NEW YORK, NY -- November 15, 2001 -- The Online Publishers Association (OPA) believes that surround sessions, launched today by NYTimes.com with the first three advertisers to take advantage of the offering, represent an important new development in the packaging of online advertising and provide a much more effective way for marketers to reach a continually growing online audience.

Michael Zimbalist, acting executive director of OPA, said: "Moving the industry from impression-based sales to audience-based sales is a step in the right direction for both publishers and advertisers and will help integrate online with traditional media for planning and buying purposes. In addition, turning the 'user session' into a fundamental buying unit brings online measurement closer to the reach and frequency model used in traditional media."

The Online Publishers Association has been working with New York Times Digital to introduce the surround sessions concept to its members so that they are equipped to fulfill session-based buys. In addition, OPA has established a buyers' roundtable, led by OPA advisor Lynn Bolger from FastBridge, a division of Initiative Media, to surface buy-side requirements and ensure that publishers' products are meeting marketers' needs. OPA members are now entertaining RFPs from agencies wishing to buy on a session basis.

New York Times Digital is a founding member of the Online Publishers Association.

About the Online Publishers Association

Founded in June 2001 by twelve of the Internet's leading content brands, the Online Publishers Association (OPA) is an industry trade organization whose mission is to advance the interests of high-quality online publishers before the advertising community, the press, the government and the public. Members of OPA represent the highest standards in Internet publishing with respect to editorial quality and integrity, credibility and accountability. For more information about the Online Publishers Association, visit www.online-publishers.org.

CONTACT:
Lisa Carparelli
Online Publishers Association
(917) 743-4537
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