Newsletters & Management Reports Acquired from FT

Informa Group PLC
8 December 1999


INFORMA GROUP ANNOUNCES TWO ACQUISITIONS

Informa Group plc has acquired a portfolio of 60 subscription based
newsletters,  seven  magazines.  600  management  reports  and   24
directories  from  Financial  Times  Business  Limited  (FTB).  The
consideration is £13.5 million made up of £9.9 million  payable  in
cash  plus a £3.6 million liability for prepaid subscriptions which
is  assumed  by  Informa. In the year ended 31  December  1998  the
publications  contributed  a  profit of  £1.2  million,  after  FTB
overheads, on sales revenue of £19.8 million.

The  publications  include a number of established  brands  in  the
fields   of   telecommunications,  media,   finance,   commodities,
pharmaceuticals  and  automotive.  They  include  the  newsletters,
Mobile  Communications, Telecom Markets, New Media  Markets,  Music
and   Copyright,  Screen  Finance,  World  Insurance  Report,  Food
Business, Pharmaceutical Business News, and the magazines, Telecoms
World, Television Business International and Automotive World.

In  a  separate transaction completed in November, Informa acquired
Baskerville Communications Corporation (BCC) from its founder,  Tim
Baskerville.   BCC  is a leading provider of daily  news  services,
newsletters  and  management reports in the telecommunications  and
media  sectors.   Its  13  titles  include  Global  Mobile  and  TV
International.   Net liabilities of BCC at 26 June 1999  were  £3.1
million  mainly  representing future subscription  income  paid  in
advance.

David Gilbertson, chief executive of Informa commented:

'These  acquisitions make Informa a major integrated force  in  the
provision of information to the telecommunications sector.   Mobile
Communications  and  Global Mobile are the two  leading  newsletter
brands  for  the  mobile  market.   When  combined  with  Informa's
existing  telecoms portfolio - which includes the monthly  magazine
Mobile   Communications  International;  the  EMC  World   Cellular
Database  and  the  consultancy  and  publishing  groups  ARC   and
Chorleywood  - these acquisitions will enable Informa  to  offer  a
through delivery of news, analysis, data and high level consultancy
services to the telecommunications sector.'

'The  addition of the strong media-related titles from both the  FT
and the Baskerville portfolios also positions Informa to respond to
the   growing  information  needs  of  this  market  as  media  and
telecommunications  increasingly converge  with  the  coming  third
generation mobile technology.'

'These  earnings-enhancing acquisitions, which follow our  purchase
of  20  publications and events from Emap plc last  month,  reflect
Informa's  continuing  commitment  to  building  shareholder  value
through  the  addition of high quality information  brands  to  our
business.'

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Peter Rigby (Chairman)
David Gilbertson (Chief Executive)
Jim Wilkinson (Finance Director)
INFORMA GROUP PLC
0171 453 2222

William Clutterbuck/Charlotte Hamilton
THE MAITLAND CONSULTANCY
0171 379 5151


NOTES TO EDITORS

Informa  Group plc was formed in 1998 from the merger of LLP  Group
plc  and  IBC  Group plc.  Informa is a business information  group
focused  on six global market sectors:  IT and Telecoms;  Maritime,
Trade  and  Transport;   Finance and  Insurance;   Commodities  and
Energy;   Biomedical and Pharmaceutical;  and Law and Tax.  Informa
has  sales  in more than 180 countries with over 50 offices  world-
wide.  It derives the majority of its revenues from the delivery of
'must  have' and topical business information across a broad  range
of media formats and wide geographical base.