Web Marketing Association Names weather.com(R) 'Best General Interest Web Site' in 2004

Web Marketing Association Names weather.com(R) 'Best General Interest Web Site' in 2004 ATLANTA, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- weather.com, the most trusted source of online weather information and the Web site of The Weather Channel(R), has been named the "best general interest Web site" in 2004 by the Web Marketing Association (WMA). The WMA was founded in 1997 to help set a high standard for Internet marketing and site development. weather.com was evaluated by a panel of judges who rated the site on design, innovation, content, technology, interactivity and ease of use. The honor comes as weather.com completes a record-breaking year. In September, the company achieved the highest ranking in its history when its content was ranked the ninth most popular on the Web by Nielsen//NetRatings. Also in September, weather.com set records by serving 846 million pageviews to 29.7 million unique users. The site has become a trusted source for its loyal visitors, especially during times of severe weather when timely and reliable information is crucial. Also in 2004, The Weather Channel Interactive launched a new multi- carrier, mobile messaging product that enables wireless users to access on- demand weather information from mobile phones without having a monthly commitment. As evident by its most recent addition to its suite of mobile products, The Weather Channel Interactive continues to ensure that consumers have access to reports from across all platforms, including Desktop Weather by The Weather Channel, its popular desktop application, and various subscription services. "We are honored by this recognition from the Web Marketing Association," said Tom Flournoy, vice president of product management for weather.com. "Every day we strive to deliver the best weather information to online consumers in a way that is intuitive and relevant. Through the continuous growth of our user base and now this award from WMA we are confident that we successfully provide a large amount of dynamic content in a way that is easy to use and understand." weather.com makes a difference in people's lives by helping them plan ahead. The site delivers exclusive weather reports from a team of experts in addition to relevant lifestyle content for locations around the world. Trusted information from The Weather Channel is also available through the company's popular cable network, which is currently seen in 87 million households; The Weather Channel Radio Network; The Weather Channel Newspaper Services and Weatherscan, a 24-hour, all-local weather network distributed to nearly 8 million households. About Web Marketing Association Now in its eighth year, the WebAward Competition for website development is conducted by the Web Marketing Association, Inc. (WMA), an independent volunteer organization founded with the purpose of evaluating, recognizing and increasing the standard of excellence on the World Wide Web. Its website is located at http://www.webaward.org/ . About The Weather Channel Interactive weather.com, a product of The Weather Channel Interactive and the Web site of The Weather Channel(R), is the ultimate source of weather on the Web. The site helps users plan their lives by delivering timely current conditions, expert forecasts and relevant lifestyle content for 98,000 locations worldwide. weather.com reaches more than 25 million unique users each month and is the most popular source of online weather, news and information. Its content is currently ranked the 10th most popular according to Nielsen//NetRatings. The Weather Channel Interactive is the leading provider of broadband and wireless weather products and also provides consumers with unique and customizable products such as Desktop Weather by The Weather Channel and Notify! by The Weather Channel, a personalized weather alert service. The company's partnerships include America Online, Yahoo!, Excite Networks, MSNBC.com, USAToday.com, AT&T WorldNet, ABCNews.com, Digital City, Road Runner, Verizon Wireless, Cingular, AT&T Wireless, Sprint, Nextel and Palm Computing. Stacy Kirk weather.com 770-226-2611 skirk@weather.com Source: The Weather Channel CONTACT: Stacy Kirk of The Weather Channel, +1-770-226-2611, or skirk@weather.com Web site: http://www.weather.com/ http://www.webaward.org/ ------- Profile: International Entertainment