Offer Update

Future PLC 04 April 2005 4 April 2005 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN Recommended Offer (the 'Offer') by Morgan Stanley & Co. Limited ('Morgan Stanley') on behalf of Future plc ('Future') (or by Future in the United States) for Highbury House Communications plc ('Highbury') Offer Update - Level of Acceptances and Extension of the Offer On 14 February 2005, the boards of Future and Highbury announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended share offer (with a Partial Cash Alternative) to be made by Morgan Stanley, on behalf of Future (or by Future in the United States), to acquire the whole of the issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Highbury. The Offer Document and related documentation was subsequently posted to Highbury Shareholders on 11 March 2005. As at 3.00 p.m. (London time) on 1 April 2005, being the First Closing Date of the Offer, valid acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of 169,913,217 Highbury Shares. This represents approximately 53.7 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share capital of Highbury. Future announced on 14 February 2005 that it had received irrevocable undertakings (from the Highbury Directors and certain of their connected persons) to accept the Offer by the First Closing Date in respect of a total of 4,636,734 Highbury Shares representing approximately 1.5 per cent. of Highbury's issued share capital. As at 3:00 p.m. (London time) on 1 April 2005, valid acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of 2,464,819 Highbury Shares subject to these undertakings, representing approximately 0.8 per cent. of Highbury's issued share capital. Future announces that the Offer and the Partial Cash Alternative, each as set out in the Offer Document dated 11 March 2005, have been extended and will each remain open for acceptance until 3.00 p.m. (London time) on 15 April 2005. The Highbury Directors, who have been so advised by Close Brothers, continue to unanimously recommend the Offer. Highbury Shareholders who wish to accept the Offer, and who have not yet done so, should act in accordance with the instructions set out in the Offer Document and the Form of Acceptance, as soon as possible and, in any event, so that their Forms of Acceptance are received by post by Lloyds TSB Registrars, The Causeway, Worthing, West Sussex BN99 6DA or by hand only (during normal business hours) by Lloyds TSB Registrars, 3rd Floor, Princess House, 1 Suffolk Lane, London EC4R 0AX by no later than 3:00 p.m. (London time) on 15 April 2005. Except as stated above or in the Offer Document, neither Future nor any person acting, or deemed to be acting, in concert with Future held any Highbury Shares (or rights over Highbury Shares) immediately prior to the Offer period and neither Future nor any person acting, or deemed to be acting, in concert with Future has acquired or agreed to acquire any Highbury Shares (or rights over Highbury Shares) since the commencement of the Offer period. It was announced on 31 March 2005 that Future Shareholders had approved the Acquisition at Future's EGM. Copies of the resolution passed at Future's EGM were submitted to the UK Listing Authority on 1 April 2005, and are available for inspection at the UK Listing Authority's Document Viewing Facility, which is situated at: Document Viewing Facility, 25 The North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS. Terms used in this announcement shall have the meanings given to them in the Offer Document dated 11 March 2005. Enquiries: Future plc Highbury House Communications plc Greg Ingham, Chief Executive Mark Simpson, Chief Executive Officer John Bowman, Finance Director Owen Davies, Finance Director Tel: 01225 442 244 Tel: 020 7608 6600 Morgan Stanley & Co. Limited Close Brothers (Financial adviser to Future) (Financial adviser to Highbury) John Krumins, Managing Director David Bezem, Director Tom Hill, Vice President Darren Redmayne, Assistant Director Tel: 020 7425 5000 Tel: 020 7655 3100 Hogarth Partnership College Hill (Financial PR advisers to Future) (Financial PR advisers to Highbury) James Longfield Adrian Duffield Georgina Briscoe Tom Baldock Tel: 020 7357 9477 Tel: 020 7457 2020 The Future Directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement and, to the best of their knowledge and belief (having taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this announcement is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy any security, nor is it a solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor will there be any sale, issuance or transfer of the securities referred to in this announcement in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. Morgan Stanley & Co. Limited is acting for Future and no-one else in connection with the Offer, and will not be responsible to anyone other than Future for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer. Close Brothers Corporate Finance, which is regulated by the Financial Services Authority, is acting for Highbury and no-one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than Highbury for providing the protections afforded to its customers nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer. Unless otherwise determined by Future and except to the extent permitted by applicable laws, the Offer is not being made, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada or Japan and the Offer is not capable of acceptance from or within these jurisdictions. Accordingly, copies of this announcement are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent, in whole or in part, in, into or from Australia, Canada or Japan and persons receiving such announcement (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send it in, into or from Australia, Canada or Japan, if to do so would violate applicable laws in such jurisdiction. The ability of Highbury Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom or the United States to accept the Offer may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. Such persons should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable requirements. The New Future Shares have not been, and will not be, registered under the US Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state of the United States; have not been, and will not be, qualified for sale or resale under the securities laws of any province or territory of Canada; and no prospectus in relation to them has been, or will be, lodged with, or registered by, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Japanese Ministry of Finance. Accordingly, the New Future Shares are not being and will not be offered, sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into Australia, Canada or Japan or any other jurisdiction or to or for the account or benefit of any residents of Australia, Canada or Japan if to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of, or require registration thereof in, the relevant jurisdiction. OFFER IN THE UNITED STATES The Offer in the United States is being made solely by Future and neither Morgan Stanley nor any of its affiliates or related entities is making the Offer in the United States. Notice to New Hampshire Residents: Neither the fact that a registration statement or an application for a license has been filed under this chapter with the State of New Hampshire nor the fact that a security is effectively registered or a person is licensed in the State of New Hampshire constitutes a finding by the New Hampshire Secretary of State that any document filed under Chapter 421-B of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated is true, complete and not misleading. Neither any such fact nor the fact that an exemption or exception is available for a security or a transaction means that the Secretary of State of New Hampshire has passed in any way upon the merits or qualifications of, or recommended or given approval to, any person, security, or transaction. It is unlawful to make, or cause to be made, to any prospective purchaser, customer, or client any representation inconsistent with the provisions of this paragraph. Future is not aware of any jurisdiction in which the making of the Offer is prohibited by any administrative or judicial action pursuant to any valid statute of any state of the United States. If Future becomes aware of any valid US state statute prohibiting the making of the Offer, it will make a good faith effort to comply with such US state statute or seek to have such statute declared inapplicable to the Offer. If, after such good faith effort, Future cannot comply with any such state statute, the Offer will not be made to (and tenders will not be accepted from or on behalf of) holders in such state. The Offer is being made for securities of a United Kingdom company and United States investors should be aware that this announcement, the Announcement, the Offer Document, the Listing Particulars and any other disclosure documents relating to the Offer have been or will be prepared in accordance with the City Code (as applicable), the Listing Rules (as applicable) and United Kingdom disclosure requirements, format and style, all of which differ from those in the United States. Future's and Highbury's financial statements, and all financial information that was included in the Announcement or in the Offer Document or the Listing Particulars or may be included in this announcement or any other disclosure documents relating to the Offer, have been or will be prepared in accordance with United Kingdom generally accepted accounting principles and thus may not be comparable to financial statements of United States companies. Future is incorporated under the laws of England and Wales. All of the Future Directors are residents of countries other than the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for United States shareholders of Future to effect service of process within the United States upon Future or such Future Directors or to enforce against any of them judgements of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United States. It may not be possible to sue Future or its officers or directors in a non-US court for violations of the US securities laws. In accordance with normal UK market practice, Future or its nominees or brokers (acting as agents) may from time to time during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, Highbury Shares otherwise than under the Offer, such as in open market or privately negotiated purchases. Such purchases, or arrangements to purchase, will comply with all applicable UK rules, including the City Code, the Listing Rules and the rules of the London Stock Exchange. Any person who, alone or acting together with any other person(s) pursuant to an agreement or any understanding (whether formal or informal) to acquire or control securities of Highbury, owns or controls, or becomes the owner or controller, directly or indirectly, of one per cent or more of the issued Highbury Shares is generally required under the provisions of Rule 8 of the City Code to notify a Regulatory Information Service and the Panel of every dealing in such securities during the Offer period. Please consult your financial adviser immediately if you believe this Rule may be applicable to you. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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