United Business Media plc                           

                            Repurchase of B Shares                             

United Business Media plc announces that on 20 October 2003 it purchased from
Merrill Lynch International a further 59,411 B shares of 8 23/44 pence for
cancellation at a price of 245 pence per B share.

Following this purchase 6,212,819 B shares remain in issue.



END