The Nielsen Company bv, a leading global information and media company, today announced its financial results for the full year ending December 31, 2006.
Pro forma* unaudited revenues for the full year 2006 were $4,174 million, an increase of 5% in constant currency** over the prior year, excluding a $90 million decrease in revenues associated with the preliminary purchase price allocation (the “deferred revenue adjustment”). Reported revenues for the Predecessor period (January 1, 2006 through May 23, 2006) were $1,626 million and for the Successor period (May 24, 2006 through December 31, 2006) were $2,548 million, an overall increase of 3% versus the prior year (including the effects of the deferred revenue adjustment).

Pro forma* unaudited operating income was $212 million for the full year 2006 compared to $373 million in 2005. The 2006 pro forma results were negatively impacted by a number of acquisition related items including the $90 million deferred revenue adjustment, $75 million in restructuring expenses, $98 million in increased amortization expense and $53 million in costs associated with recruiting and other acquisition related compensation. Operating income for 2005 was impacted by $91 million in litigation settlement costs and failed acquisition costs. Reported operating income for the Predecessor period and Successor period was $57 million and $109 million, respectively.

Covenant earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and other adjustments permitted under our senior credit facility (“Covenant EBITDA”) was $1,097 million for the full year 2006. Covenant EBITDA is a non – GAAP measure. Refer to page 4 for a reconciliation of loss from continuing operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2006, (combined operations from January 1, 2006 to May 23, 2006 for the Predecessor period and May 24, 2006 to December 31, 2006 for the Successor period) to Covenant EBITDA.

We expect to provide our mock 10-K, which will contain our Management’s Discussion and Analysis, on or before May 2, 2007 to the lenders under our credit facility and our bond holders.

Finances
As of December 31, 2006, total debt was $8 billion, and cash balances were $631 million. Capital expenditures were $238 million in 2006 compared with $237 million in 2005.

Conference Call and Webcast
The Nielsen Company will hold an earnings conference call, hosted by The Nielsen Company’s Chief Financial Officer Brian West and Rob Ruijter, Member of the Executive Board at 9:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Monday, April 16, 2007. The call will be audio-webcast live at www.Nielsen.com, and an archive will be available on the website after the call. In addition, the company has posted its financial report at www.Nielsen.com.

Forward-looking Statements
This news release includes information that could constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘should’, ‘could’, ‘shall’ and similar expressions. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results and events could differ materially from what presently is expected. Factors leading thereto may include without limitations general economic conditions, conditions in the markets Nielsen is engaged in, behavior of customers, suppliers and competitors, technological developments, as well as legal and regulatory rules affecting Nielsen’s business. This list of factors is not intended to be exhaustive. We assume no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statement made by us or on our behalf as a result of new information, future events or other factors.