Trading Update

Future Network PLC
13 November 2000

PRESS INFORMATION

13 November 2000

TRADING UPDATE

The Board of The Future Network plc (LSE: FNET) announces that the company's
latest forecast for the business for the calendar year 2000 is below current
market expectations.

The latest internal figures indicate that the EBITA for the year to 31
December 2000 will be in the region of £7 million.  Revenues will be around £
260m, approximately 30% higher than 1999.  Underlying Profits (consistently
defined by the company to exclude investments in launches less than two years
old) are forecast to rise some 25% to just under £40m, which Future believes
is up to £6m below published analysts' forecasts made prior to the
announcement of the French accounting irregularity on 9 October.  As
previously announced, the figure for investments in magazine launches and
online development will total nearly £33 million for the current financial
year.

The divergence from analysts' estimates is due to three factors, in order of
scale:

1.      The impact of the company's re-evaluation of its French business
following the recent restatement of earnings for that unit.  This impact is
made up of the previously announced £1.1m earnings shortfall for the first
half, coupled with reduced expectations for the second half, plus the cost of
bringing in external auditors to investigate the problem.

2.      The continued softness of the computer games market into the vital
final months of the year.  Last week, for example, Sony announced a further
cutback in its allocation of PlayStation2 units this year in Europe of nearly
20%, having previously announced a reduction of 50% in the US.  This news came
too late for Future to materially pull back on its related investment
commitments this year.

3.      A more conservative outlook for US technology companies has prompted
reduced advertising forecasts for the end-of-year issues of the US issue of
Business 2.0.   Ever since the decline in the fortunes of dot-coms that began
in March, the magazine has been managing a transition toward a broader base of
advertisers, but there are signs that some non-dot-com marketing budgets have
also being reduced for the end of year period.

Future's Chief Executive Greg Ingham commented: 'Although we've continued to
enjoy strong growth in both revenues and underlying profits this year, we are
naturally disappointed that these vital Q4 numbers look set to come in below
the original high goals we set ourselves.

'We remain focused on strengthening our management team and business
processes, improving the performance of each and every one of our business
units and in building great products for the future from the record investment
we have made this year.'

The company is currently reviewing its investment plans for 2001, which
include the international roll-out of Official Microsoft Xbox Magazine.


                                    -ends-


For more information:

The Future Network plc
Greg Ingham, Chief Executive             01225 442244
Ian Linkins, Finance Director            01225 442244

Hogarth Partnership
James Longfield                          020 7357 9477