Metro now second largest newspaper in Phildelphia

METRO NOW SECOND LARGEST NEWSPAPER IN PHILDELPHIA Metro International S.A. ("Metro"), the international newspaper group, today announced that its Philadelphia edition is now the second biggest newspaper, according to the circulation audit for the first quarter of 2001 by CAC (Certified Audit Circulations). Metro Philadelphia had an average daily circulation of 155,573 copies for the three month period ended 31 March 2001, representing a 10% increase on the figures reported in the same audit for the fourth quarter of 2000. The Metro circulation was 3,110 copies higher than the reported circulation of The Philadelphia Daily News, making Metro the second largest newspaper by circulation behind The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pelle Törnberg, President and CEO of Metro International, commented: "As the world's largest advertising market, the US is very important to Metro. Metro has established itself in the Philadelphia market and has followed our worldwide model of attracting both a high number of readers per copy and a high proportion of young and female readers. As a result, sales have grown strongly year on year." Metro was introduced in Philadelphia in January 2000 and was the first Metro edition to be launched in the United States. Metro added a second US city with the launch of a new edition in Boston in May. The last Gallup worldwide readership survey, which was conducted at the end of 2000, showed that the Philadelphia edition attracted an average of 3.2 readers per copy, and had a readership profile of approximately 30% under the age of 30 and 60% female. The operation reported a 156% year on year increase in net sales in the first quarter of 2001. Metro International S.A. 'A' and 'B' shares are listed on the NASDAQ National Market and on the Stockholmsbörsen O List under the symbols MTROA and MTROB. For further information, please visit www.metro.lu, email info@metro.lu or contact: Pelle Törnberg, President & CEO tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 0230 Communications Director tel: +44 (0) 20 7321 5010 Metro International S.A. publishes and distributes 19 editions of its free daily newspaper in 14 countries: Stockholm (Metro), Prague (Metro), Gothenburg (Metro), Hungary (Metro), the Netherlands (Metro), Helsinki (Metro), Malmö (Metro), Santiago (MTG), Philadelphia (Metro), Zurich (Metropol), Toronto (Metro), Rome (Metro), Buenos Aires (Publimetro), Milan (Metro), Warsaw (Metropol), Athens (Metrorama), Montreal (Metro), Barcelona (Metro Directo) & Boston (Metro). ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/17/20010517BIT00600/bit0002.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/17/20010517BIT00600/bit0002.pdf