FRE Freeplay

RNS No 2817d
FREEPAGES GROUP PLC
29th January 1998


               FREEPAGES GROUP plc
    ("Freepages" or the "Company") and VNU BV
                        
       Launch of Scoot Services in Belgium
                        
Freepages, operating under the Scoot trading name
as  an interactive consumer service in the UK and
Netherlands, is pleased to announce  that  it  is
launching Scoot in Belgium through a 50:50  joint
venture with VNU BV, its joint venture partner in
the    Netherlands.     The   total    investment
requirement is estimated to amount to #10 million
during a three year period and will be shared equally
between both parties.

The  key management team has been formed  and  is
led by Mark de Smedt (ex Citicorp and Apple) with
the  head  office being established in  Brussels.
It  is  expected that test marketing  in  French,
Walloon  and  Flemish speaking  areas  will  take
place  during  April  and May  and  the  national
launch is currently planned for June 1998.

Freepages  and VNU jointly conducted an extensive
feasibility study demonstrating a high  level  of
interest  from both consumers and advertisers  in
the Scoot services in Belgium.

The  Belgian advertising market has  one  of  the
highest   levels  of  directory  expenditure   in
Europe.  As a percentage of the total advertising
market,   directory   expenditure   amounts    to
approximately  14%.   There  are   currently   no
services   comparable  to  Scoot   available   in
Belgium.

Commenting   on   todays   announcement   Robert
Bonnier,  Chief Executive Officer  of  Freepages,
said:

"Our  successful  launch in the  Netherlands  has
accelerated   the  planned  roll-out   of   Scoot
Belgium.  With a strong local management team and
our   important  partnership  with  VNU,  we  are
confident  that  we  can  quickly  establish  our
unique value proposition to Belgian consumers and
advertisers."

Jaap  Scholten, Member of the Executive Board  of
VNU, commented:

"The  speed  with which we are jointly developing
the  Scoot  business in the Benelux is a  further
endorsement of our commitment to this  innovative
electronic  media concept.  It also  demonstrates
the  strength  and  growing success  of  the  co-
operation between VNU and Freepages Group plc."

Scoot(TM) is  a  leading  provider  of  interactive
consumer services, providing buyers with powerful
decision  making information and connecting  them
directly  with sellers through mass  distribution
channels.   Scoot UK is a wholly owned subsidiary
of  Freepages Group plc which is quoted in London
(FRE.L) and on NASDAQ (FREEY).

For further information, please contact:


Scoot (UK) Ltd               Buchanan Communications
0171 368 3900                0171 466 5000

Robert Bonnier               Mark Edwards
Chief Executive Officer

Miranda Cleverdon
Corporate Communications Director

VNU
00 31 23546 3600

Maartin Schikker
Public Relations


END

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