The Access Network Expands Portfolio With the College Media Network (CMN)

NEW YORK, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Access Network Company, the leading online city guide content management software platform for premium brands, publishers, and local merchants, and the owner of BlackBook Media, today announced that it will take over operations of College Media Network, which has been acquired by a private investment firm from mtvU, effective immediately.  College Media Network is the provider of the most widely used online content management software platform for college newspapers, encompassing more than 600 websites nationwide and providing daily online content to over 5 million unique college students and alumni each month.

The Access Network's proprietary software platform enables premium brands and publishers to create their own branded city guides – optimized for GPS-enabled smart phones - and the platform provides a channel for local merchants to offer location-aware special offers -- Access Perks(SM) -- to nearby consumers.

"We're thrilled to welcome our more than 600 college partners to the Access Network," said Ari Horowitz, chief executive officer of the Access Network Company.  "We will continue to provide the premier online publishing platform to our collegiate partners while integrating our city guide software platform and launching mobile city guides for college newspaper publishers.  In addition, we will pursue creative initiatives to bring our digital publishing platforms to the next level by increasingly leveraging the college community and providing greater flexibility. Through our ownership and operation of BlackBook Media, we understand the dynamics and sensitivities of creating and managing branded editorial content, and we will incorporate that understanding into the services we provide for the colleges."

Mobile city guides offered by brands and publishers on the Access Network and available in the iTunes store include BlackBook Guides, Guides by Bravo, Corcoran's iPhone real estate app, Elle Shopping Guides, Jersey Shore Guides, Maxim Guides, Out Guides, The Real L Word, and Uptown Guides, among others.

Premier merchants such as Intermix, DKNY, Brooklyn Industries, True Religion, and Calvin Klein Underwear use the Access Network platform to deliver special offers to users of the mobile city guides and connect with them while they are on the go and ready to buy. The mobile technology connects the user with the merchant's venue, either by phone, electronically, or by using the GPS capabilities to literally guide them to the door. The Access Network is a conduit for businesses to capture digital search results, provide a special offer, and drive a purchase at their businesses.

"This Access Perk Program is a great way to try a new and creative approach to reach our Intermix customer because of their expertise in mobile applications. We've seen an increase in traffic and sales from the app. This is a growing opportunity," noted Khajak Keledjian, CEO of Intermix.

About CMN

College Media Network is the provider of the most widely used online content management software platform for college newspapers, encompassing more than 600 websites nationwide and providing daily online content to over 5 million unique college students and alumni each month.

About the Access Network Company:

The Access Network(SM) is the premier online city guide content management software platform for premium brands, publishers, and local merchants. Via our proprietary software platform, we enable premium brands and publishers to create their own branded city guides – optimized for GPS-enabled smart phones - and provide a channel for local merchants to offer location-aware special offers -- Access Perks(SM) -- to nearby consumers. Mobile city guides provided by brands and publishers on the Access Network include BlackBook Guides, Guides by Bravo, Corcoran's iPhone real estate app, Elle Shopping Guides, Jersey Shore Guides, Maxim Guides, Out Guides, The Real L Word, and Uptown Guides, among others. www.theaccessnetwork.com.

About BlackBook Media Corp.:

BlackBook has been the leading insider guide to navigating nightlife, style, and culture for the past 15 years. Our mobile and online city guides – the BlackBook Guides - are the authority on finding the best shops, restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs, spas and more in 60 world-wide cities. We complement the proprietary reviews in our city guides with the sophisticated, irreverent, and visually striking monthly BlackBook magazine and online editorial content covering what the most fashionable people are talking about and wearing while shopping, dining, travel, entertaining, and cocktailing. BlackBook gets those in the know on the inside and delivers the best of pop culture uncorked! Find us at www.BBook.com and the iTunes app store. BlackBook is a member of the Access Network.

SOURCE Access Network