Bell Atlantic, R.R. Donnelley create Global Directory Services Company

Bell Atlantic, R.R. Donnelley create Global Directory

Services Company

Announce expansion in Greece

September 22, 1997

MIDDLETON, Mass. -- Bell Atlantic Information Services Group, the

world's largest publisher of Yellow Pages shopping directories, and

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company, the world's largest printer,

announced today the formation of Global Directory Services Company,

to publish shopping directories outside the United States.

The new company includes operations in Poland, Gibraltar and the

Czech and Slovak republics, which are scheduled to publish over 7.5

million directories in some 80 editions this year.

In addition, beginning in 1998, Global Directory Services Company

will publish Yellow Pages shopping directories in Greece, beginning

in Athens. The sales campaign for the Athens directory will begin

early next year.

Global Directory Services' partner in Greece is ICAP, the

country's largest financial and business information company. ICAP

is approximately 45 percent owned by Alpha Credit Bank, the largest

private bank in Greece. The International Olympic Committee recently

named Greece, the home of the first Olympics, as the site for the

Summer Olympics in 2004.

"Global Directory Services Company combines the leadership,

expertise and experience of Bell Atlantic and R.R. Donnelley in the

directory industry and in conducting business internationally," said

Ken Marks, President - Global Directory Services. "This opens a new

chapter in the 75-year-long relationship between our companies, as we

combine to promote commerce and economic growth outside the United

States with top quality shopping directories."

"Global Directory Services is important to our customers around the

world and our company," said Steven J. Baumgartner, executive vice

president and sector president - Global Commercial Print for R.R.

Donnelley & Sons Company. "In partnership with Bell Atlantic, we

will put unparalleled expertise to work connecting buyers and

sellers, helping to build directory businesses in high potential and

emerging markets, and expanding our core directory printing business

worldwide."

Global Directory Services expects to apply its expertise in shopping

directory marketing, sales, design and production with international,

regional and local business partners, adapting its owners' success

in the United States to new cultures and markets, as has been

accomplished successfully in Poland, Gibraltar and the Czech and

Slovak republics.

Bell Atlantic, with $29 billion in 1996 revenue and a team of

141,600 people, is at the forefront of the new communications,

information and entertainment industry. With 40 million telephone

access lines and 5.5 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell A

tlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice

and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the

world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic

companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth

global communications markets, with operations and investments in 21

countries. Additional information about Bell Atlantic is available

through the Internet's World Wide Web at www.bellatlantic.com.

R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company (1996 sales: $6.6 billion) is a world

leader in managing, reproducing and distributing print and digital

information for the publishing, retailing, merchandising and

information-technology markets. It specializes in the production of

catalogs, inserts, magazines, books, directories, and financial and

computer documentation. Founded in Chicago in 1864, the company

employs 38,000 people in 26 countries on five continents.

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Global Directory Services Company

Fact Sheet

Locations

- Czech Republic

- Gibraltar

- Greece

- Poland

- Slovak Republic

1997 Directories

- 81 editions

- 7.5 million copies

Customers

- 108,000

Employees

- 1,385

Ownership

Bell Atlantic Information Services Group

R.R. Donnelley & Sons

Board of Directors

Matthew J. Stover, group president - Bell Atlantic Information

Services Group

Steven J. Baumgartner, executive vice president and sector president

- Global

Commercial Print - R.R. Donnelley & Sons

Ken Marks, president - Global Directory Services Company

John Natoli, vice president and general counsel - Bell Atlantic

Information Services Group