London; October 25, 2004 — Telegraph Group Ltd, publisher of the leading UK newspapers The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, The Spectator and The Weekly Telegraph is now receiving over 1,000 monochrome and color classified and display advertisements every month delivered via the Quickcut file validation and delivery service. Telegraph Group was the first national newspaper publisher in the UK to adopt the Quickcut service, which today is used by four of the five UK national newspaper publishers and by over 400 regional newspapers throughout the country. Using Quickcut technology advertisers can source accurate ad specifications online, and validate and deliver the file to one or more publications. Quickcut’s use at Telegraph Group has grown steadily since its implementation in 2000 as an increasing number of advertisers realize the benefits and cost savings that the system provides. Quickcut is also the de facto system used by Telegraph Group’s network of 17 accredited prepress suppliers who validate, proof and submit predominantly color-sensitive, high-value display ads to the newspaper on behalf of advertisers. These suppliers all meet Telegraph Group’s production criteria and all use a combination of Quickcut validation and delivery alongside Colorbus color proofing. “We have a long standing relationship with Quickcut and trust them implicitly on the reliability of file production, validation and delivery,” explains Mark Fletcher, group advertising production manager, Telegraph Group. “Their solution gives our advertisers professional level control but is extremely intuitive and easy to use. Essentially the service gives designers, agencies and corporates the confidence to supply quality classified and display digital ad files directly to us with ease, at a low cost and with the knowledge that they will be accepted without change and print properly. It takes away the need for advertisers to use third party repro houses if they wish, which further reduces production costs and extends their deadlines. “Quickcut is an important link between our advertising customers and our production department,” continues Fletcher. “From the start, the company has listened to our specific needs and provided an excellent added-value service as a result. Using the system our advertising customers can access current ad specifications online at any time to ensure ads are created accurately and then validate those files before transmission to us to ensure that they meet our production requirements. We receive the approved ad along with a job ticket specifying edition and section details, and we have total confidence that the ads received via Quickcut have been prepared exactly to our specifications. They enter our internal production workflow quickly and efficiently, and the printed result is error-free.” In addition to Quickcut, Telegraph Group also receives digital ads direct via ISDN-based ADS and the Group’s own online ad pre-flight/submission system, giving advertisers the flexibility to choose the route they prefer. ADS provides no form of pre-flighting, guidance or accredited proof, while both Quickcut and the Telegraph’s own ad submission methods provide pre-flighting and job ticket functionality. If color is critical then advertisers are advised to use their Quickcut-equipped accredited suppliers who will provide a color proof as part of the service. “Our strategy is to offer the advertising community a choice of submission routes to suit their preferences. Traditional, direct delivery via ISDN is still very popular, although it is the most inefficient route for us. However, with our support, the industry is quickly realizing the benefits of using new-generation services like Quickcut and we are glad to say that use by advertisers is growing steadily with increased benefits for everyone involved.” Future developments include the implementation of an intelligent and interactive tracking system that integrates ad booking directly with ad submission to bring further efficiency improvements.