AUGUSTA, Ga. - Morris Communications has forged a strategic business alliance with Nescrow Technologies Inc., a company that provides an exclusive, electronically integrated purchasing and fulfillment process for the buyers and sellers of merchandise online.

The product, Net Transaction Protocol (NTP™), is a business process designed to counter fraud, create security and streamline consumer-to-consumer, business-to-consumer and business-to-business sales in the Web environment. NTP™ provides for the purchase, pickup, delivery and return of any size, type or price of merchandise; provides a mechanism for payment; and is the first system to automatically escrow both the buyer's funds and the seller's goods until the sale is completed to the satisfaction of both.

Nescrow offers the NTP™ process as an application service provider. Nescrow business customers will integrate the system into their online business cycle. Individual customers will provide a link to the NTP™ system on their Web advertisements at point of sale.

"We believe NTP will revolutionize the online buying and selling experience," said President Will Morris. "It gives the buyer and seller a turnkey process that is nearly impervious to fraud. It will be especially valuable for sales through auctions and classified ads, and we expect to use the NTP product throughout our online newspaper network."

Morris added that the online auction market is projected to grow from $3.3 billion last year to $19 billion in 2003. Many buyers and sellers are individuals or small businesses not authorized to accept credit cards, who have no trust relationship with the other online party and who have no package delivery system. NTP will change all that, he said.

Nescrow builds its NTP™ product around strategic alliances with UPS, for a customized pickup and delivery service; with NOVA Technologies, for credit card processing; and North Federal Savings Bank, for electronic funds transfers through the Federal Reserve.

"NTP processes the credit card, adds security with its escrow and funds transfer features, and completely removes the hassle of shipping, refunds and returns," said Nescrow Chairman and CEO William Rodgers, founder of the company.

"Some companies may offer aspects of the process, but no one we know of integrates all elements of the transaction into a fully automated protocol like we do."

Nescrow Technologies Inc. was founded by Rodgers in 1995 to integrate and automate the elements necessary for efficient and secure e-commerce transactions online. The NTP™ business process has a patent pending. For additional information, see www.nescrow.com.

Morris Communications is a privately held media company with diversified holdings that include newspaper and magazine publishing, outdoor advertising, radio broadcasting, book publishing and distribution, and computer services. For additional information, see www.morris.com.