HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In a bold move to dispel the pall overshadowing the holiday shopping season, Sears this week launched Good News Now on Yahoo! News. Designed to answer shoppers' call for an antidote to the pessimism served up by the traditional news and opinion outlets, Good News Now offers Americans a fun new place for a positive pick-me-up, access to values at Sears.com, and a social network to share simple ways to navigate the current economic climate.

"Getting into the 'news' business may seem like an unlikely step for a retailer but we see it as a unique opportunity to create a buzz around the positive things Americans are doing to make a difference in each others lives and engage in goodwill, especially as we lead into the holidays," said Sears Chief Marketing Officer Don Hamblen. "The Sears Good News Now Web site also allows us to integrate the positive experiences from Sears.com and bring them to consumers in a highly relevant and engaging way."

According to the National Institutes of Health, the best techniques for managing holiday stress are to plan some fun, take a break and think positively. "No other major retailer is addressing shoppers' underlying stress to create a warm, happy holiday, not just for their families and friends, but also for those in need," added Hamblen. "Over the years, Sears always has supported Americans through tough economic times, and we are proud to partner with Yahoo! News to serve local communities today via an online news network that uniquely delivers value and fun."

"It's critically important to establish deep and positive relationships with customers and users. We think Sears' decision to send a positive message this holiday season to Yahoo! News' 40 million consumers is exactly what Americans need right now," said Joanne Bradford, senior vice president of revenue and marketing development, Yahoo!. "Given the uncertainty of the times and what seems like a constant barrage of negative news in today's current environment, it's great to have a partner like Sears who would rather remind people of all of the positive things happening in the world today. 'Good News Now' will be a breath of fresh air for our users."

Good News Now is filled with uplifting stories, a spotlight on military families through Heroes at Home(TM), as well as opportunities to sign up for inspirational e-mails and special offers from Sears. It is powered by Yahoo! http://spotlight.news.yahoo.com/ and includes features to get visitors thinking about what they are wishing for this holiday season and what wishes they can grant for others, including an opportunity to vote on the hottest gift ideas using Yahoo's Bix functionality.

Through a link on Sears Good News Now, visitors also can click onto http://www.sears.com for a chance to win one of 40 once-in-a-lifetime 'golden wishes' and more than 22,000 prizes in "The Search for the Golden Wish Ticket" giveaway now through Dec. 24, 2008. LL Cool J, Ty Pennington, and the Teutuls from the Orange County Choppers, will take players on an entertaining search for the Golden Wish ticket. Players can simply select their favorite celebrity character, who "jumps" into the wish bag to help find the winning ticket. Players pick the ticket they find in the bag or send them back in for another try. Thousands of tickets reveal instant prizes and savings coupons on Sears' merchandise. More than 30 million Golden Wish tickets will be distributed in-stores and online while supplies last.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 926 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at http://www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at http://www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation