Good morning to you all. The Globe & Mail is considered Canada's leading national newspaper and is especially regarded as having the nation's best Business reporting. The Toronto Star is equally regarded for it's market penetration in the specific Toronto market. For your convenience, we have broken down excerpts from each newspaper.
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Recently, G&M ran a front page, two page, story entitled "Builders of the Electronic Mall". The article focused on Canada's established and emerging high-tech firms that specialize in Internet commerce. After a host of introductory material regarding the future of e-commerce, the article goes on to state:
"Nevertheless, a small group of Canadian companies has emerged as leading players in the electronic commerce race. The most prominent players are
Mpact Immedia, Entrust and Certicom corp....Among the most promising Canadian mini-companies waiting in line for their opening are Valu-net Corp., Media Synergy and Channelware Inc."
The fact that Valu-net is placed amongst the elite in Canadian e-commerce by the Globe & Mail, is substantial third party verification of VNE efforts and it's prospects.
The article goes on to state:
"Valu-net is positioning itself as a middleman that brings consumers to Web sites and Web sites to consumers. It's efforts are centered around a service called Web This Week, which reviews different sites. Valu-net gives the reviews for free to Internet service providers, who like it because it offers their customers value-added information.
With respect to Valu-net's exclusive personalized portals, the article goes on to say:
"The company's corporate clients can target the most likely customers rather than wasting money and time on a scattergun marketing approach.
With respect to future estimates for e-commerce, the report cites the market will reach $435.1 Billion in the next four years. VNE will have a chance to cut it's share of that pie because it already does business in North America, Australia and Asia.
THE TORONTO STAR
The Toronto Star article concentrated specifically on the difficulties of navigating around the Internet. In an effort to bring organization to the Internet, the company mentions only 3 Canadian portals.
Yahoo.ca;
sympatico.ca; and
webthisweek.com
However, the article only discusses Web This Week at any length, while mentioning the other two portals in passing. With respect to Web This Week, the article writes as follows:
"Web This Week (www.webthisweek.com) is a business-friendly portal designed to help companies attract your wandering Internet attention and tempt you to reach for your wallet."
"The revenue stream flows from a host of services that Valu-net sells to advertisers such as banner ads (approx. $40/1000 views), customized on-line surveys (up to $1,000) and permanent links to company web sites ($2,000 per month). Then there is the direct marketing. If you choose to register with Valu-net on the site, you fill out an electronic form with your e-mail address, marital status, income, hobbies, investment habits and other data."
"The ability to collect personal profiles is perfect for direct marketing when corporate clients come calling. For example, say Nike wants to target an offer to 18-30 year old women who play golf.
CONCLUSION
We have covered VNE since October of 1997 because we believed in their management and their products. Third party verification from credible sources such as the Globe & Mail and the Toronto Star serves as strong support for our beliefs and is evidence that VNE is attracting the attention of major market watchers and players.
Regards,
Agora Internet Relations Corp.
DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
AGORA INTERNET RELATIONS CORP. receives a monthly monetary fee from Valu-net Corporation. for the purposes of communicating with Internet shareholders - both current and prospective - to increase awareness of and interest in Valu-net Corporation. AGORA INTERNET RELATIONS CORP activities are aimed purely at keeping their clients' shareholders and prospective shareholders informed about their company. These activities consist of providing investors with previously disclosed factual information concerning the company, comments from company principals, copies of material that has been filed with regulatory authorities, comments prepared by registered brokers or investment dealers and material published in newspapers, magazines or journals.
AGORA INTERNET RELATIONS CORP does not participate in the maintenance of an orderly market in their client's securities, nor is required, or receives an incentive for, the maintenance or achievement of a price or trading volume for their client's securities at a certain level, for a specified period of time or by a certain date. AGORA INTERNET RELATIONS CORP. may, at any time, own shares in the company. |
