NEW YORK, March 18 /PRNewswire/ --

- Haslam will play a defining role in creating LR Asia, driving aggressive, thorough, and entertaining reporting of the telecom sector in Asia/Pacific and its increasing influence on the global communications agenda

Light Reading (www.lightreading.com), the leading research-led media and events company covering the worldwide communications market, announced today that veteran journalist Catherine Haslam will be Site Editor for Light Reading Asia, scheduled to launch in April.

Haslam will play a defining role in the development of Light Reading Asia, which aims to address the needs of communications executives who have a particular interest in developments in Asia/Pacific, as well as the individuals and companies directly involved in the rollout of next-generation fixed and wireless networks and services in the region. The site will deliver timely, informative, accurate, relevant, and occasionally irreverent, news and reports focused on the region's key communications issues.

In addition, analysts from Light Reading's research arm, Heavy Reading, will also write for the new site, while the team at Pyramid Research, the leading market research and analysis company covering developing telecom markets that was acquired by Light Reading in Sept. 2008, will provide cutting-edge, market-specific content. Pyramid's Asia team will write blogs and provide in-depth reports, analysis, and commentary.

Haslam previously was Content Director for the GSM Association, the mobile industry group, where among a number of roles she helped drive content for the Mobile World Congress, the largest international communications tradeshow in the world.

Haslam's years at the GSM Association have given her in-depth insights into the development of 2G and 3G mobile networks in mature markets such as Japan and Korea and growth markets such as China, India, and Indonesia, says Ray Le Maistre, Light Reading's International News Editor.

Previous to her stint at the GSM Association, Haslam held a number of senior editorial roles at British publishing company Nexus Media, where she was Group Editor with responsibility for seven communications magazines, and as Editor of Mobile Europe.

Haslam joins Le Maistre and European Editor Michelle Donegan as a member of Light Reading's international editorial team, which, along with the rest of Light Reading's team of leading journalists, drive the communications industry's news cycle with a strong point of view and a healthy hint of attitude... a winning formula that has made Light Reading by far the largest communications news and analysis Website in the world.

Haslam can be reached at haslam@lightreading.com or +44(0)7711-760745.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3 trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light Reading's research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20 targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit @ CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005 and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (http://techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events, Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Wall Street Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services including next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly connections

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetisation of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com

Contact: Amy Averbook Director of Corporate Marketing Light Reading averbook@lightreading.com +1-212-925-0020 x112

Amy Averbook, Director of Corporate Marketing, Light Reading, +1-212-925-0020 x112, averbook@lightreading.com