Future plc

History

1985–2012

The company was founded by Chris Anderson as Future Publishing in Somerton, Somerset, England, with the sole magazine Amstrad Action in 1985. An early innovation was the inclusion of free software on magazine covers. It acquired GP Publications and established what would become Future US in 1994.

Anderson sold the company to Pearson plc for £52.7m in 1994, but bought it back in 1998, for £142 million. The company was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1999. Anderson left the company in 2001.

In 2004, the company was accused of corruption when it published positive reviews for the video game Driver 3 in two of its owned magazines, Xbox World and PSM2.

2012–2015

Future published the official magazines for the consoles of all three major games console manufacturers (Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony); however PlayStation: The Official Magazine ceased publishing in November 2012, and Official Nintendo Magazine ceased publishing in October 2014.

The chief executive and finance director both resigned at short notice after a profit warning in October 2011. It was noted that a re-structuring would be necessary as the company moved to a digital model.

Future announced it would cut 55 jobs from its UK operation as part of a restructuring to adapt "more effectively to the company's rapid transition to a primarily digital business model." The company announced in March 2014 that it would close all of its U.S.-based print publications and shift U.S. print support functions such as consumer marketing, production and editorial leadership for Future's international print brands to the UK. Later in 2014, Future sold its sport and craft titles to Immediate Media, and its auto titles to Kelsey Media.

In April 2014, Zillah Byng-Thorne (then finance director) was appointed chief executive to replace Mark Wood, who had been in the position since 2011.

2016–2021

In 2018, Future made further major acquisitions. It bought the What Hi-Fi?, FourFourTwo, Practical Caravan, and Practical Motorhome brands from Haymarket; and it acquired NewBay Media, publisher of numerous broadcast, professional-video, and systems-integration trade titles, as well as several consumer music magazines. This acquisition returned most of the U.S. consumer music magazines to Future, with the exception of Revolver which had been sold to Project M Group in 2017.

It bought the Purch Group for $132m by September 2018, and in February 2019 bought Mobile Nations including the titles Android Central, iMore, Windows Central and Thrifter for $115 million. Future also acquired Procycling and Cyclingnews.com from Immediate Media. In July 2019 the company bought SmartBrief, a digital media publisher, for an initial sum of $45 million.

In November 2019, the company bought Barcroft Studios for £23.5 million in a combination of cash and shares. It renamed it Future Studios and announced the launch of "Future Originals", an anthology gaming series, a "factual" series focusing on the paranormal, and a new true-crime show, in partnership with Marie Claire.

In April 2020, it acquired TI Media with 41 brands for £140 million. In November, it agreed to a £594m takeover of GoCo plc, known for its Gocompare.com price-comparison website. In August 2021, it acquired Dennis Publishing and its 12 magazines, for £300 million.

2022–present

The company was criticised in February 2022 for the size of the remuneration package being offered to Zillah Byng-Thorne, the chief executive. It was noted that she could receive £40 million if the company performed well.

Byng-Thorne resigned with effect from 3 April 2023 and was replaced as chief executive by Jon Steinberg.

In April 2023, the company sold its shooting magazines including Shooting Times and Sporting Gun to Fieldsports Press.

In August 2024, the company announced that its American trade papers Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News would be closing after more than 90 years, with the main title Broadcasting having been first published in 1931 and the merged title Multichannel News dating from 1980. In October 2024, the company closed a number of consumer titles in the United Kingdom, including Play, All About Space, Total 911, and 3D World, with the monthly movie magazine Total Film ceasing publication after 27 years.

Kevin Li Ying took over the position of CEO on 31 March 2025.

Organisation

In addition to media and magazines, the company has two other businesses:

• Future Studios is its video division, built upon the acquisition of Barcroft Media in 2019.
• Marketforce is its sales, marketing, and distribution company, acquired as part of a 2019 deal with TI Media.

Brands

Future's portfolio of brands includes TechRadar, PC Gamer, Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, Marie Claire, GamesRadar+, MusicRadar, How it Works, Digital Camera World, Creative Bloq, CinemaBlend, Android Central, IT Pro, BikePerfect, Truly, Windows Central, Chat, and the website GoodToKnow.co.uk.

References

References

1. "Annual Report 2025". Future plc.
2. Nicholas, Ruth. (11 July 1999). "Profile: Chris Anderson: Media with passion". The Independent.
3. (2014). "Revolutions from Grub Street: A History of Magazine Publishing in Britain". Oxford University Press.
4. (6 April 2014). "Can new Future CEO end 15 years of boom & bust?". Flashes and Flames.
5. Walters, Helen. (18 February 2010). "TED's Not Dead, But It Is Aging: The annual conference tries to reach out to a new generation, awkwardly". [[Business Week]].
6. Lui, Spandas. (30 March 2010). "A history of gaming's biggest scandals". PC World.
7. Santos, Alexis. (7 November 2012). "PlayStation: The Official Magazine being shuttered, will say farewell with holiday issue". [[Engadget]] ([[Joystiq]]).
8. Simberg, Nick. (28 November 2009). "Another blow to print journalism: Future Publishing profits fall 61%". Gamer Limit.
9. (27 October 2011). "Future CEO and FD resign, names replacements". Reuters.
10. Sweney, Mark. (3 September 2013). "Future Publishing to cut 55 jobs". [[The Guardian]].
11. link. (8 April 2014, RNS Number : 3903D, Future PLC, 28 March 2014)
12. Sweney, Mark. (21 November 2014). "Future Publishing cuts more than 400 jobs as part of restructure". The Guardian.
13. Butts, Tom. (4 April 2018). "Future Publishing Acquires US Content Business NewBay Media". TV Technology.
14. (1 May 2017). "''Revolver'' Magazine Sold to Digital Media Company Project M Group; Brand Relaunch Planned for This Fall".
15. "Purch sells B2C imprints to global specialist media publisher Future in $132m deal". The Drum.
16. (18 July 2018). "Future buys Purch to boost US revenue". [[Digiday]].
17. (1 March 2019). "Future : Acquisition of Mobile Nations".
18. "Accelerates Mobile Nations earnout payment".
19. "Back to Future: Immediate sells CyclingNews and Procycling to Future plc, their previous owner". Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
20. "Acquisition of SmartBrief".
21. (15 November 2019). "Barcroft Studios bought by Future plc for £23.5m".
22. "True Crime Series 'On the Record with Marie Claire' at Future Studios". Variety.
23. (30 October 2019). "Proposed Acquisition of TI Media for £140 million".
24. Sweney, Mark. (25 November 2020). "Country Life publisher Future to buy GoCompare for £594m". [[The Guardian]].
25. (16 August 2021). "Country Life owner buys Dennis Publishing in £300m deal".
26. Sweney, Mark. (3 February 2022). "Country Life publisher reeling after shareholder revolt over executive pay". [[The Guardian]].
27. Spangler, Todd. (22 February 2023). "Jon Steinberg, Former BuzzFeed and Cheddar Exec, Tapped as CEO of U.K. Publisher Future".
28. Tobitt, Charlotte. (13 April 2023). "Fieldsports Press acquires Future's shooting brands".
29. "A Wave of Trade Magazine Closures". [[VideoAge International]].
30. Tobitt, Charlotte. (7 August 2024). "Future closes two US TV trade publications".
31. Maytum, Matt. (22 May 2023). "Enter the arena with the Gladiator II issue of Total Film – on sale now!".
32. (3 October 2024). "Future closes titles and events deemed 'low to no growth assets'". Press Gazette.
33. Brew, Simon. (4 October 2024). "Total Film and more | Future Publishing statement on closing magazines".
34. "Kevin Li Ying Appointed Future CEO - Future".
35. (1 November 2019). "Why Future is buying TI Media".
36. (23 September 2022). "Future Celebrates Market Leading Position As Largest Tech News Publisher".
37. Partis, Danielle. (15 September 2022). "Future makes editorial layoffs despite 'high' revenue projections".
38. (16 August 2021). "UK's Future Plc to buy ''The Week'' publisher for $415 mln". [[Reuters]].
39. "The website built by musicians, for musicians". MusicRadar.