THIS THREAD IS THE INTERNET VERSION OF TALKING TO MYSELF!!! -----------------------------------------------------------
   Transmedia Asia Pacific, Inc. and Transmedia Europe, Inc. Announce  Launch of Internet Shopping Program PR Newswire - November 24, 1998 08:55
  LONDON, Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Transmedia Asia Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:  MBTA) and Transmedia Europe, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: MBTE) today  announced the launch of their Countdown Arcade Internet shopping site. 
  Countdown Plc, Transmedia Asia and Europe's jointly owned international  discount shopping card business, launched the Countdown Arcade its new  transactional web site. The Countdown Arcade is a full online  "international" shopping site, offering discounts on a broad array of  merchandise and services. The Countdown Arcade will draw upon existing  relationships between Countdown's 100,000 merchants in 47 countries. The  good news is that the Countdown Arcade is available to everyone, not  just Countdown's existing 7 million members worldwide. Today the site  offers the ability to purchase online a range of consumer products from  UK suppliers. New products and services will be added continuously,  including travel, financial services, and hotel accommodations. In  addition, members will have the ability to search for merchandise on a  country by country basis, linking the Countdown database of  participating merchants internationally, to provide goods and services  on a local basis. "Taking the Countdown shopping program to the Internet  is the most significant development in Transmedia Asia and Europe's  history to date. The Countdown Arcade will become a truly international  transactional web site offering products and services throughout the  world. It will enable us to improve operating returns from our  substantial international membership base as well as to attract new  customers," commented Ed Guinan, Chairman of both companies. The  Countdown Arcade is available to both Countdown members and non-members.  Non-members can take advantage of the savings offered if they become a  Countdown member, which they can do easily online. The site can be found  at countdownarcade.com This move into E-Commerce will provide  new revenue streams for both Transmedia Asia and Europe, producing  transaction commissions on products sold and advertising revenues from  corporate sponsors. 
  Transmedia Asia Pacific, Inc. and Transmedia Europe, Inc. are leading  international providers of a broad range of member benefit programs  including dining, shopping, travel and leisure and a wide range of  telephone helpline services covering legal, tax, accounting and medical  triage. The two companies are currently progressing a merger of their  businesses which they expect to complete early in 1999. The merger is  subject to formal approval of both boards of directors, fairness  opinions by independent investment advisors to each company and the  approval of the shareholders of both companies. 
  Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the  "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act  1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements  involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation the  approvals referred to above, continued acceptance of the companies'  products, increased levels of competition for the companies' existing  and new products, technological changes, the companies' dependence upon  third party suppliers, intellectual property rights and other risks  detailed from time to time in the companies' periodic reports filed with  the Securities and Exchange Commission. 
  SOURCE Transmedia Asia Pacific, Inc. and Transmedia Europe, Inc. 
  /CONTACT: Ed Guinan or Paul Harrison, +44-171-930-0706, both of  Transmedia/ 
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