Disposal

SMG PLC
10 September 2002

10th September 2002





SMG Announces Decision to Sell Publishing Business



The board of SMG plc ('SMG') announces today (10 September, 2002) its decision
to sell the Group's publishing business, including The Herald, Sunday Herald and
Evening Times regional newspapers.



SMG's Publishing Division consists of its three regional newspapers, a stable of
11 business to business and specialist consumer magazine titles and its online
content and advertising business, s1.



The sale process has been initiated and it is anticipated that, allowing for
regulatory clearance and shareholder approval, any resultant transaction will be
completed by the second quarter of 2003.  Greenhill & Co. International LLP 
('Greenhill & Co.') is acting for SMG in connection with this transaction.



Commenting on the announcement, Andrew Flanagan, Chief Executive, said:



'Our strategy of focusing SMG's development on a cross media approach with
national positions in the faster growing media sectors, means that publishing is
no longer core to the Group.  In an increasingly consolidated newspaper and
magazines sector, it is clear that the ongoing success of these businesses is
best assured as part of a larger publishing network.



'Initiating the sale of these valuable newspapers now, will ensure that SMG has
the flexibility to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the
Communications Act next year.'





Further enquiries:



SMG

Andrew Flanagan, Chief Executive          Tel: [phone]
George Watt, Group Finance Director
Callum Spreng, Corporate Affairs Director



Greenhill & Co.
Simon Borrows, Managing Director          Tel: [phone]
Charles Barlow, Vice President



Brunswick
James Hogan                               Tel: [phone]
Ben Brewerton




Notes to Editors (press release version only):

SMG acquired Caledonian Publishing in 1996 for £120m

The Herald is Scotland's best-selling quality broadsheet newspaper and the UK's
biggest regional newspaper

The Evening Times is Glasgow's only evening newspaper, read by one in three
Glaswegians, and is the 7th largest evening newspaper in the UK

The Sunday Herald, launched in 1999, is UK Newspaper of the Year

SMG Magazines consists of:

Scottish Farmer
The Great Outdoors (TGO)
Components in Electronics
Boxing News
Independent Community Pharmacist
Independent Electrical Retailer
The Strad
Double Bassist
Choir and Organ
International Piano
Classic Record Collector



s1 is an online business that currently includes four sites: s1jobs; s1homes;
s1news and s1play.  s1 jobs is Scotland's most popular recruitment site.




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange