Meet me on the corner...

16 June 2006

Cityspace and PARSHIP announce Britain 's first on-street, online dating service

London, 16 June 2006 PARSHIP.co.uk, the UK arm of Europe's largest and most successful psychometric online dating service has teamed up with Cityspace, the UK's leading provider of urban digital networks, to launch the UK's first outdoor online dating service on the Cityspace network of iPlus Points; over 400 interactive information terminals, located in landmark cities and town centres across the UK, offering free-to-use, touch screen services.

To support the launch of the service, PARSHIP's relationships expert and psychiatrist, Dr Victoria Lukats has created mini personality test that gives the iPlus Point user an instant and accurate picture of their personality. Unlike photo-driven dating services, PARSHIP's online dating service uses a unique proprietary psychometric test to determine matches between compatible people. Then, back at their PC's, iPlus Point users will be able to take PARSHIP.co.uk's full free psychometric test, gain fascinating insights into their personality from the resulting psychological profile and, most important of all, get matched with someone who's right for them.

Tony Blin-Stoyle, PARSHIP.co.uk country manager and former managing director of UpMyStreet.com and FT.com, commented: "There are nine million single people in the UK on the look-out for a partner, 5.4 million of which have or do use an online dating service. Over four million people a year use an iPlus Point to access the online environment, of which 47% are aged 16 to 24 and a significant 75% are under the age of 35. With access to this valuable audience, I'm sure it won't be long before we announce our first couple who found love on a street corner, at a bus stop or outside shopping centre."

Nick O'Connor, Director, Interactive Media, Cityspace, added: "The PARSHIP dating service adds a quirky and intriguing attraction for users, complementary to the raft of interactive services we provide on iPlus Points in city hubs across the country. The iPlus Network has been very effective for all our commercial partners and we expect it to generate significant membership traffic for PARSHIP - especially at this time of year when, historically, usage figures climb as people take to the streets for social gatherings.

"iPlus Points attract a majority of young, affluent users through popular services like free email (Freemail), Videomail, job search, BBC News and Sport and journey planning; complementary to PARSHIP target audiences - which we think is a great match in itself!

"PARSHIP is the first of several new commercial partner announcements we plan for this summer."

Originally launched in Germany in 2001, PARSHIP is now Europe's largest online dating service for people who want to form a serious relationship. With over 1.7 million members, PARSHIP is growing faster than any other online dating site and has tripled its membership in the last 12 months.

End.

Notes to editors

For further information, please contact:

PARSHIP
Penny Lukats
Tel: + 44 (0) 207 014 4046
Mob: + 44 (0)7775 992350
Email:

Cityspace PR
Sophia Henri
Tel: +44 (0)20 7313 8428
Mob: +44 (0)7793 555403
Email:
About PARSHIP

PARSHIP.co.uk is the UK's first psychometric online dating service, specifically for people who are serious about forming a lasting relationship. It is the British subsidiary of Europe's largest and most successful serious online dating service, now with over 1.7 million members, who are predominantly affluent, educated men and women between 28 and 55 years old. Since its launch in Germany in 2001, PARSHIP has matched thousands of single people who are serious about forming a long-lasting relationship.

The first step is an 80-question psychometric test, which is free of charge and takes about 20 minutes to complete. The results of the test create a fascinating profile of each member's personality. Using methods based on years of scientific research, this profile is then carefully matched with the profiles of other members whose balance of similar and complementary characteristics marks them out as a potential partner for the new member. Research suggests that people are twice more likely to form a lasting relationship with PARSHIP's help than they are through any other method.

PARSHIP.co.uk operates a 3-tiered pricing system: £29 for 1 month, £59 for 3 months, £99 for 6 months. 75% of people who register with the PARSHIP site go on to complete the psychometric compatibility test. In fact, 2,500 people across Europe complete the test every day.

PARSHIP GmbH, headquartered in Hamburg, is 87%-owned by Holtzbrinck networXs AG, part of the Georg von Holtzbrinck publishing group, one of Germany 's largest publishing companies with financial interests in more than 80 companies including the Macmillan Group. Driven primarily by revenue-share partnerships with leading names in print and online media, including Express Newspapers, Hellomagazine.com, FAZ, Die Zeit and Der Spiegel, as well as Tiscali and T-online, membership of PARSHIP has grown to over 1.6 million since its launch in 2001 and PARSHIP GmbH has expanded to cover UK, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France.
About Cityspace

Cityspace is a UK-based technology company, which has been providing urban digital networks in partnership with local authorities since 1996. It is the market leader in designing and delivering local information and digital services to public spaces through its three divisions; Cityspace Interactive Media, Cityspace Transport and Cityspace Wireless, which each offer pioneering product and service portfolios in their respective markets.

Cityspace Interactive Media's flagship products, iPlus Points, offer free-to-use, compelling content via a touch screen at almost 400 locations across the UK . Useful services include free email (Freemail), BBC News and web search to complement each local authority's digital information services.

In 2004 Cityspace Transport launched a 'world first' digital transport network for Portsmouth City Council, in collaboration with several technology and bus operator partners. Further major projects followed, including the pioneering Kent Fastrack initiative and collaboration with First Group in York City in 2006.

Cityspace Wireless designs and delivers outdoor wireless broadband networks for mobility, fixed infrastructure and resale. Specialising in wide-area 'hotzones' this year the division implemented the UK's largest such hotzone on behalf of Islington Council, stretching along 4km of the borough's main thoroughfare, from Upper Street to Holloway Road.

Cityspace has developed urban digital networks for over 50 UK local authorities and international implementations include Moscow, Sweden and Brussels.

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