Hoover's Authoritative Company Coverage: More Accurate And Timely Than Other Online Sources

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hoover's Online Editors Rapidly Respond To Events related To WorldCom And Other Embattled Companies

AUSTIN, TEXAS - June 27, 2002 - Before the CFO of WorldCom's seat grew cold, he was gone from the Hoover's Online WorldCom record. You can find the very latest WorldCom news just about anywhere on the Web. But if you're looking for fast access to a comprehensive, accurate company overview and the effects of late-breaking developments, Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com), published by Hoover's, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOOV), is the place to be.

News broke on June 25th that WorldCom's CFO was fired, and within minutes Hoover's staff had updated the WorldCom record and those of its two tracking stocks WorldCom Group and MCI Group. Two days later, other company information providers are still citing old information provided by the company itself.

"Our industry experts are covering hundreds of companies and making sure that the latest changes are updated in real time," said Nancy Regent, vice president and managing editor of Hoover's. "We have the capability of updating information ahead of many other information sources because we are tracking companies so closely."

Hoover's proprietary coverage on thousands of private and public companies worldwide is known for being engaging, authoritative, accurate and up to date. Hoover's staff stays on top of breaking company and business executive news on a minute-by-minute basis.

"Our Hoover's Company Capsules and Profiles provide an authoritative, third-party view, in contrast to many other online company information providers who simply communicate what a company says about itself," said Jeffrey R. Tarr, Hoover's chairman and CEO. "Hoover's expert staff not only stays on top of breaking news for large public companies, but also regularly monitors and updates smaller, less visible public and private companies."

Hoover's recently provided real-time updates to hundreds of company records, including Enron, ImClone Systems Inc., Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Adelphia Communications and Andersen.

During Hewlett-Packard's recent acquisition of Compaq, Hoover's staff updated more than 400 company records related to Hewlett-Packard within 30 minutes. Executives' ages and new salaries at Intel Corporation were updated on Hoover's Online before the company's proxy was available via any of the SEC's online services.

About Hoover's, Inc. - The Business Information Authority^tm

Hoover's, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOOV) is a leading provider of business information. Hoover's publishes authoritative information on public and private companies worldwide, and provides industry and market intelligence. This information, along with advanced searching tools, is available through Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com), the company's premier online service that helps sales, marketing, recruiting and business development professionals and senior-level executives get the global intelligence they need to grow their businesses. Hoover's business information is also available through corporate intranets and distribution licensees, as well as via print and CD-ROM products from Hoover's Business Press. Hoover's investors include AOL Time Warner (NYSE: AOL), Media General (NYSE: MEG), and Knowledge Universe. Hoover's is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has offices in New York City and San Francisco.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to future events or results that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding Hoover's proprietary editorial coverage, future services and new products. Among the important factors which could cause actual results of Hoover's to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are the market demand and acceptance of new and enhanced services, the success of new features and tools from Hoover's Online, competition, economic conditions specific to the Internet, as well as general economic and market conditions and other factors described in Hoover's reports and documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its prospectus and recent 10-K and 10-Q filings.

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