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: [phone]                                   Tel: [phone]

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: [phone]                                   Tel: [phone]

Hogarth Partnership                                  College Hill
(Financial PR advisers to Future)                    (Financial PR advisers to Highbury)
James Longfield                                      Adrian Duffield
Georgina Briscoe                                     Tom Baldock
Tel: [phone]                                   Tel: [phone]

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.




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