FNET Future

RNS Number:3475I
Future Network PLC
3 April 2000

        FUTURE ANNOUNCES UK EDITORIAL TEAM FOR BUSINESS 2.0

   UK's leading Internet pioneers join magazine's Advisory Board

The Future Network plc (LSE: FNET), the international specialist
consumer magazine and online media company, today announces the
senior editorial team for the UK version of Business 2.0, Future's
highly successful US business publication.  In addition, Future
also announces the formation and first members of an Advisory Board
for the UK magazine - including John Pluthero, founder and CEO of
Freeserve plc and Tim Jackson, founder of QXL.com plc.  Business
2.0 will launch in the UK on 25 May 2000.

UK editorial team in place:
The UK editorial team for Business 2.0 is headed up by Mark Halper,
Editor in Chief.  Mark has over 20 years experience as a business
and technology journalist and has spent the past five years as a
freelancer in Silicon Valley.  He was a regular contributor to
Future's Business 2.0 in the US and his articles have appeared in
leading US business and technology titles, including the New York
Times, Forbes, Business Week, Fortune and Wired, among others.

The Editor of Business 2.0 in the UK is Marcus Austin, who was
formerly editor of Future's Internet Works, the most successful e-
business magazine in the UK to date.  Group Art Director Paul
McIntyre completes the team on the creative side.  Paul has over 10
years experience designing consumer magazines, newspapers and
contract publications and has been responsible for the creative
remit of three of Future's start-up magazines: Internet Works,
Internet Investor and Linux Answers.

Internet leaders join Advisory Board:
In addition to the editorial team and contributors, Future is
assembling an Advisory Board for Business 2.0 that will consist of
business leaders who have pioneered the development of new Internet
business models in the UK.  This Board will meet with Business 2.0
on a regular basis to provide insight into the latest business
developments on the web.

To date, the Advisory Board consists of John Pluthero, CEO and
founder of Internet service provider, Freeserve; Tim Jackson,
founder of online auction site, QXL.com and now a venture
capitalist with The Carlyle Group; Marcus de Ferranti, co-founder
of online telecoms network trader, Band-X; Mark Suster, CEO of
business-to-business construction marketplace, Build-Online; and
David Furniss, formerly sales and marketing director of Demon and
now general manager of eBusiness at BT plc.  Future anticipates
adding to this advisory board over time.

Greg Ingham, Future's Chief Executive, comments:

"This is a very exciting time for Business 2.0 as the US magazine
continues its extraordinary growth and as we approach the UK
launch.  The Advisory Board concept was pioneered in the US by
Business 2.0, where the panel includes Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO
of Amazon.com and the man who came up with the name Business 2.0.
I'm very excited about the people who have agreed to be part of our
panel in the UK. Their insights will help us produce a magazine
that reflects and helps shape the tremendous changes that are
taking place in the New Economy."

Mark Halper, Editor in Chief of Business 2.0 in the UK adds:

"We have assembled the core UK editorial team and are now pulling
together a high quality list of contributors from the UK national
daily and weekly press.  These include some leading names in
business and technology journalism and I'm confident that their
knowledge and access to business leaders will be reflected in the
pages of Business 2.0.  The UK business community is rapidly realising the
enormous potential of the Internet.  The timing for Business 2.0
could not be better."


For further information:

Greg Ingham, Chief Executive          Tel: 01225 442244
Future Network plc

Mark Halper, Editor in Chief          Tel: 01225 442244
Business 2.0

James Longfield/Harriet Keen          Tel: 020 7357 9477
Hogarth Partnership


About Business 2.0

Business 2.0 (www.business2.com) is an award-winning, international
publication published by Future in the US.  Based on the knowledge that the
Internet is changing the rules of business, the magazine is aimed at
"Transformers" - people with the power, influence, and insight to re-invent
their companies for the New Economy.  Through in-depth, analytical reporting,
Business 2.0 provides the ideas and information these individuals need to
succeed in the Internet Age.

Business 2.0 won three 1999 Maggie Awards from the Western
Publications Association, including Best Overall and New Consumer
Publication, and Best Special Interest Consumer Publication.
Business 2.0 was also honoured as the Best Newcomer by the
Computer Press Association and won Folio's Editorial Excellence
Award and two Silver Ozzies for magazine design.  Business 2.0 has
also recently been named a National Magazine Awards finalist by
the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) in the category of
General Excellence.

As a result of the dramatic success of Business 2.0 in the US to
date, it has expanded its editorial team with 13 new hires
announced at the end of March 2000.  And from May 2000, the
magazine will be published in the US on a fortnightly rather than
a monthly basis.

Publishing Director Jessica Burley, recently appointed from Pearson
will lead Business 2.0 in the UK.

The UK May launch will be followed in the autumn by French and
German editions.


About The Future Network plc

Future was founded in the UK in 1985. Today it publishes over 120
magazines worldwide and has extensive online activities generating
over 68 million ad impressions and 4.6 million unique visitors 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 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 and Rotterdam. Future was floated on the London Stock
Exchange in June 1999 and has a current market capitalization of
over #1 billion.


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