Re Joint Venture

    For immediate announcement                                 17 October 2003     

    United Business Media Asian subsidiary announces joint venture in China    

CMP Asia's Chinese joint venture business CMP Sinoexpo has joined with
BolognaFiere - a longstanding strategic partner - to organise two major trade
fairs in China. CMP Sinoexpo is contributing Expo Build China and Ceramics,
Tile and Sanitary Ware China, which are both held annually in Shanghai in
April. BolognaFiere is paying US$1.1m for an initial 35% stake in the joint
venture - with an option to take a further 5% stake.

CMP Sinoexpo is enthusiastic about the joint venture as the combination of
BolognaFiere's leading position in the construction industry in Europe and CMP
Sinoexpo's strong position in China will drive the development of the leading
Expo Build and Ceramics shows in the growing Asian market. The joint venture
also plans to organise more fairs serving the construction industry.

For further information please contact:

For United Business Media enquiries:

Michael Waring       United Business Media        020 7921 5031      
                                                                     
Colin Browne         The Maitland Consultancy     020 7379 5151      
                                                                     
Nick Molden          United Business Media        020 7921 5097      


For CMP Asia enquiries:

Jennifer Law         CMP Asia                     + 852 2516 1691    

Notes to Editors:

Expo Build China will be staged for the 12th time from 6 - 9 April 2004 at the
Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). Previously operated by CMP
Sinoexpo under a different brand name, the fair is the foremost showcase and
trade platform for medium and high-end construction materials for the fastest
growing world market, China, especially the huge East China market.

Running at the same time and place with Expo Build China is Ceramics, Tile &
Sanitary Ware China, the largest fair for ceramic tiles and sanitary products
in China. Co-organised by the China Building Ceramics & Sanitary Ware
Association, it is the only trade fair in East China that the association
supports, ensuring the participation of their members who are China's leading
manufacturers. Together, the fairs take up over 35,000 sqm of exhibition space
and attract more than 500 exhibiting companies and 40,000 visitors.

CMP Asia is a leading trade fair organiser in the region. It has over 70 trade
fairs, including Asia's largest jewellery, leather and beauty events. The key
industries served by CMP Asia are: jewellery and gift, leather and fashion,
beauty and health, cruise and maritime, industrial technology, furniture,
building, information technology, food, hotel and leisure, pharmaceutical,
paper and packaging, nonwovens and aquatic. Operating through its headquarters
in Hong Kong, CMP Asia has 400 staff in 11 major cities in Asia and the USA.
CMP Asia is owned by United Business Media plc, UK.

United Business Media plc (http://www.unitedbusinessmedia.com) is a

leading provider of business information services to the technology,
healthcare, media, automotive and financial services industries. UBM offers
services in market research, consultancy, news distribution, publishing and
events to customers across the globe. Its brands include NOP World, one of the
largest market research groups globally; PR Newswire, the world's leading
corporate news distribution service and CMP, the B2B media and exhibition group
operating in high-tech, healthcare, property, entertainment jewellery & fashion
in the US, UK, Asia and Europe.

BolognaFiere is one of the world's leading Trade Fairs centers, As a useful
business platform hosting major Trade Fairs, each year the BolognaFiere Group
organise 60 trade fairs; caters for some 25,897 exhibitors and nearly 1,800,000
international operators. The BolognaFiere national and international key
business sectors are: Construction and Home Décor - Leather and Shoes - Art and
Culture - Beauty - Technology, Industry and Services - Health and Leisure.

In addition to its core exhibition business, BolognaFiere also coordinates
different companies created to conduct specific activities connected with
exhibition and conference activity. BolognaFiere Group today means: three trade
fairs venues in Italy, a company specialising in international business, a
professional congress organiser and a specialised web company.

2



END