Acquisition

NewMedia SPARK PLC 19 April 2000 NewMedia SPARK acquires 10% stake in all Olympic Group Internet businesses NewMedia SPARK ('SPARK'), announces that it has acquired a 10% stake in a newly formed joint-venture holding company with the Olympic Group plc ('Olympic'). The new company owns all of Olympic's present Internet interests and Olympic has undertaken to carry out all future Internet activities through this company. The new company will initially own majority stakes in five Olympic Internet businesses, namely Olympic Worldlink, Sporting Edge, Rok Communications, Netsiren, and E.comsport, together with a 38% stake in the OFFEX listed Global Communications plc. E.comsport has recently announced its intention shortly to list on AIM and it is hoped that at least one of the other subsidiaries will list during the next few months. The activities of the companies are as follows: Olympic Worldlink is one of the leading European companies operating in the field of streamed data to wireless handheld devices. It has developed an advanced GSM based platform, communications protocols and encryption tools. It already has working devices in the field with several leading financial institutions and its revenues are growing rapidly. Sporting Edge offers live betting, results and form information streamed to wireless handheld devices. Rok Communications has developed a system to support the widespread electronic purchase of pre-paid mobile phone units. Global Communications provides IT learning modules and training, both on and off-line. Netsiren has developed several interesting products in the field of Internet security. E.comsport provides interactive data systems and other services for professional sports companies. The funds invested by SPARK will be used to accelerate the development of the above companies and to fund the development of further business opportunities being considered by Olympic. SPARK will assist Olympic both in this development and also in future flotation plans for the companies where appropriate. Commenting on this investment, Michael Whitaker, CEO of SPARK said: 'We are delighted to be entering into this joint venture with Olympic, which adds to SPARK's already substantial portfolio of direct investments and joint venture activities. Through this joint venture we will be participating in all Olympic's present and future Internet activities, and we hope that the relationship will prove highly profitable for SPARK. Olympic's existing Internet businesses have very substantial growth potential - Worldlink, for example, has very exciting technology and commercial relationships in the wireless PDA field and could quickly grow to become a very substantial company indeed. We believe that there is substantial value in the existing Olympic portfolio, and that Olympic's future Internet activities are also likely to create significant value. We look forward to working with Olympic to develop these businesses and in due course realise this value to our mutual advantage.' ____________________________________________________________ For further information, please contact: NewMedia SPARK Michael Whitaker 020 7887 4510 Buchanan Communications Lisa Baderoon 020 7466 5000
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