SAN JOSE, CA and LOS ANGELES, CA - April 2, 2002 - Knight Ridder Digital (KRD), the operator of the Real Cities network of local media Web sites, and Digital Education Technologies Corporation, today announced the signing of a strategic partnership. Knight Ridder Digital will utilize Digital Education's interactive online education solutions and e-learning offerings to introduce a new, co-branded Real Cities Education Channel, featured on KRD owned and operated Real Cities sites and some affiliate Real Cities sites such as the New York Daily News.

Under the agreement, Digital Education is providing Knight Ridder Digital with a variety of educational content, including Digital Education's Interactive Campus, which houses a full library of courses in hundreds of practical subjects for business executives, students and children. The content also includes distance-learning news and career advice.

"Knight Ridder Digital is aggressively developing premium content and delivering it to KRD's Real Cities users across the nation," said Tim Lambert, vice president, sales and marketing for Knight Ridder Digital. "Digital Education's comprehensive course offerings, as well as its easy-to-use and entertaining Interactive Campus program for users of all ages, make the company an ideal strategic partner, and we look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship."

"Online education is a rapidly emerging industry, estimated by the U.S. Department of Education to reach $6.0 billion in 2002," said W. Cole Smith, chief executive officer of Digital Education Technologies Corporation. "As a premier online media organization, Knight Ridder Digital is well positioned to reach a significant national audience and provide consumers with extensive new learning choices. We are delighted to have been selected by Knight Ridder Digital to provide consumers with quality, specialized online education, at a local level, with national distribution."

Knight Ridder Digital is launching KRD's Real Cities Education Channel through online promotional ads and interactive components throughout the KRD network and selected affiliate sites. It plans to supplement the campaign in April and May with targeted promotional ads in selected Knight Ridder markets across the country.. Consumers will be directed to go online to check out the new Education Channel, where they can learn about Digital Education's courses.

A sample of the new Real Cities Education Channel, located within the Real Cities Living Channel on KRD owned and operated Web sites, is available at: http://www.miami.com/mld/miami/living/education/

A sample of the new Real Cities Interactive Campus, hosted by Digital Education, is available at: http://www.412learn.com/catalog/krd-chlt/

About Knight Ridder Digital and Real Cities

Knight Ridder Digital, a leader in local information on the Web, creates innovative online services and comprehensive local content to help consumers make the most of their experiences on the Internet. Knight Ridder Digital develops and manages the Internet properties of Knight Ridder, Inc. (NYSE:KRI), the nation's second-largest newspaper publisher. Knight Ridder Digital is a separate Internet subsidiary and is the founder and operator of Real Cities, a premier national network of city and regional websites nationwide.

Real Cities consists of a unique partnership network that brings together the best local strengths of leading U.S. media and Internet companies including properties of Belo Interactive, E.W. Scripps Co, Knight Ridder Digital, Media General, Gannett Co., Inc., The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The Milwaukee Journal. The network allows media organizations to leverage their strong local content in a national network that brings to consumers news, sports, event happenings and community connections from locally run information sources that are trusted to be the heart and soul of their locale. Among Real Cities' member Web sites are AZCentral.com, BayArea.com, Charlotte.com, Cincinow.com, DFW.com, DallasNews.com, Indy.com, JournalNow.com, KansasCity.com, Kentucky.com, Miami.com, NYDailyNews.com, NWSource.com, NYDailyNews.com, Post-Gazette.com, ProJo.com, TBO.com, TimesDispatch.com and TwinCities.com.

About Digital Education

Los Angeles-based Digital Education Technologies Corporation is a premier technology provider of e-learning tools infrastructure, services and courses for corporate enterprises, consumers, strategic partners and professional communities, utilizing Intranet and Internet-based learning management systems.

The company's flagship products - Retail Interactive Campus, Virtual Training Center and Virtual Testing Center - serve as a virtual warehouse, providing proprietary software and scaleable platforms that offer e-learners thousands of self-paced online education courses, with the ability to add new customized and client-branded courses quickly.

Additional company information is available at www.digitaleusa.com