Appointment of JWT and New Board Member

Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
11 February 2000


Bloomsbury Publishing Plc ('Bloomsbury' or 'the Company')
                            
         APPOINTMENT OF JWT AND NEW BOARD MEMBER


Bloomsbury   Publishing   Plc,  a   leading   independent
publisher, has appointed JWT and Mindshare to  work  with
it  on  the  launch  of a new global publishing  venture.
Bloomsbury  will  work with JWT offices  in  London,  New
York,  Tokyo and Frankfurt to launch Bloomsbury's  latest
major  database project, following on from the successful
launch of the Encarta World English Dictionary last  year
and  the announcement of the learners of English database
in December.  The third database, details of which cannot
be  revealed yet, should contribute to profitability from
2002.

Nigel  Newton,  Bloomsbury's Chief Executive,  said,  'We
believe   we   have   identified  an   opportunity   with
significant  revenue  generating  potential,  and  for  a
project  of  this  scale,  the additional  expertise  and
resource  of  JWT  will  ensure that  it  will  become  a
globalised branded product for many years to  come.   JWT
are  a global brand development and communications agency
who will work with us in developing the brand through  to
its launch'.

Marco  Rimini,  JWT's head of Strategy  and  Development,
said, 'We are delighted to be working on a mould breaking
concept  all the way from start to finish. It's  a  great
partnership with Bloomsbury which we believe  will  bring
both sides great rewards'.

Bloomsbury  Publishing, the publishers of  Harry  Potter,
were this week voted the industry's Publisher of the Year
Award at the British Book Awards.

Bloomsbury  also  announces  the  appointment  today   of
Alexandra  Pringle, aged 47, as an executive director  of
the  Company.   Alexandra Pringle's  main  responsibility
will be editorial in the book division of Bloomsbury.

For  more  information on the venture with  JWT,  contact
Marco Rimini at JWT (0171 631 7633) or Simon Forrest  for
Bloomsbury (0171 355 5150).