CHARLOTTE, BellSouth is beginning distribution of the 2004 edition of The Real Yellow Pages® to the Charlotte, North Carolina area. The cover of this year’s directory includes a photo of the 2003 NFC Champions Carolina Panthers taking the field in Super Bowl XXXVIII. The cover states the «Official Directory» of the Carolina Panthers, while inside The Real Yellow Pages includes a special section on the team and their upcoming season.

«Our partnership with the Carolina Panthers is one that combines the best with the best,» said Bill Ridgway, Regional Manager for BellSouth Advertising & Publishing. «The best of the National Football Conference with the best directory in the Southeast. We are proud to be associated with the Panthers and look forward to continuing our wonderful relationship and the exciting 2004 season.»

The front section of the directory includes the award winning Community Information Pages with a special section devoted to the Panthers. «Real Panthers Solutions», is a section providing a map of stadium seats, editorial on last season’s highlights, the 2004–05 home schedule and information on how to purchase tickets.

«The Panther organization is proud to be featured by BellSouth in such a prestigious manner,» said Mark Richardson, President of the Carolina Panthers. «Every time Charlotte residents and businesses turn to The Real Yellow Pages, we are proud that the Panthers will be front and center.»

The new directory will be distributed to more than 1.4 million residents and businesses in the Charlotte area. Initial delivery will take three to four weeks to complete with an interim distribution throughout the year to new businesses, new residents and those moving within the area.

According to a December 2003 survey conducted by Strategic Metrics Inc. (SMI), 85 percent of all Charlotte residents prefer The Real Yellow Pages to competitors. The survey also found that of 3,900 newcomers to the Charlotte area, 90 percent received copies of The Real Yellow Pages within five business days of their order for service.

The Real Yellow Pages will also distribute a companion directory that has become popular with many Charlotte residents and businesses. The smaller version (approximately 7.5" x 9") has become useful for homes and businesses with more than one phone, as well as for those «on the go» to keep in their briefcases and automobiles. In addition to the standard size and companion directories, The Real Yellow Pages Charlotte edition is available on CD-ROM and on the Internet at www.realpages.com .

RealPages.com® from BellSouth is the Southeast’s leading online yellow pages. RealPages.com boasts over 38 percent share of internet yellow pages usage in the Charlotte market. With over 6 million annual searches for Charlotte businesses, the RealPages.com network, including Yahoo! Yellow Pages and Switchboard.com, is another way BellSouth connects savvy business people in Charlotte to consumers looking to make a purchase. Information is available at www.advertising.realpages.com.