AGM - Trading Update

Future Network PLC 21 June 2000 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Trading Update * Business is on track to meet ambitious growth plans for 2000 * Period of strong Underlying Profits growth and substantial investment in new launches * UK launch of Business 2.0 exceeds expectations, Italy launch brought forward from 2001 to October this year * New title launches and acquisitions increase regular magazines portfolio to 127 * International expansion continues with acquisition in Poland, subsidiaries now in seven countries * Internet properties currently attracting 4.9 million monthly unique visitors, Internet revenues at end May over 300% up on first half of 1999 * Five new web networks added in the UK, US and in Germany The Future Network plc (LSE: FNET), the international specialist consumer magazine and online publisher, held its inaugural Annual General Meeting today (21 June 2000) at which Greg Ingham, Chief Executive made the following comments about current trading: 'We're pleased to announce that the business is on course to achieve its ambitious growth plans laid out at the time of our Final Results in March. The strong Underlying Profit growth has enabled us to invest substantially in new projects as planned, both on the Internet and in magazines. 'Trading in the first five months of 2000 has continued the trends seen towards the end of 1999, with strong growth from Business 2.0 in the US and from our Internet related magazines and online activities offsetting investment in Germany and the temporary weakness in the gaming sector as the games industry awaits the launch of PlayStation 2 in the autumn of this year. The pace of technological change continues to offer numerous opportunities for specialist media companies such as Future, both in terms of Internet activities and in providing new opportunities for magazines. 'We have continued to capitalise on these opportunities in the first five months of this year, adding a further 16 titles to our portfolio. This brings the total number of magazines published to 127 across the Group, representing some 5.6 million copies per month. New launches in the period reflect the continued consumer interest in technology and included titles such as Maximum Linux and DigitalFoto in the US, T3 in Germany, MP3 Magazine, Internet Investor and Linux Format in the UK and Jeux Video Magazine and Internet Pratique in France. 'Whilst the new magazines have typically performed well, the most significant launch in the period was, without doubt, the launch in May of the UK version of Business 2.0, our highly successful magazine for the new economy. This launch surpassed our expectations, with the first issue recording the highest advertising revenue of any Future launch, including the US version. 'Business 2.0 in the US continues to be the fastest growing magazine in the Future portfolio, last month it moved from being a monthly to a twice monthly publication and plans are already in place for further launches of Business 2.0 in Germany and France later in the year. As a result of the successful reception Business 2.0 has received from consumers and advertisers alike, we have decided to increase our investment in the US through the launch in the Autumn of a new work/lifestyle magazine as well as bringing forward the planned 2001 launch of Business 2.0 in Italy to October this year. 'In addition to launches, we have also taken advantage of several opportunities to expand the Group by acquisition during the period. The most significant of these were the acquisition of four consumer technology and rock music magazines from Dennis Publishing and the acquisition of our former licensee in Poland, Silver Shark SP z.o.o, which continues our international expansion and brings the total number of countries in which we have wholly- owned subsidiaries to seven. Whilst we anticipate that the majority of our investment in 2000 will focus on organic growth opportunities, we continue to review acquisition targets and will pursue those opportunities that we believe can effectively bring market or geographic advantages to the Group. 'The Internet continues to have a significant impact on the group at a number of different levels. Firstly, as already stated, the growth of consumer interest in the Internet itself has led to a number of opportunities for new magazine launches, which we are pursuing, particularly in Europe. In addition, the Internet is also proving to be a significant marketing tool for promoting our existing magazines and during the first half of this year we recorded our millionth subscription order placed over the Internet in the US. 'However it is our online activities themselves, and our ability to generate advertising and e-commerce revenues from them, that present the most exciting opportunities in this area. I am pleased to report that our online revenues have continued to grow month on month so far this year. As at the end of May, Internet revenues were already over 300% ahead of the pro forma revenues for the first six months of last year. We are very confident of meeting our online revenue targets for the year as a whole. 'To date this year we have added five new web networks to our online activities, covering the UK and German launches of our highly successful US games network, dailyradar.com; the launch of a digital/internet music site in the US called planetrevolution.com; and the UK and US launches of our computer music web network, intermusic.com. In addition, our UK football web network has been redesigned and relaunched under the Total Football brand and in April we acquired two web sites, reelscreen.co.uk and reelfinder.co.uk, which target the UK film industry and British film enthusiasts respectively. 'As a result of these launches and other promotional activity, Internet traffic across the group continues to grow and now stands at over 4.9 million unique visitors per month and 83 million page impressions. Thanks to our business model and the highly effective promotional opportunities via our magazines, the costs of attracting this traffic remains very small relative to our peers. 'With technology providing so many compelling opportunities in our markets and our network structure enabling us to swiftly capitalise on individual successes across a range of territories, we remain confident and excited about our prospects for 2000 and beyond.' For more information: Greg Ingham, Chief Executive 01225 442244 The Future Network plc James Longfield/Harriet Keen 0207 357 9477 Hogarth Partnership About The Future Network Plc Future was founded in the UK in 1985. Today it publishes over 127 magazines worldwide and has extensive online activities attracting the attention of 4.9 million unique visitors and generating over 83 million page views per month. It is the world's fastest growing major publisher; the leading publisher of video games and home computing magazines in the UK, France, Italy, Poland and the US; and ranks as the fourth largest magazine publisher in the UK. Future employs over 1,500 people in offices in Bath, London, San Francisco, New York, Paris, Milan, Munich, Rotterdam and Wroclaw. Future was floated on the London Stock Exchange in June 1999 and has a current market capitalisation of over £1 billion.

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