Acquisition

RNS Number:8517F
Future Network PLC
01 December 2004

1 December 2004

                             The Future Network plc

                      Acquisition of What Laptop magazine

The Future Network plc ('Future'), the international special-interest consumer
magazine group, today announces that it has acquired the title and goodwill of
What Laptop magazine, from its current owners, Crimson Publishing Limited for a
total consideration of #0.65m in cash.

What Laptop is the UK's leading portable computing monthly magazine with an ABC
of 25,107.  Launched in September 1999, the magazine quickly established itself
as sector leader and has retained this position ever since.

Turnover for the year ended 30 Sept 2004 for What Laptop magazine was #0.8m and
the profit attributable to the assets being acquired was #0.2m.  The business
has five staff and is being acquired free of financial debt.

The first issue published by Future will be the February 2005 issue, which goes
on sale in January 2005.   No major changes are planned for the title and Future
anticipates that all of the existing team will move across with the magazine to
Future's London offices.

Commenting on the acquisition Greg Ingham, Chief Executive of The Future Network
plc said:

"What Laptop is a great fit with our existing portfolio alongside titles such as
PC Plus and PC Format in computing and indeed T3 in consumer electronics.  There
are great synergies between the readerships and advertising bases of these
magazines and we believe that, by joining the UK's biggest technology magazine
portfolio, we can help What Laptop magazine to build on its strong base."

Enquiries:

The Future Network plc
Greg Ingham, Chief Executive                         Tel: [phone]
John Bowman, Finance Director                        Tel: [phone]

Hogarth Partnership
James Longfield/Georgina Briscoe                     Tel: [phone]


Notes to editors

The Future Network plc was founded in the UK in 1985.  Today, it publishes over
100 regular special-interest consumer magazines worldwide and is the fifth
largest magazine publisher in the UK.

Future employs around 1,100 people in offices in the UK, US, France and Italy.
Over 100 international editions of Future's magazines are also published in 30
other countries across the world. The company is listed on the London Stock
Exchange (symbol: FNET).




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