Newt Gingrich Call To Action Leads GovernmentVAR's Expansion

PRNewswire
MANHASSET, N.Y.
Jan 19, 2006

Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has called on the IT channel to take a leadership role in helping to revolutionize government in critical areas like health care, education and homeland security. The exclusive interview, "Newt's Call to Arms," which appears in the Jan. 23, 2006, issue of CMP Media's GovernmentVAR, launches the enhancement of the magazine for solution providers focusing on IT business opportunities in the federal, state, local and education branches of the public sector. This includes increased frequency and expanded editorial coverage.

Gingrich, who in has become a leading figure in the Washington Beltway on technology issues, strongly believes the private sector needs to lead the government in technology innovation and in creating systems that create efficiencies. Gingrich advocates the channel bringing to government integrated solutions that improve processes and offer tangible results.

Terming health-care IT downright archaic, Gingrich advocates a nationwide health-care network that will become a reality with 1 percent of all federal discretionary funds allocated to help make it happen. In the GovernmentVAR cover story, he says Medicaid and Medicare should pay doctors an extra dollar for every electronic health-record transaction. "We should've established a national standard of interoperability for electronic health records a long time ago," Gingrich adds.

Today, as technology remains lacking in public education, Gingrich says, standards continue to drop. He stresses the need for improved math and science education, perhaps through some form of real-time, always-accessible, online 24/7 center for learning.

Gingrich points to the problems encountered after Hurricane Katrina as an example of how government systems are not modern enough to meet the needs of its citizens. He says for citizens to be kept secure, government has to use technology to stay one step ahead of potential threats rather than reacting once they happen. Go to http://www.varbusiness.com/ to hear the live interview with Gingrich.

GovernmentVAR Enhancements

"This cover story caps off the new GovernmentVAR, which features more stories on federal, state and local, education and now health-care, says Editor Lawrence M. Walsh. "We've expanded our coverage to include a product- review page and an expanded news section. Soon, we'll relaunch the Web site."

In addition, GovernmentVAR's publication frequency increases to 12 issues per year from 10 with the Jan. 23 issue. This reflects the magazine's increasing appeal to both readers and advertisers as it continues to reach more VARs, integrators and solution providers who sell to state, local and federal government than any other government-focused publication. This year will also mark the 2nd annual XChange Government Integrator event, bringing together solution providers and vendors who sell into the government sector. The GovernmentVAR Awards will take place at this event, celebrating excellence among solution providers and vendors alike.

Further supporting the publication's growth, Chris Forest has joined GovernmentVAR as account director, based in Washington, D.C. His 15 years of experience in the government IT marketplace includes research and sales at INPUT, and advertising sales at Post Newsweek Tech Media, publishers of Government Computer News and Washington Technology.

In addition to being published in the Jan. 23, 2006, issue of GovernmentVAR, the full Newt Gingrich feature will be available on the web at http://www.governmentvar.com/.

About GovernmentVAR

GovernmentVAR -- a focused editorial initiative of CMP Media's VARBusiness, the biweekly magazine that covers the business of technology integration - informs, educates and enlightens solution providers and integrators about IT product and service opportunities in the federal, state, local, education and health care branches of the government sector. GovernmentVAR is published 12 times yearly for the more than 64,000 VARBusiness subscribers who sell into vertical government markets.

About CMP Media (http://www.cmp.com/)

Through its market-leading portfolio of trusted information brands in the technology, healthcare and lifestyles industries, CMP Media has earned the confidence of more professionals and enthusiasts in these fields than any other media company. As a result, CMP is the premier provider of access, insight and actionable programs designed to connect sellers and buyers in each of these industries in ways that yield superior return on investment. CMP Media is a subsidiary of United Business Media (http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com/), a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $3 billion.

  Contact:  Jeanne Fico
            CMP Media Channel Group
            (516) 562-7766

            Jason Chupick
            Plesser Holland Associates
            (212) 420-8383, ext. 108

SOURCE: CMP Media LLC

CONTACT: Jeanne Fico, CMP Media Channel Group, +1-516-562-7766; or Jason
Chupick, Plesser Holland Associates, +1-212-420-8383, ext. 108

Web site: http://www.governmentvar.com/
http://www.varbusiness.com/
http://www.cmp.com/

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