CNET News.com Introduces TrackBack, Linking Blog Commentary to CNET Ne

    Business Editors

    SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 2005--CNET News.com (www.news.com), a CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET) property, today announced that it is the first major media entity to integrate TrackBack link notification capability into its stories, providing readers valuable perspective on the response of the blog community to its reporting and analysis.
    TrackBack is an emerging protocol that allows Web sites to automatically store records of any links which occur between them. For example, for each article produced by CNET News.com, TrackBack automatically creates and posts records of any blogs that link to that article. As a result, readers can easily find the blogs that discuss the story, gaining multi-faceted insight on the issues that interest them. In turn, bloggers using TrackBack gain visibility before the audience of one of the most popular news sources on the Web when they link to a CNET News.com story, and the CNET News.com editorial team gains valuable feedback to their stories and insight on which topics are generating the most buzz, so they can expand their coverage of those topics.
    The TrackBack protocol was introduced by Six Apart, makers of the Movable Type publishing platform and TypePad personal weblogging service, and is free to use. "We're pleased CNET News.com has chosen TrackBack to link blog comments with their news articles," said Ben Trott, Six Apart's co-founder and CTO and creator of the TrackBack protocol. "CNET News.com is a pioneer of high-quality Internet-based journalism with a long history as an early adopter of cutting-edge capabilities that provide users an immersive news-gathering experience. Their adoption of TrackBack will speed the use of this protocol by other media and by bloggers, who now can get exposure before millions of News.com readers for their comments, insights, and opinions on News.com stories."
    CNET News.com began supporting TrackBack links in late November, 2004, and already, several thousand blog links have been recorded and posted on the site. To view blog commentary and links, readers should click on the "TrackBack" button above each News.com story. To learn more, go to http://trackback.news.com.
    "As the first major media company to embrace TrackBack, we are building on our long-standing record of innovation in news delivery," said Jai Singh, editor-in-chief of CNET News.com. "Through TrackBack, we are able to leverage the value of blog content in a way that is extremely relevant and meaningful to our readers."
    CNET News.com is known for its quality journalism and for its innovative development of online news delivery capabilities that enhance the user experience. CNET News.com has won dozens of prestigious journalism awards, including the coveted National Magazine Award and awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. Over the years, CNET News.com has spearheaded several content innovations and forward-thinking developments, underscoring its desire to provide the whole story to its audience, beyond the opinions of its renowned news team. For example, CNET News.com introduced RSS feeds four years ago (http://rss.news.com), way before RSS became a well-known acronym. Last year, the site launched "News.com Extra" (http://www.news.com/extra) through which its expert editors recommend links to quality content related to the hottest stories and topics of the day. For years, CNET News.com has provided the "Talkback" feature, which is today still popular among the many readers who do not publish their own blogs.

    About CNET Networks, Inc.

    CNET Networks, Inc. (www.cnetnetworks.com) is a premier global interactive content company that informs, entertains, and connects large, engaged audiences around topics of high information need or personal passion. The company focuses on three categories -- personal technology, games and entertainment, and business technology - and includes such leading brands as CNET, ZDNet, TechRepublic, MP3.com, GameSpot, CNET Download.com, CNET News.com, Webshots, Computer Shopper magazine, and CNET Channel. With a strong presence in the US, Asia and Europe, CNET Networks has operations in 12 countries.

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CONTACT: CNET Networks, Inc. Martha Papalia, 617-225-3340 Martha.papalia@cnet.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE SOFTWARE NETWORKING INTERNET E-COMMERCE PRODUCT SOURCE: CNET Networks, Inc.

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