STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan. 22, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Metro International S.A. ("Metro") (Nasdaq:MTROA) (Nasdaq:MTROB), the international newspaper group, today announced that its Warsaw edition, Metropol, has further extended its position as the most read daily newspaper in Poland's capital city. A survey of daily newspaper readership published recently by leading independent research company, Polskie Badanie Czytelnictwo (PBC), reported that Metropol attracted 349,412 daily readers in November. This means that Metro reached 20 percent of all newspaper readers in Warsaw. The second largest daily newspaper had just over 250,000 daily readers.
Furthermore, Metropol achieved a 12.4% share of the daily print advertising market in Warsaw in November 2001, according to information from Agora Monitoring SA, advertising expenditure, which measures gross advertising expenditure levels. Metropol's market share has almost doubled since June 2001 when it stood at 6.9%.
180,000 copies of Metro are distributed each day in the largest train stations in Warsaw, which attract 4.3 million commuters per month, in the city's subway system, which carries approximately 800,000 passengers per day, on buses, on trams, and by hand and from racks in the city centre.
Metro's distribution area is Warsaw and its suburbs, which has a population of 2.5 million people. In 2000, the print advertising market in this area was worth approximately US $50 million.
Pelle Tornberg, President & CEO of Metro International, commented: "Metropol has shown a very strong development since its launch in late 2000. Overall newspaper readership has grown by 15% in Warsaw since we launched Metropol, demonstrating that Metro is attracting new newspaper readers and increasing the size of the market. We have a strong market position and a growing share of Central Europe's largest city-specific advertising market."
Metro is the world's largest free newspaper, publishing and distributing 21 editions in 15 countries in 13 languages: Stockholm (Metro), Prague (Metro), Gothenburg (Metro), Hungary (Metro), the Netherlands (Metro), Helsinki (Metro), Malmo (Metro), Santiago (Publimetro), Philadelphia (Metro), Zurich (Metropol), Toronto (Metro Today), Rome (Metro), Buenos Aires (Publimetro), Milan (Metro), Warsaw (Metropol), Athens (Metrorama), Montreal (Metro), Barcelona (Metro Directo), Boston (Metro), Madrid (Metro Directo) and Copenhagen (MetroXpress).
Metro International S.A. 'A' and 'B' shares are listed on the NASDAQ National Market and on the Stockholmsborsen O-List under the symbols MTROA and MTROB.
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