For immediate release                                  19 November 2003        

                             UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA                             

               US High Tech Publishing Statistics: October 2003                

Summary

Month of October 2003

The business information market serving the technology industry, measured in
terms of advertising page volumes, decreased by 5.1% in the month of October
compared to October 2002. CMP Media's continuing technology publications
recorded a 2.3% increase against October 2002.

CMP Media improved its market share compared to 2002 - its continuing titles
held a share of 31.1% in October 2003 up from 28.8% in October 2002.

Calendar Year to October

The market decreased by 14.5% compared to the year to October 2002. CMP's
continuing titles, in the year to October 2003, recorded a 9.2% decrease in
advertising page volumes against the year to October 2002.

Market share of CMP Media's continuing titles year to date was 29.4% up from
27.8% in the prior year period.

Rolling twelve months to October 2003

The market decreased by 14.9% in advertising page volumes in the twelve months
ended October 2003 compared to the twelve months ended October 2002. CMP
Media's continuing High Tech publications recorded a 9.2% decrease in the same
period.

MARKET SEGMENT - ADVERTISING PAGE VOLUMES

MONTH OF October 2003

                                                             2003        2002
                                                                             
                             2003       2002    Change     Market      Market
                                                                             
                                              03 vs 02      Share       Share
                                                                             
                            Pages      Pages         %          %           %
                                                                             
CMP Media                                                                    
                                                                             
Continuing                  2,078      2,031      2.3%      31.1%       28.8%
                                                                             
Discontinued                    0         18                 0.0%        0.3%
                                                                             
CMP Media Total             2,078      2,049      1.4%      31.1%       29.1%
                                                                             
Whole Market                                                                 
                                                                             
Continuing                  6,687      6,825     -2.0%     100.0%       96.8%
                                                                             
B2B Tech                    6,010      6,120     -1.8%      89.9%       86.8%
Publications                                                                 
                                                                             
General Business              677        705     -4.0%      10.1%       10.0%
                                                                             
Discontinued                    0        222                 0.0%        3.2%
                                                                             
Total Market                6,687      7,047     -5.1%     100.0%      100.0%

CALENDAR YEAR TO October 2003

                                                             2003        2002
                                                                             
                             2003       2002    Change     Market      Market
                                                                             
                                              03 vs 02      Share       Share
                                                                             
                            Pages      Pages         %          %           %
                                                                             
CMP Media                                                                    
                                                                             
Continuing                 17,260     19,011     -9.2%      29.4%       27.8%
                                                                             
Discontinued                   30        317                 0.1%        0.5%
                                                                             
CMP Media Total            17,290     19,328    -10.5%      29.5%       28.3%
                                                                             
Whole Market                                                                 
                                                                             
Continuing                 58,237     64,958    -10.3%      99.5%       94.9%
                                                                             
B2B Tech                   52,401     58,906    -11.0%      89.5%       86.1%
Publications                                                                 
                                                                             
General Business            5,836      6,052     -3.6%      10.0%        8.8%
                                                                             
Discontinued                  308      3,490                 0.5%        5.1%
                                                                             
Total Market               58,545     68,448    -14.5%     100.0%      100.0%

TWELVE MONTHS to Date

                                                             2003        2002
                                                                             
                             2003       2002    Change     Market      Market
                                                                             
                            Pages      Pages         %    Share %     Share %
                                                                             
CMP Media                                                                    
                                                                             
Continuing                 20,898     23,012     -9.2%      29.2%       27.3%
                                                                             
Discontinued                   59        569                 0.1%        0.7%
                                                                             
CMP Media Total            20,957     23,581    -11.1%      29.3%       28.0%
                                                                             
Whole Market                                                                 
                                                                             
Continuing                 70,991     79,213    -10.4%      99.1%       94.1%
                                                                             
B2B Tech Publications      63,716     71,438    -10.8%      88.9%       84.9%
                                                                             
General Business            7,275      7,775     -6.4%      10.2%        9.2%
                                                                             
Discontinued                  645      4,942                 0.9%        5.9%
                                                                             
Total Market               71,636     84,155    -14.9%     100.0%      100.0%

MAJOR CMP TITLES

                                        October 2003        YTD October 2003
                                                                            
                                 + Pages    % Change     + Pages    % Change
                                                                            
Information Week                   +38.1       +16.7      -180.2        -7.7
                                                                            
EE Times                           -10.4        -2.9      -581.9       -17.9
                                                                            
Dr Dobb's                          -16.2       -32.5       -87.0       -14.9
                                                                            
Network Computing                  +94.1       +77.7      +137.6       +11.4
                                                                            
ebn                                -54.1       -37.2      -461.4       -31.7
                                                                            
Network Magazine                   +30.3       +67.8      -158.6       -26.8
                                                                            
CRN                                +12.3        +4.2      +114.7        +5.4
                                                                            
VAR Business                       +11.7        +7.5      +137.6       +11.6
                                                                            

                                                          Source - IMS: Auditor

                                    -Ends-                                     

For further information, please contact:

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

Notes to Editors:

CMP MEDIA LLC

CMP Media LLC (www.cmp.com) is a leading integrated media company providing
essential information and marketing services to the entire technology spectrum
-- the builders, sellers and users of technology worldwide. Capitalising on its
editorial strength, CMP is uniquely positioned to offer marketers
comprehensive, integrated media solutions tailored to meet their individual
needs. Its diverse products and services include newspapers, magazines,
Internet products, research, direct marketing services, education and training,
trade shows and conferences, and custom publishing.

BASIS OF COMPILATION OF STATISTICS

The statistics, which are the main subject of today's release, are
independently compiled by IMS/Auditor. The basis of compilation includes:

  * pages are hand counted
   
  * supplement ads are counted if in over 50% of circulation
   
  * house ads are not counted
   
  * inserts are counted if bound in publication
   
  * the database will continually be updated as more accurate information
    arrives
   
All CMP High Tech publications are tracked. CMP determines the competitive set
of publishing titles which are measured on its behalf by IMS Auditor and
periodically adjusts the population to ensure that it is properly
representative of the changing US business technology advertising market in
which CMP competes.

Note: that these statistics represent only total advertising page volumes as
counted above, they do not represent paid advertising page volumes nor do they
show the revenue yields which the operators in these market segments have
achieved.

This press release includes statements which are not historical facts and are
considered "forward-looking" within the meaning of Section 27 of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended. These forward-looking statements reflect UBM's current
views about future events, business and growth strategy and financial
performance. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of
terms and phrases such as "believe," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "on
target" and similar expressions identifying forward-looking statements.
Investors should not rely on forward-looking statements because they are
subject to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from UBM's expectations. UBM expressly does
not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements. Management does
not attempt to update forecasts unless conditions materially change.



END