FNET Future

RNS Number:9103B
Future Network PLC
12 August 2004


12 August 2004
Future Network PLC

US and UK January-June 2004 circulation update

The Future Network plc (LSE: FNET), the international special-interest consumer
magazine publisher, today releases the  latest circulation figures for seven of
its eight US magazines, together with an update for the 16 of its 59 UK titles 
with a six-monthly ABC audit.  All sales growth figures are given year-on-year.

US highlights:

The circulation headlines for Future US are:
          
*    Significant expansion of US business with copy sales up 23% (H1 2003: 
     1,546,901; H1 2004: 1,899,898), led by the  acquisition of the leading US 
     guitar magazines together with continued strong growth of Official Xbox 
     Magazine;

*    5.9% increase in overall circulation of games titles. Average monthly sales 
     for this group were 1,110,604: sales of Official Xbox Magazine increased by 
     17.8%; sales of PSM were down 0.8%; and sales of PC Gamer rose 1.3%;

*    2.6% decrease in circulation of computing titles. Maximum PC's gain of 0.7% 
     was offset by an 8.4% decline in MacAddict's sales. Average sales were 
     485,317 copies per month, excluding Mobile PC which was launched in 
     January;

*    Strong performance of guitar titles, contributing for the first time to 
     Future's US entertainment portfolio. Average sales were 303,977 copies per 
     month, with Guitar World confirmed once more as sector leader with sales of 
     175,845;

The second half-year will see Future's two guitar titles launch cover-mounted
discs.  These are new to the US guitar  magazine sector, having been
successfully pioneered by Future in the UK in the 1990s.

US highlights:

Circulation statistics are published today for 16 UK magazines - primarily
Future's portfolio of leading games  magazines. These account for some 70% of
games magazines by volume in the UK and represent 33% of Future's UK business. 
The other titles audited are Total Film, Redline, Metal Hammer and Classic Rock.
          
*    The games titles show a 2.4% reduction in average sales in the first half 
     of 2004, reflecting in part the generally quieter first half in the games 
     sector, coupled with some newsstand weakness in the first three months of 
     2004. Average monthly sales were 591,518 copies compared with 606,169 in 
     the first half of 2003.

*    Future's share of the games sector increased year on year from 65% to 70% 
     by volume, and from 68% to 73% by value (as measured by Retail Sales 
     Value).

*    Official PlayStation2 Magazine reflects the overall trend, down 5.7% at 
     177,450 average monthly circulation, over 120,000 ahead of its nearest 
     competitor, PSW, which Future acquired in November 2003.

*    Official Xbox Magazine at 83,549 was up 4.2% and is the second best-selling 
     games magazine in the UK.

*    Total Film was up 0.3% to 90,749 (its 14th consecutive ABC increase), 
     Redline was up 1.9% to 72,438, Metal Hammer was down 7.3% at 33,269 and 
     Classic Rock was down 11.6% at 38,485.

Greg Ingham, Chief Executive of The Future Network, commented:

'Overall, these are satisfactory figures, particularly in the US which accounts
for more than one quarter of our  Group's business.  Our business is in good
shape overall at the end of the first half.'

5th July pre-close trading update:

On 5 July 2004, Future issued a pre-close trading update covering the first five
months of 2004.  The Group announced  solid progress across the Group with total
revenue up 8%, circulation revenue up 7%, and advertising revenue up 10%.

The Group's interim financial results for the six months to 30 June 2004 will be
announced on 14 September 2004 and a  further trading update will be provided at
that time.

For further information:

The Future Network plc
Greg Ingham, Chief Executive                            01225 442244
John Bowman, Group Finance Director                     01225 732281
Hogarth Partnership
James Longfield/Georgina Briscoe                        020 7357 9477


Notes to Editors:

1. About The Future Network plc
The Future Network plc was founded in the UK in 1985.  Today, it publishes over
90 special-interest consumer magazines  worldwide, is the world's leading
publisher of games magazines and is the fifth-largest magazine publisher in the
UK.

Future employs around 1,000 people in offices in the UK, US, France and Italy. 
Over 100 international editions of  Future's magazines are also published in 32
other countries across the world. The company is listed on the London Stock 
Exchange (symbol: FNET).

2. Circulation figures

US

Attached is a list of publishers' estimates for the US titles for the six months
January to June 2004.  The audited  circulation figures for Future's US titles
will be published by ABC on 16 August 2004 and will subsequently be  available
at http://www.accessabc.com/.

UK

The list below provides ABC circulation figures for the 16 UK titles with a six-
monthly audit from January to June 2004.

Year-on-year comparisons include continuing magazines, acquisitions and first-
time ABCs but exclude closures and  disposals.

Future currently publishes 59 monthly magazines in the UK, out of a total of
over 90 titles across the group.

Publishers' estimates of the ABC and BPA figures for The Future Network's
individual US titles for the period for Jan -  Jun 2004

GAMES                                          JAN - JUN 2004

Official Xbox Magazine                         406,176
PSM                                            400,318
PC Gamer                                       304,110
COMPUTING
Maximum PC                                     318,017
MacAddict                                      167,300
ENTERTAINMENT
Guitar World                                   175,845
Guitar One                                     128,132

A breakdown of the ABC figures for The Future Network's
16 UK titles audited for the period for Jan - Jun 2004

GAMES                                          JAN - JUN 2004
PlayStation Magazines
Official PlayStation 2 Magazine                177,450
PSW                                             56,834
PSM2                                            45,147
Cheatzone                                        7,205
Xbox Magazines
Official Xbox Magazine                          83,549
Xbox World                                      23,753
Xbox Gamer                                      20,037
Official Xbox Special (quarterly)               13,273
Other Games Magazines
PC Gamer                                        57,748
GamesMaster                                     55,254
Edge                                            27,464
NGC                                             23,804
ENTERTAINMENT
Total Film                                      90,749
Redline                                         72,438
Classic Rock                                    38,485
Metal Hammer                                    33,269



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

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