[Comtex Letterhead]
                                                       Release:  IMMEDIATE
                                                       For:  Comtex News Network
                                                                (Symbol:  CMTX)
Contact: Amber Gordon
         703-797-8011
         agordon@comtex.com

              COMTEX APPOINTS MATTHEW BALL CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER


ALEXANDRIA, VA - May 14, 2004 - Comtex News Network, Inc., (OTC BB: CMTX) a
leading wholesaler of electronic real-time news and content, today announced the
appointment of Matthew Ball to the position of Chief Financial Officer and Vice
President, Finance.

         "Matthew Ball is a strong addition to the Comtex management team," said
C.W. Gilluly, Ed.D., Chairman and Interim CEO of Comtex. "He brings a broad
background of public accounting and solid corporate finance management skills to
the Company," concluded Dr. Gilluly.

         Mr. Ball has more than seventeen years of accounting and finance
experience, including, most recently, serving in a senior financial position
with international manufacturing company, Cambridge International, Inc.
Previously, Mr. Ball served as the Controller of Maryland Baseball, LLC. His
career also includes positions as a public accountant with Aronson, Fetridge &
Weigle and Arthur Andersen & Company.

About Comtex
Comtex is a leading wholesaler of real-time news and related content for the
world's leading financial and business information distributors. With a
specialization in economically useful news and information, Comtex receives,
enhances, combines, filters and distributes news and content received from more
than 10,000 national and international news bureaus, agencies and publications.
The resulting news and content products - with embedded stock tickers, key
words, standardized metadata, uniform formatting and custom filters - are all
designed to meet the exacting standards required by investment professionals.

Please Note: Except for the historical information contained herein, this press
release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of
the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve a number of
risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may be identified by
reference to a future period by use of forward-looking terminology such as
"anticipate," "expect," "could," "intend," "may" and other words of a similar
nature. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contemplated herein, including the
occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances relating to the fact that
Comtex is in a highly competitive industry subject to rapid technological,
product and price changes. Other factors include the possibility that demand for
the Company's products may not occur or continue at sufficient levels, changing
global economic and competitive conditions, technological risks and other risks
and uncertainties, including those detailed in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Comtex undertakes no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.

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