Future PLC

With operations in the UK, US and Australia, Future has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Founded in 1985 as a UK company with just one magazine, today Future specialises in high-quality multi-media products, creating over 200 specialist publications, apps, websites and events.

From an idea for one computer magazine to an international multi-platform media group, Future has been built on a creative, innovative and competitive culture.

Some of the significant landmarks in the growth of Future include:

1985-1990

• 1985 Chris Anderson founds Future Publishing with a £10,000 bank loan. The Bath-based company’s first magazine, Amstrad Action, is launched with 100 pages and a print run of 40,000 copies.
• 1987 Future is the first British magazine to covermount a computer diskette every month, a move which helps accelerate its growth in circulation and advertising.

1990-2000

• 1992 The company launches titles outside of the computer market, including Cycling Plus. The enthusiastic reception to these titles serves notice that Future is capable of competing successfully with the best publishers in the land.
• 1993 Licensed from the Channel 4 TV programme of the same name, GamesMaster hits the shelves. The title goes on to become the UK’s longest running games magazine.
• 1994 Pearson plc acquires Future.
• 1995 Future celebrates its tenth birthday and breaks into a new market with the launch of SFX. This is the first glossy magazine to be dedicated to Science Fiction. Future signs an exclusive agreement with Sony to publish the new Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK.
• 1996 Future acquires music-making publications Guitarist, Guitar Techniques and Rhythm. The technology magazine, T3 is launched.
• 1997Future broadens its remit and launches Total Film. The title sells over 90,000 copies of its first issue.
• 1998 Pearson sells Future Publishing to a management buyout backed by venture capitalists Apax Partners.
• 1999Future floats on the London Stock Exchange.

2000-2010

• 2000 Future UK acquires music magazine Metal Hammer from Dennis Publishing.
• 2001 Future signs an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Microsoft to publish the Official Xbox Magazine.
• 2002 Imagine Media becomes Future US.
• 2003 Future US acquires music-making titles from Harris Publications and Cherry Lane Magazines LCC.
• 2005 Future acquires 38 titles from Highbury House Communications plc.
• 2006 Future signs an exclusive agreement with Sony to publish the new Official PlayStation Magazine in the UK. Future US acquires music magazine Revolver from Harris Publications.
• 2007 Future launches BikeRadar.com and acquires CyclingNews.com from Knapp Communications Pty Limited. Together they make Future the world’s No.1 in cycling.
• 2008 Future’s Australia office opens. Official Nintendo magazine Australia and New Zealand is launched.
• 2010 Tap! The iPhone and iPad magazine is launched in print, digital and online. Future launches 14 iPad apps and TechRadar passes the 1.72 million monthly UK unique users mark for the first time.

2011

• Future launches Mollie Makes, a new monthly magazine focusing on contemporary fabric crafts, which breaks the company’s record for new subscriptions during its first month on sale.

June

• Practical Photoshop, a new monthly magazine dedicated to helping readers improve their skills in Adobe Photoshop is launched.
• Future wins Best Digital Publisher – Consumer and the AOP Grand Prix Award at the annual Association of Online Publishers Awards.

August

• Peter Allen appointed Chairman of Future plc. He replaces Roger Parry, who steps down after 10 years.

September

• Future and Sony launch Access, a new weekly HD video guide to the best of PlayStation in the UK.
• PC Gamer reveals a world-first covermount on a digital edition – enabling readers via Zinio to access exclusive gifts using download codes supplied by the magazine.

October

• Former ITN Chief Executive Mark Wood is named Chief Executive of Future plc. He succeeds Stevie Spring who steps down after 6 years. Mark joined Future in September 2010 as Chief Executive of Future UK.
• Graham Harding appointed Group Finance Director of Future plc, replacing John Bowman.
• Apple’s Newsstand launches, and Future delivers 55 titles to the ‘iTunes for magazines’ – more than any other publisher globally. Within four days Future smashes the two million container app downloads mark and has since remained an international leader in Tablet publishing.
• Guitarist magazine unveils a pioneering deluxe iPad edition, which offers readers a unique and interactive experience.
• Future partners with US based Gawker Media to bring technology website Gizmodo to the UK,.

November

• Future launches N-Photo – the only magazine dedicated to Nikon photography.
• Future’s portfolio of websites break 36m monthly unique users.

2012

• T3 becomes the first ever UK magazine to launch a fully interactive Android Edition.
• Future sells US Music Division to NewBay Media.

February

• T3 becomes the first UK magazine to publish independently verified figures for interactive iPad edition sales.

April

• Future launches TechRadar.com in the US.

May

• Future launches Total Film and Cycling News HD using Future’s own interactive magazine creation software, FutureFolio.

July

• Future named AOP Consumer Digital Publisher, becoming the first media group to win two years running.

August

• Future launches The Simple Things, a multi-media lifestyle brand for women.

September

• Future named PPA Digital Consumer Publisher of the Year.
• Future launches Photography Week, an international, interactive digital magazine.

October

• Future launches Gathered by Mollie Makes, a fully interactive digital-only craft weekly.

November

• Future launches tech., a weekly international iPad magazine aimed at busy technology enthusiasts.