering what is widely regarded as the broadest books and media assortment in the industry; and, Waldenbooks, the nation's leading mall book retailer, which together operate in over 1,100 locations serving all 50 states. Borders Group stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BGP."

Chapters Steps Up

Superstore Openings

Throughout Canada

CANADA/9/97--Chapters Inc. (TSE; CHP) will open 16 to 17 book superstores throughout Canada during this fiscal yea. The company announced at its first annual shareholders' meeting. that it would continue the rigorous roll-out level every year in the near future, and that it will open a College Book Store Division by year's end.

Canadian-based Chapters Inc. was created in 1995 by the merger of Coles and SmithBooks. It is Canada's largest book competition retailer and the third largest in North America. Chapters currently operates 21 book superstores in Canada, as well as the World's Biggest Book Store and 335 mall-based bookstores , under the names Coles, SmithBooks and The Book Company.

Amazon.com

Adds New

Capabilities

Electronic bookseller Amazon.Com has added new features to increase the benefits of online shopping. The enhancements include a recommendation center; 22 subject-browsing areas; and the use of a proprietary technology, 1-Click(SM) ordering to speed the ordering process.

Amazon.com's recommendation center offers seven ways for readers to choose their next book. Features include personalized book recommendations, based upon customer ratings. Customers can also select favorite authors and receive a list of suggested authors the customer might also enjoy.

Twenty-two subject areas such as Literary Fiction, Romance and Mystery, are further subcategorized by Bestsellers, Award Winners, New in Paperback, and Essential Bookshelf. Each area provides book excerpts, reviews, and recommended reads.

Amazon.com's "1-Click(SM)," proprietary software enables customers to make purchases on the Web with a single click of the mouse, eliminating the need to fill out order information every time they return to the site.

Amazon.com is located at: http://www.amazon.com

Infonautics, Excite,

Infospace Team Up

With Barnes & Noble

BarnesandNoble.com, a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), will become the exclusive bookseller for ELECTRIC LIBRARY(TM), a leading online research and archive service owned by Infonautics, Inc. (NASDAQ: INFO).

Barnes & Noble has also announced similar deals with Infospace Corporation, and Excite.

The new Infonautics arrangement will allow users of Electric Library direct access to the BarnesandNoble.com website. Electric Library is similar to a real-world library. The service contains a vast collection of more than two million searchable documents. In addition, users now may also choose to display a list of books that are relevant to their research topic by simply clicking on the BarnesandNoble.com icon (located on the ELECTRIC LIBRARY site).

Excite, Inc. announced BarnesandNoble.com will be the exclusive bookseller on WebCrawler, one of Excite's flagship brands. In a 2-year distribution, electronic commerce and marketing agreement, BarnesandNoble.com will integrate its content throughout WebCrawler's new topic-based channel environment.

BarnesandNoble.com's content will be incorporated throughout WebCrawler's 15 new channels in October, and will be the centerpiece of WebCrawler's Arts & Books Channel at http:/www.webcrawler.com/Arts/. BarnesandNoble.com's database of authors and book titles will also be integrated with the WebCrawler Shortcuts search capability -- which offers consumers immediate links to relevant book titles from search results pages.

In yet another alliance, BarnesandNoble.com signed an agreement to integrate its content with Infospace Corporation. As part of the BarnesandNoble.com affiliate network, InfoSpace will receive a commission on each book sold for all sales transactions generated through links from the InfoSpace site and network. InfoSpace will also receive revenue from advertising that BarnesandNoble.com will place on the InfoSpace site. InfoSpace can be seen at http://www.infospace.com.

Netscape To Bundle

Software With Top

Books, Magazines

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA/9/29/97-- Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) will bundle CD-ROMs containing an evaluation version of its popular Netscape(R) software inside 23 million books and magazines around the world

As part of its "Netscape Everywhere" initiative, the company aims at bringing Netscape(R) client software to millions of new users in homes and enterprises worldwide.

More than 20 publishers will participate in the global effort, including Editorial Quark do Brasil, IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., International Thomson Publishing, Macmillan Publishing USA and Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.

The new Netscape Everywhere announcement builds on the initiative which already includes more than 100 Internet service providers (ISPs), OEMs and telecommunications companies, who are distributing and bundling Netscape client software with networking products, communications software and Internet services.

Leading publishers in the US, Europe, India, Latin America and Japan who plan to distribute Netscape client software include such companies as: Addison Wesley Longman, ASCII Corporation, Barclays Law Publishers, Betanel Group/Editorial Quark do Brasil, Charles Scribner's Sons Reference, Classroom Connect, Inc., Gakken Co., Ltd., Grupo Televisa Mexico., IDG Books Worldwide, Inc., IDG Dummies Press, Imagine Publishing, Inc., impress corporation, International Thomson Publishing including ITP Asia, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, ITP Nelson (Canada) and Nelson ITP (Australia), Jane's Information Group, Kaplan Education Centers, Macmillan Publishing USA, Mainichi Communications Inc., .Net, Nikkei Business Publications, Inc., Peterson's, SHOEISHA Co., Ltd., SOFTBANK CORP., South-Western College and South-Western Education, S.R. Computer Concepts Private Ltd., SYBEX Inc., Twayne and G.K. Hall Library Reference and ZDNet's ZDUniversity. Netscape software CDs will be bundled with major publications all around the world such as: CD ROM Today (Brazil), INDIA ComputerUser Magazine, PC Computing (Mexico and Spain), PC Multimedia, PC Magazine (Brazil, Denmark, Mexico and Spain), Windows News (France) and Window Magazine (Holland).

"This next phase of the Netscape Everywhere initiative, which includes many leading publishers and industry partners, will put Netscape Navigator on bookshelves and newsstands around the world," said Mike Homer, executive vice president of worldwide sales and marketing at Netscape. "The Netscape Everywhere initiative makes it even easier for millions of users around the globe to access the world's most popular client software -- Netscape Navigator -- which already has an installed base of more than 65 million users."

The Netscape Everywhere initiative for publishers also includes the Netscape 'Take Home' license where users licensed to use Netscape Navigator software at their workplace or school can now simply copy or download the software for home use at no additional cost. Each year, information on Netscape and its products is featured in hundreds of successful books, ranging from how-to-guides to general-interest books on business trends in Silicon Valley. The inclusion of Netscape Navigator with these books and magazines will provide added value to customers. Netscape's publishing program provides publishers and authors worldwide with the support and information they need to make their publications a success.

"By extending our Netscape relationship to include Netscape's latest client software with Macmillan's Library Reference products, we continue to use the Internet as a cost-effective way to build relationships with consumers and add value and immediacy to Macmillan's reference content," said Scott Flanders, president of Macmillan Publishing USA.

"Our agreement with Netscape will enable us to provide our large readership in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru and Bolivia with easy access to Netscape's popular client software," said Elio Somaschini, President of Betanel Group/Editorial Quark. "The combination of our leading technical education publications with Netscape software gives users simultaneous access to the Internet information and software they need."

Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California. Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com , by sending email to moreinfo@netscape.com. Corporate customers can call 415-937-2555, while consumers can call 415-937-3777 for more information.

Netscape, Netscape Navigator, and the Netscape N logo are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other Netscape logos, product names, and service names are also trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation, which may be registered in other countries. Other product and brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.

Harcourt Brace

To Link All Units

By Early '98

Via New Software

Harcourt Brace & Company has selected Sales Vision, Inc. to provide the core technology which will link HB's multiple publishing units by next year.

Sales Vision, Inc., a leading provider of object-based sales automation solutions, will deliver a 100+-user Sales Object Framework(TM) solution to the publisher's textbook division, Harcourt Brace School Publishers.

Two versions of the software are being developed, including a PowerBuilder-based system running on both Windows 95 and Macintosh laptops as well as desktops. The solution will be rolled out in January 1998. Harcourt Brace's Corporate Information Technology group will tailor variations of Framework to approximately 350 additional users, representing several other publishing units within Harcourt Brace.

Bertelsmann

Reports Profits

Up 13% For Year

UNITED KINGDOM, 9/97--UK-based Bertelsmann AG, which owns Bantam, Doubleday, Dell, has reported a 13% increase in profits for the year ended June 30,1997. Bertelsmann's net profit rose to $568 million from $504 million for the previous year.

A sales increase of four percent to $12.5 billion from $12 billion, now ranks Bertelsmann as the world's third-largest entertainment company after Time Warner Inc. and Walt Disney Co. of the United States.

R.R. Donnelley

Declares Dividend

For Quarter

9/97--The Board of Directors of R.R. Donnelley and Sons Company (NYSE:DNY) has declared a quarterly dividend of 20 cents per common share, payable on November 29, 1997, to shareholders of record on November 7, 1997.

R.R. Donnelley and Sons Company, with sales of $6.6 billion, is a world leader in managing, reproducing and distributing print and digital information for the publishing, retailing, merchandising and information- technology markets. It specializes in the production of catalogs, inserts, magazines, books, directories, and financial and computer documentation.

DK Publishing

Reports Increase

In Revenues

9/97--DK Publishing, Inc., has reported a two percent increase in revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997. Income rose to $91.5 million from $89.5 million the previous year. The company, a US subsidiary of the London-based publishing company, Dorling Kindersley Holdings plc, publishes illustrated reference books, CD-ROMs and videos.

Scholastic

Improves

First Quarter

9/97--Scholastic Corporation (NMS: SCHL) reported improved performance for the first quarter of its 1998 fiscal year ended August 31, 1997. Net revenues rose 5% to $166.6 million from $158.6 million.