Press Release

BRITANNICA BOLSTERS MULTIMEDIA REFERENCE SUITE
Helpdesk resources, new daily features, better performance
strengthens 2006 Ultimate Reference Suite.

LONDON, August 19, 2005

Support for struggling students and daily reports ranging from Meerkats to the Ming Dynasty top the list of new features in the Encyclopaedia Britannica's Ultimate Reference Suite 2006 DVD-ROM, the multimedia reference library for information seekers of all ages.

The latest version of Britannica's multimedia software, which leads the way in depth and range of coverage with over 100,000 articles, includes Homework Helpdesk, a collection of special tools aimed at helping stressed out students complete work at home.

Key features include guides to preparing perfect essays, projects and presentations, plus practical games and activities, which help users of all ages learn a wide range of subjects. And if you're stuck for world statistics, Homework Helpdesk also offers access to the important information on countries such as population, capital cities, climate and Gross Domestic Product.

Also new is This Day In History, a collection of features on history, people and animals that are updated daily, making it easy and enjoyable for everyone from young children to adults to learn something new every day. The interface has been redesigned for easier use, and the product's overall performance has been improved.

Other features include:

• Britannica BrainStormer™ This popular visual browser, based on Britannica's unique classification system, provides an exhilarating ride though the encyclopedia, making research easier and more fun. BrainStormer's performance has been enhanced this year, and users can now access it through keyword search.
• 166,000 online links to magazine articles and high-quality Web sites.
• Merriam-Webster's Dictionary & Thesaurus.
• Rich multimedia: thousands of images, audio and video clips that bring subjects to life.

“The Ultimate Reference Suite continues to be the reference product for everyone, from primary school to university and beyond,”, said Christine Hodgson, Direct Marketing Manager of Encyclopaedia Britannica, “This year, with it's improved student offering and daily features, it's more useful than ever.”

The 2006 edition, which hits stores this month, is suitable for both Windows and Macintosh computers. Customers get free downloadable updates for a year and a 90-day free subscription to Britannica's online premium service (www.britannica.com), with links to popular magazines and valuable Web sites.

Britannica's Ultimate Reference Suite DVD-ROM, which will be on sale from 19th August 2005, carries a suggested retail price of £59.99 The Britannica 2006 Deluxe Edition CD-ROM SRP £39.99 and Britannica Children's Encyclopedia CD-ROM SRP £19.99 will also be available in all good software retail stores and direct from Britannica. Customers can call 0845 075 7000 or go to www.britannica.co.uk

# # #

Contact:

Vicki Harding or Fran Matthews Band & Brown Communications +44 (0)207 419 6954 / +44 (0)207 419 8629 or +44 (0)207 419 8613 vicki.harding@bbpr.com fran@bbpr.com