Compulsory Acqn of Shares

NewMedia SPARK PLC
3 August 2000


                         NewMedia SPARK plc ('SPARK')
                                       
                      Recommended offer (the 'Offer') for
                      Softtechnet.com plc ('Softtechnet')
                                       
               Commencement of compulsory acquisition procedures
                                       
                                       
Valid  acceptances  of  the  Offer have been  received  from  shareholders  in
Softtechnet  amounting  to  over  90 per cent.  in  value  of  the  shares  in
Softtechnet to which the Offer relates.

Accordingly,  on 2 August 2000, Peel Hunt plc, on behalf of SPARK,  despatched
statutory notices under the provisions of section 429(4) of the Companies  Act
1985  that  SPARK  intends to exercise the powers conferred  by  that  Act  to
acquire  compulsorily  on  the  terms of the Offer  the  remaining  shares  in
Softtechnet  in respect of which valid acceptances have not been  received  by
the expiry of the requisite notice period.