Aureate Media Signs Distribution Agreements

Software advertising company Aureate Media Corp. signed distribution
deals with McGraw Hill, IDG Books, Software-of-the-Month Club and several
international magazines.

Aureate Media unites software developers and advertisers in a mutually
beneficial exchange that gives users software for free while providing
advertisers with a targeted market.

The new relationships increase — and further target — the audience
advertisers can reach through Aureate’s network, the company said. Financial
arrangements were not disclosed.

Clickthrough rates on advertising embedded within Aureate software are
nearly double that of standard Web advertising, the company said.

“These relationships give us the ability to increase our value to advertisers
while putting more money in our network member’s pockets,” said Ehren Maedge,
president and CEO of Aureate Media.

The software Aureate Media distributes is made available to consumers via
Aureate’s Web site and through e-tailers, off-line retail stores and other
popular Web sites. Aureate Media claims to reach more than 6 million
registered desktops.

@Ventures, the affiliated
venture capital arm of Internet holding company CMGI Inc. recently invested $5 million in
Aureate.