1
                                                                  EXHIBIT 99.1


                                                         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                               OCTOBER 6, 1997

                                                                     CONTACTS:
                                       STEVE PURCELL - CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                                   PHONE: (402) 593-4632 - FAX: (402) 537-6197
                                                          E-MAIL: cfo@abii.com

                                  SHELLY VAUGHN - DIRECTOR, INVESTOR RELATIONS
                                   PHONE: (402) 596-8929 - FAX: (402) 537-6197
                                                           E-MAIL: ir@abii.com

                AMERICAN BUSINESS INFORMATION, INC.(R) ANNOUNCES
                        RECLASSIFICATION OF COMMON STOCK

(OMAHA, NE) - On October 3, 1997, the stockholders of American Business
Information, Inc.(R) (the "Company") (NASDAQ: ABII) approved the
reclassification of the Company's existing Common Stock as Class B Stock and the
authorization of a new class of common stock designated Class A Common Stock,
and the Board of Directors declared a dividend of one share of Class A Common
Stock for every share of Class B Common Stock outstanding as of that date. The
record date for the stock dividend was October 3, 1997. The payment for the
stock dividend will be October 9, 1997. The Class A Common Stock entitles the
holder thereof to one vote per share and a non-cumulative dividend of $0.02 per
share per year, when and as declared by the Company's Board of Directors in
preference to any dividend on the Class B Common Stock. The Class B Common Stock
entitles the holder thereof to ten votes per share. In all other respects, the
Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are identical.

The Company's Class B Common Stock will continue to trade on the Nasdaq
National Market under the symbol "ABII" until the close of trading on October
9, 1997. Beginning with the opening of trading on October 10, 1997, the
Company's Class A Common Stock will trade on the Nasdaq National Market under
the symbol, "ABIIA," and the Company's Class B Common Stock will trade on the
Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "ABIIB."

American Business Information, Inc.(R) is a leading provider of business and
consumer marketing information products and data processing services. Over 1
million customers use the Company's products and services for sales leads,
direct mail, market research and credit reference applications. Founded in
1972, the Company is headquartered at 5711 South 86th Circle, P.O. Box 27347,
Omaha, NE 68127-0347.  American Business Information(R) can be contacted at
(402) 593-4500, or on the World Wide Web at www.SalesLeadsUSA.com.

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