Jan-June Circulation Figures

FUTURE NETWORK PLC
13 August 1999
                      THE FUTURE NETWORK PLC

             Strong growth in UK Jan-June circulation

The Future Network plc ('Future'), the video game, home computing
and other specialist consumer magazines and Internet web sites
publisher, today announces the UK audited ABC circulation figures
for the six months to June 1999 for the 31 magazines that report
interim figures in its UK portfolio of over 60 titles.

*  Year-on-year increase of 29% for UK sales
*  Video game and computing division up 35%

Future's UK magazines continue to show strong year on year growth,
with total ABC-verified circulation up 29% to 1,750,849 copies.
This growth has been primarily driven by Future's video game and
home computing division, which has achieved a 35% increase in
sales year on year in the UK.

Future continues to benefit from strong consumer demand for its
leading video game magazines.  Its top selling video game title,
Official PlayStation, increased by 23% to 385,764 and excellent
progress was also made by a number of other video game titles,
including Essential PlayStation, up 49% to 95,781, and N64, up 47%
82,867. PC Gamer increased 18% to 77,220, despite significant
price-cutting by competitors.  In addition to video games, Future
also benefited from growing consumer interest in the Internet, and
.Net and Internet Works recorded growth of up 10% and 20%
respectively.

Outside of games and computing, Total Film reinforced its position
as the fastest growing film magazine, with a 10% jump to 67,609
and the technology magazine T3: Tomorrow's Technology Today added
5% to 46,032.  Six titles joined the ABC figures for the first
time, with PlayStation Max (62,298), Arcade (35,822) and Computer
Music (28,138) in particular recording strong debuts.  In total 18
titles showed a year on year rise, with just seven recording
falls.

Future's Chief Executive, Greg Ingham commented:

'We are delighted with our continued progress in the UK, which we
believe maintains our position as the UK's fastest growing major
publisher.  Our UK sales and market share continues to grow and we
have further consolidated our position as the number one magazine
publisher for video games and home computing.  It's particularly
pleasing to see new magazines performing strongly, and I expect
that our other launches during the last six months such as
Internet Advisor, What DVD and X-Fade will help to maintain our
progress.

'The UK market is, of course, only part of our business.  We are
enjoying significant success in France, Italy and the US and are
continuing to pursue opportunities to develop our sales and our
market position in these and other countries.'
                                 

For further information:

Greg Ingham, Chief Executive      Tel: [phone]
The Future Network plc

James Longfield                   Tel: [phone]
Hogarth Partnership

A breakdown of the ABC's for Future's individual titles is
attached

Background on The Future Network

The Future Network was founded in the UK in 1985.  Since this time
it has become a leading international publisher of video game,
home computing and other specialist consumer magazines and
Internet web sites.  Future is the UK's 4th largest consumer
magazine publisher and is the leading video game and home
computing magazine publisher in the UK, France, Italy and the US.
Headquartered in Bath, England, Future publishes over 100 titles
and employs over 1,200 people in offices in Bath, London, San
Francisco, New York, Paris, Milan and Munich.  Future was floated
on the London Stock Exchange on 25 June 1999 and has a current
market capitalisation in excess of £620 million.  It acquired
Germany's third largest computer and video games magazine
publisher, Weka Consumer Medien, in July.

                         Future Publishing
                 ABC Figures January to June 1999
                                 
                        Computing Division

        Title               Total ABC        Year-on-Year Change
--------------------- ---------------------  ---------------------
Official PlayStation         385,764                22.8%
PC Plus                      126,815                 8.3%
PC Format                     97,627               -11.4%
Essential PlayStation         95,781                49.0%
PlayStation Power             94,231                11.9%
N64                           82,867                47.2%
PC Gamer                      77,220                18.1%
Gamesmaster                   67,852                15.6%
Official PlayStation Specials 63,994              NEW TITLE   
PlayStation Max               62,298              NEW TITLE
.Net                          55,280                10.2%
PC Answers                    37,342                 6.4%
MacFormat                     36,781                -3.8%
Arcade                        35,822              NEW TITLE
Computer Arts                 35,091                16.2%
Edge                          29,263                 6.0%
Computer Music                28,138              NEW TITLE
Internet Works                24,388                20.1%
Computer Publishing           20,430              NEW TITLE
PC Guide                      20,059               -15.0%
PC Review                     20,032                -6.1%
Computer Arts Specials        19,137              NEW TITLE                  
Amiga Format                  13,264               -31.0%
--------------------- ---------------------  ---------------------
Division Total             1,529,476                34.6%



                          Music Division

        Title               Total ABC        Year-on-Year Change
--------------------- ---------------------  ---------------------
Total Guitar                  40,705               -11.7%
Guitarist                     27,279                 4.6%
Guitar Techniques             17,489                 1.4%
Bassist                        7,733                 0.1%
Hip Hop Connection             7,407               -24.8%
Rhythm                         7,119                 3.8%
--------------------- ---------------------  ---------------------
Division Total               107,732                -5.4%



                  Sports & Entertainment Division

        Title               Total ABC        Year-on-Year Change
--------------------- ---------------------  ---------------------
Total Film                    67,609                10.0%
T3                            46,032                 5.1%
--------------------- ---------------------  ---------------------
Division Total               113,641                 7.9%
                                             
===================== =====================  =====================
Future's Total             1,750,849                29.2%
===================== =====================  =====================

Many of Future's magazines publish ABCs annually and are therefore
not included in this half-yearly ABC release.  Future Publishing
is the UK operations of The Future Network plc (LSE:FNET).