Joint initiative with IBM designed to raise awareness and promote collaborative exchange about Web2.0 technologies for business users

Singapore, 10 Dec 2007 - AsiaOne today announced the launch of “AsiaOne Innovation” http://www.asiaone.com/static/innovation/, a portal aimed at encouraging the use of and building skills around Web2.0 technologies.

AsiaOne, Singapore Press Holdings’ free one-stop information portal, hopes to create greater awareness among online communities of the importance of social networking capabilities, especially for businesses that can leverage Web 2.0 to drive greater collaboration with stakeholders to achieve their business goals.

AsiaOne is delivering this latest content offering in partnership with IBM Singapore over an initial three-month timeline. The first of its kind in Singapore, this portal consolidates content around Web 2.0 to give business users an understanding of influential and emerging technologies that appeal to a new generation of online users who are familiar with Web communities such as MySpace and Facebook.

Mr Felix Soh, Head of Digital Media, English and Malay Newspapers, Singapore Press Holdings, said: "AsiaOne is delighted to have the opportunity to work with an IT giant like IBM. Such collaborations allow us to offer our readers new content and perspective. In this case, niche areas such as Web 2.0 is our focus."

Mr Soh added: “Leveraging on SPH´s strength as a leading content provider, readers can find aggregated content about the second generation of web-based communities and hosted services for their workplace and businesses in AsiaOne´s latest offering.”

Mr Chris Tan, Marketing Manager, IBM Singapore, said: "Social computing technologies are poised to change the way businesses are conducted, just like the way the Internet revolutionised businesses a decade ago. This partnership offers an opportunity for individuals and companies to understand and leverage on the potential of social computing for their businesses."

Mr Tan went on to say: "As companies increase their reliance on new Web-based technologies to capitalise on new business opport/unities, industry players are continuously looking at how they can build and manage Web 2.0 resources, including wikis, blogs, user groups and forums.”

Users can expect a series of videos and audio presentations providing insights into social computing to be streamed directly from this portal.

Other interactive features include a forum for users to collaborate and interact. There will also be events such as a series of breakfast meetings, where business leaders will be invited to share their experiences with users of AsiaOne Innovation.

Jointly released by Singapore Press Holdings Limited and IBM Singapore

For more information, please contact:

Ivan Teo
Corporate Communications
IBM Singapore
Tel: (65) 6418 2647
E-mail: teowli@sg.ibm.com

Raymond Teoh
Assistant Vice President
Interactive Business Unit
Singapore Press Holdings
Tel: (65) 6319 1133
E-mail: rayteoh@sph.com.sg

Adrian Cheong
Assistant Manager
Corporate Communications
Singapore Press Holdings
Tel: (65) 6319 2261
E-mail: cheongcy@sgh.com.sg

About AsiaOne
AsiaOne is a free-access, one-stop information mall which serves users´ news, business and lifestyle needs. Within the all-encompassing portal are unique communities where users congregate online for their various interests. Besides accessing news and infotainment from Singapore Press Holdings´ (SPH) suite of newspapers, AsiaOne users can engage in special interest sites which cover finance, motoring, technology, health and various lifestyle topics.

Every month, the AsiaOne homepage and its various microsites enjoy 120 million pageviews from 7 million unique visitors. Online advertising and interactive marketing opportunities at AsiaOne include: banner advertising, mobile advertising, electronic direct mailer, viral marketing gateway, sponsorship and these can be integrated with SPH´s other media platforms.
AsiaOne connects marketers to a desirable demographic that represents the cream of online audiences.

About IBM
For more information on IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com

About Singapore Press Holdings Limited

Newspapers and Magazines
Main board-listed Singapore Press Holdings Ltd (SPH) is the leading media company in Singapore, delivering news and information through print, Internet and broadcasting platforms. In Singapore, it publishes 14 newspapers in four languages. Every day, 2.9 million individuals or 81 percent of people above 15 years old, read one of SPH’s news publications. SPH also publishes over 90 magazine titles in Singapore and the region, covering a broad range of interests from lifestyle to information technology.

Internet and Mobile
Beyond print, the Internet editions of SPH newspapers enjoy over 110 million pageviews with 7 million unique visitors every month. Apart from SPH AsiaOne portal, SPH’s online and new media initiatives include a revolutionary mobile advertising and information service, ZapCode; online marketplace for products, services and employment, ST701; and STOMP (Straits Times Online Mobile Print), a portal that connects, engages and interacts with readers on the Web and via mobile phone messaging.

Broadcasting
SPH has a 20 percent stake in MediaCorp TV Holdings Pte Ltd, which operates free-to-air channels 5, 8, U and TV Mobile, and a 40 percent stake in MediaCorp Press Pte Ltd, which publishes the free newspaper, Today. In the radio business, SPH has a 80 percent stake in SPH UnionWorks Pte Ltd, which operates entertainment stations Radio 100.3 FM in Mandarin and Radio 91.3 FM in English.

Outdoor Advertising
In addition, SPH has ventured into outdoor advertising through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SPH MediaBoxOffice Pte Ltd, Singapore´s largest outdoor motion display advertising network media company, and a 35 percent stake in TOM Outdoor Media Group, a leading outdoor advertising company in China.

Properties
SPH owns and manages Paragon, the prime retail and office complex in the heart of Orchard Road, Singapore’s main shopping belt. SPH’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Times Development Pte Ltd, is also developing a 43-storey upmarket residential condominium, Sky@eleven, at Thomson Road.