NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2005 - BuzzMetrics, a market leader in online word-of-mouth research, and Trendum, an innovator in Internet search and linguistic analysis technologies, today announced that Trendum has acquired BuzzMetrics to create the global standard to measure and analyze consumer buzz.

The company will do business as BuzzMetrics and have the strategic backing of VNU, owner of such renowned research brands as ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research. VNU is a minority shareholder in the new company. The new BuzzMetrics will build on Trendum's advanced technology, while leveraging VNU's global sales, marketing and research capabilities.

With the rapid rise of consumer content and social media - prevalent with blogs, message boards, social networks, product feedback sites and other forms - BuzzMetrics will introduce even more sophisticated research services to help smart marketers understand and act on the consumer buzz impacting their brands. The new company's growing client roster today includes more than 75 Fortune 1000 corporations and esteemed brands across virtually every industry, as well as partnerships with numerous agencies in advertising, marketing, media and research.

"We're excited to bring together Trendum and BuzzMetrics, two of the world's most innovative research firms, and to have the strategic support of VNU," said Itzhak Fisher, Chairman of Trendum, who will assume the same role with the new BuzzMetrics. "This is a positive development that will benefit clients and advance an important, burgeoning industry."

"With this union, the new BuzzMetrics has become an even more exciting and powerful research brand," said Jonathan Carson, President and Chief Executive Officer, BuzzMetrics. "The company will draw upon the assets of an extraordinary triumvirate, including BuzzMetrics' market leadership and client services, Trendum’s revolutionary media mining technologies, and VNU's strategic backing."

BuzzMetrics will immediately build on its existing leadership positions:

• The most comprehensive product suite, including custom and syndicated word-of-mouth research and planning services, built on pioneering technologies and industry-sanctioned methodologies.
• An advanced research-and-development lab, founded by Trendum in Israel, to continue rapid technological innovation in Internet search and linguistic analysis.
• More than 50 fulltime employees, including senior market researchers and business strategists; award-winning computer scientists and engineers; and veteran client-service and sales professionals.
• Extensive synergies and backing from VNU and its Nielsen brands, including resources in product development and research, sales and marketing, and financial and corporate development. VNU has over 38,000 employees in more than 100 countries; its total 2004 revenues were approximately EUR 3.3 billion.

New Management Team
In addition to Jonathan Carson, the senior management of BuzzMetrics includes: Rich Nelson, Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and General Counsel (formerly President, Trendum USA); Ori Levy, President of BuzzMetrics Israel, the company's primary research-and-development lab (Trendum co-founder, and former President, Trendum Israel); Braxton Robbason, Chief Technology Officer (formerly CTO, BuzzMetrics); and Jonathan Schler, Vice President, Research and Development.

Press Contact: Sandra Parrelli; Sandra.Parrelli@nielsen.com; 646-654-7772

Sales Inquiries: sales@buzzmetrics.com; 1.877.999.7335

About Nielsen Online:

Nielsen Online, a service of The Nielsen Company, delivers comprehensive, independent measurement and analysis of online audiences, advertising, video, consumer-generated media, word of mouth, commerce and consumer behavior, and includes products previously marketed under the Nielsen//NetRatings and Nielsen BuzzMetrics brands. With high quality, technology-driven products and services, Nielsen Online enables clients to make informed business decisions regarding their Internet, digital and marketing strategies. For more information, please visit www.nielsen-online.com.

About The Nielsen Company:

The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing information (ACNielsen), media information (Nielsen Media Research), online intelligence (NetRatings and BuzzMetrics), trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in Haarlem, the Netherlands, and New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.