John Fairfax Holdings Limited
ACN 008 663 161

SYDNEY, July 28, 2000 – Fairfax Business Publications, a unit of John Fairfax Holdings Limited [ASX:FXJ] announced it will launch its Singapore-based title – BusinessOnline magazine – in Australia in September, after achieving market leadership in Asia.

This reverses the usual domestic-launch-first and export migration-later model. This approach is a first for an Australian publisher.

BusinessOnline is part of the stable of business management and financial magazines in the Strategic Publishing Group, acquired by Fairfax last year. It has grown to become the leading e-business magazine in the region. BusinessOnline will also be rolled out in India and New Zealand in October, with further countries to follow in 2001.

The magazine will boast a regional circulation of 37,000, including to 15,000 CEOs, with further readers through its new website to be launched in August, BOLweb.com.

Mr Fred Hilmer, CEO of Fairfax, said:

"We are moving steadily to internationalise our business products, both in print and online, as with Strategic Publishing, and broadband, as with the Australian Financial Review MarketWrap on CNBC. We look forward to further growth in this important part of our business."

Mr Michael Gill, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Fairfax Business Publications, said:

"With Strategic Publishing, we have a very successful business model, and we will continue to rollout leading business and financial publications in new markets."

Mr Gill said that Fairfax has already launched MIS, its successful business management magazine and Web product for IT directors, into the UK. MIS now has a presence in 12 countries.

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For further information, please contact:

Michael Gill, Fairfax Business Publications Tel: (02) 9282.2717

Bruce Wolpe, Corporate Affairs Tel: (02) 9282.3640

Note to Editors:

Fairfax Business Publications ("FBP"), an operating unit within John Fairfax Holdings Limited, is comprised of The Australian Financial Review and BRW Media, which includes BRW, Personal Investor and Shares magazines. FBP also develops editorial products for the Internet.

Strategic Publishing Group was acquired by Fairfax in December 1999. SPG has six titles currently, MIS Australia, MIS Asia, MIS NZ (50% owned), MIS South Asia (India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan) CFO Australia, and Business Online (Singapore based). It operates a significant research business across Asia Pacific. It also operates two web sites: MISweb.com and Businessonlineasia.com.

John Fairfax Holdings [ASX:FXJ] is Australia’s leading publishing group. Its mastheads include The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review, The Age, The Sun-Herald, and BRW. In addition, the Company publishes financial and consumer magazines, and provides online and interactive services. In 1999, the Company had revenues of over $1.1 billion. Fairfax, through f2, its wholly owned subsidiary for its online and interactive businesses, is building a strong position in e-commerce and is Australia’s leading content provider on the Internet, with over 2.3 million page views per day (2.4 million site visits per week) across a network of sites including news, business, investing, personal finance, motoring, sports, auctions, property, employment, freemail, search/homepage, shopping, travel, technology, city guides, and directories.

Fairfax > Corporate Affairs & Media Releases > Announcements > BUSINESSONLINE