FFHS-NEWS FFHS NEWS new ScotlandsPeople contract awarded

[News from the Federation of Family History Societies]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 00.01 HRS, Tuesday September 8th  2009


Online publisher brightsolid wins new deal to  manage
ScotlandsPeople online family history service


Online  publisher brightsolid has won a three-year deal to manage  the
hugely-successful family history site,  www.ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk.

The site, with almost one million registered  users and growing currently
by more than 10,000 per month, is run in  partnership with the General
Register Office for Scotland (GROS). The  contract, awarded by
competitive tender, will run for three years from  September 2010.

brightsolid is among the major online publishers  specialising in family
history and genealogy sites. It has operated the  ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk
site since 2002 and also owns the genealogy site  findmypast.com. Last
month brightsolid completed the acquisition of  FriendsReunited,
including GenesReunited, from ITV plc (subject to approval  by the
competition authorities).

"This new contract to manage  ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk in partnership with
GROS is a significant one for  brightsolid," commented brightsolid chief
executive Chris van der  Kuyl.

"We have developed an unparalleled expertise in processing,  managing and
presenting information for online audiences as well as providing  hosting
and customer service support. 

"ScotlandsPeople is a  world-leading web site that has built a real
community of users worldwide,  with that number rapidly approaching one
million people.

"We look  forward to continuing to build on that success with GROS with
this new  contract. We will continue to invest in providing enhanced
services to the  site, in partnership with GROS."

The site contains more than 50 million  records dating back to when
national records of births, deaths and marriages  began in Scotland in
1855. It also includes parish records, dating back as  far as 1533, as
well as other data including wills and testaments. 

Mr  Paul Parr, Deputy Registrar General of the General Register Office  of
Scotland, commented: "We are very proud of ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. It  is
one of the leading sites of its kind worldwide, and has helped  bolster
the interest of the Scottish diaspora in the history of their country  or
the country of their ancestors, as well as providing a popular  service
for the Scottish public.

"This contract has been awarded after  a keenly competitive tenders
process and we look forward to continuing the  site's progress and
further development in partnership with  brightsolid."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further  information, please contact:
Debra  Chatfield
dchatfield at brightsolid.com

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