CNET Networks, Inc. Acquires Silicon.de

Published 16th October 2006

Acquisition Expands Portfolio of Brands in Germany

London, 12.October 2006 – CNET Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNET – www.cnetnetworks.com), a leading global interactive media and marketing group, today announced the acquisition of silicon.de GmbH (www.silicon.de), a leading business-to-business information service for information technology (IT) decision makers. The transaction closed on October 1st, 2006. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Munich, silicon.de offers a broad range of online marketing, research and event services that provide technology and business executives with access to vital information, news and analysis, and integrated marketing programmes.

The acquisition re-unites silicon.de with its sister brand in the UK – silicon.com (www.silicon.com) which was acquired by CNET Networks in 2002.

The website is intended to complement CNET Networks’ other leading European brands – ZDNet (www.zdnet.co.uk, www.zdnet.fr, www.zdnet.de), CNET (www.cnet.co.uk, www.cnet.fr, www.cnet.de), and CNET Direct (www.cnetdirect.com) – which provide information and resources that address the needs of IT professionals, business decision makers, and tech enthusiasts.

The silicon.de management team, which includes Jannis Moutafis, managing director; Martin Meyer-Gossner, sales director; and Stefan Huegel, head of product development and marketing, will remain in their leadership roles at silicon.de and will continue to focus on growing the business.

“Our goal is to create and develop information and services that empower businesses and individuals across multiple European markets, and the addition of silicon.de further underscores our commitment to addressing the needs of both our users and our marketing partners,” said Tom Bureau, managing director of CNET Networks in the UK and vice president of European Network Sales.

“For our marketing partners, the addition of silicon.de further strengthens our ability to help them deliver valuable, targeted marketing solutions that reach the most important and influential audiences across Europe,” added Maryann Phillips, vice president and general manager of CNET Networks Deutschland GmbH.

“I am very excited to be part of CNET Networks and look forward to benefiting from its global network of successful interactive media brands,” said Jannis Moutafis, managing director of silicon.de GmbH. “Through the combined strengths of our brands, we’re well positioned to take advantage of the enormous growth in online marketing investments.”