Leading Contemporary Figures in UOL Argentina's `Biblioteca' Channel; UOL Initiates Interview Cycle With Major Contemporary Figures

    MIAMI--Aug. 22, 2001--UOL Argentina has redesigned its "Biblioteca" channel (http://www.uol.com.ar/noticias/biblioteca) and added new content material, including a cycle of reports on major figures of today.
    The idea is to bring books closer to Internet fans and help achieve the essential purpose of literature, the pleasure of reading, complementing it with the dynamic interaction made possible by the web.
    Audio and video clips of leading personalities, their electronic books, interviews in other media, biographies, bibliographies and photo albums provide the structure for each presentation.
    The cycle begins with Federico Andahazi, one of the most controversial writers of the last few years and the winner of numerous prizes. Andahazi spoke to UOL about his work; his two passions in life: motorcycles and books; and other subjects.
    Pablo Neruda is also present in a special presentation following his life, his personality, his relationship with his wives, his homes and collections, an anthology of his poems, a photo gallery, and his speech when accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature.
    The UOL library also has available a special feature on Marcos Saguinis. The author speaks about his latest book El atroz encanto de ser argentinos [The Awful Charm of Being Argentine] and gives his take on the country's current political and economic situation.

    The following are some of the channel's regular sections:

    Apuntes - Renowned authors are highlighted each month with recent or historical statements. This is complemented with biographical sketches, bibliographies and links to related topics.

    Entrevistas - Leading figures in Argentine and Latin American culture get top billing in this space.

    Especiales - Biographies, notes on cultural activities, related links, speeches and a photo gallery. Special features on intellectuals and prominent figures and on people who have written books -- humorists, script writers, self-help experts, child-rearing authorities.

    News - All about books. Launchings, prizes, events and competitions, among other things.

    UOL International is a business unit of UOL, Inc., the Internet holding company whose major stockholders are the Folha Group (majority stockholder), Abril and Portugal Telecom, and a group of private investors including Morgan Stanley and others.
    UOL, Inc. is the largest provider of on-line and Internet services in Latin America, with 6.1 billion pageviews during the first quarter of 2001 and 14.6 single visitors last May. It has more than one million paid-access users and a market share of more than 80%, according to independent audits.
    It owns four business units: the UOL Brasil (http://www.uol.com.br) and BOL (http://www.bol.com.br) portals and ISPs, which hold first and second place, respectively, in audience rankings, according to Jupiter Media Metrix, IBOPE Nielsen and IVC (the Circulation Verification Institute). The third unit is the ZipNet (http://www.zipnet.com.br) portal and ISP. The fourth, launched in August, 1999, is UOL International, a proven leader in the region Spanish markets through its portals in Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, the U.S. and Mexico.