Pre-Close Trading Statement

Future Network PLC
09 January 2004



9 January 2004

                             THE FUTURE NETWORK PLC

                            Pre-Close Trading Update



The Future Network plc, the international magazine Group, today issues the
following pre-close trading update to provide an overview of Future's trading
for the year ending 31 December 2003.



Future last announced a trading update on 28 November 2003, in which it reported
that Group revenues for the first ten months of 2003 had increased by 12%
year-on-year, and that current trading patterns were expected to continue for
the remainder of 2003.  This expectation has been borne out for the Group's
trading and the Board expects Group turnover for the year 2003 to exceed that
for 2002 by approximately 11%.



The Group's magazine portfolio overall has continued to make progress and
accordingly, the Board remains confident that the Group's profits for the year
2003 will be in line with current consensus market expectations.  The Company's
full year results for 2003 will be announced on Wednesday 10 March 2004.



Enquiries:


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

John Bowman, Finance Director                         Tel: [phone]

Hogarth Partnership
Georgina Briscoe                                      Tel: [phone]






About The Future Network plc



The Future Network plc was founded in the UK in 1985.  Today, it publishes over
90 specialist consumer magazines worldwide, is the world's leading publisher of
games magazines and is the fifth largest magazine publisher in the UK.



Future employs around 1,000 people in offices in the UK, US, France and Italy.
Nearly 100 international editions of Future's magazines are also published in 30
other countries across the world. The company is listed on the London Stock
Exchange (symbol: FNET).



Future announced on 16 September 2003 its financial results for the half-year to
30 June 2003.  Future reported an adjusted operating profit of £6.5m on turnover
of £80.6m; and net cash at 30 June 2003 of £17.3m.








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