Secondry Offering of Shares

FUTURE NETWORK PLC
4 October 1999


  Not for release or distribution in or into the United
      States of America, Canada, Japan or Australia
              
             SECONDARY OFFERING OF SHARES IN
                 THE FUTURE NETWORK PLC
                            
Morgan   Stanley  International  ('Morgan  Stanley')   as
Bookrunner, today announces a secondary offering of up to
20  million  ordinary shares of The  Future  Network  plc
('Future'),  the  video games, home computing  and  other
specialist consumer magazines publisher.

This  secondary offering is taking place in  response  to
strong  institutional  demand  for  shares  and  will  be
undertaken  by  Morgan Stanley by way of  an  accelerated
book-building  process.   The shares  to  be  placed  are
currently  held  by  funds managed  or  advised  by  Apax
Partners  &  Co Ventures Ltd and certain other investors.
Following  a  20  million  ordinary   share offering, the
Apax managed funds and such investors would retain a 14.5%
shareholding  in  Future.  None of the executive directors
are participating in the secondary offering.

To  facilitate the offering, Morgan Stanley has  released
the selling shareholders from their lock up agreement  in
relation  only  to the shares to be offered.   All  other
Future  shares  held  by the selling shareholders  remain
subject to the original 6 month lock up agreement.

Commenting   on  the  offering,  John  Hyman,   Executive
Director  of  Equity Capital Markets  at  Morgan  Stanley
said:

'Future has made significant progress in pursuit  of  its
strategy  since its flotation in June and  following  its
recent  entry  into the FTSE 250 Index  we  have  seen  a
growing  investor demand for the shares.  This  secondary
offering  will  go some way to satisfying  this  investor
demand,  will  increase  the free  float  in  Future  and
increase the marketability and liquidity of the company's
equity.'

The exact number of shares to be placed will be
determined on completion of the book building exercise.
This together with details of pricing and allocation are
expected to be announced by tomorrow morning.

In  particular,  since  flotation  in  June,  Future  has
announced:

*  The  acquisition of four video games titles in Germany
   and  the  award of the rights to publish the  Official
   Sega Dreamcast Magazine in Germany
   
*  A  29% year on year growth in UK circulations for  its
   magazines  that  report half yearly ABCs  and  a  116%
   increase in first half audited circulations in the US
   
*  The   launch   of   its   global  Internet   business,
   FutureNet,   and  the  signing  of   a   content   and
   distribution  partnership  agreements  with   Netscape
   Online  and  GamePlay.com and  technology  partnership
   agreements  with FairMarket,  Delphi  and   Critical
   Path.   In  addition  last  week  FutureNet  announced
   plans  to  launch  a US games network  and  signed  an
   exclusive e-commerce agreement with Babbages, Etc.
   
*  The  acquisition of the rights to publish the official
   Manchester   United  and  Chelsea   monthly   football
   magazines.
   
For further information:

John Hyman, Executive Director      Tel: [phone]
Morgan Stanley International        
                                    
James Longfield                     Tel: [phone]
Hogarth Partnership

Background on the Future Network:

The Future Network was founded in the UK in 1985.  Since
this time it has become the leading publisher of video
games and home computing magazines in the UK, France,
Italy and the US.  Headquartered in Bath, England, Future
is the fourth largest publisher in the UK.  It employs
over 1,400 people in offices in Bath, London, San
Francisco, New York, Paris, Milan and Munich.  Future
publishes 112 magazines worldwide and has extensive
online activities generating over 50 million page views
per month.  Future was floated on the London Stock
Exchange in June 1999 and has a current market
capitalisation of over £850 million.