Metro to launch in Boston

METRO TO LAUNCH IN BOSTON Metro International S.A. ("Metro"), the leading international free daily newspaper group, today announced that it will extend its operations in the US with the launch of the Metro newspaper in Boston on Thursday. The Boston paper will be the second Metro edition to be launched in the US, and will take Metro's worldwide circulation to over 3.5 million daily copies of 19 editions in 14 countries. The new paper will follow the Metro model of providing high quality, fact based and independent coverage of local, regional, national and international news, in a format that can be easily and quickly read. Boston is the sixth largest Metropolitan Area in the US, with a population of 3.8 million. Boston is also one of the US' major media markets with an annual newspaper advertising market of approximately US$ 1 billion. 175,000 copies of Metro will be distributed on Thursday morning by hand and from racks outside commuter train, subway and bus stations, in office buildings and on fifteen college campuses in the Greater Boston area. Metro will immediately be the third largest newspaper in Boston by circulation. Metro has recruited a highly experienced management team under the leadership of Managing Director Russel Pergament. Pergament was the co- founder of the successful TAB stable of free newspapers in Boston, which were sold to Fidelity Investments in 1992, and has also served as Sales Manager and Circulation Manager for leading Boston-based newspaper titles. Metro is already published in Philadelphia through the public transport system. Metro Philadelphia had a circulation of 138,000 and attracted an average daily readership of 443,000 at the time of the last worldwide independent survey in November 2000. Over 60% of readers were female. Metro is the third largest newspaper in Philadelphia and reported year on year net sales up 156% in the first quarter of 2001. Metro editions are also published in Montreal and Toronto in Canada. Pelle Törnberg, President & CEO of Metro International, commented: "Boston is one of North America's largest media markets and leading commercial centers. The city has a thriving business community, a high proportion of young professional people, and a growing advertising market, which makes it an ideal Metro market. Our Managing Director has already successfully launched free newspapers in the market, which gives us a significant advantage. This launch further demonstrates our belief in the US market for Metro, which has been proven to date with the success of the Philadelphia edition." 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@sharedvalue.net or contact: Pelle Törnberg, President & CEO tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 0230 Matthew Hooper, Investor enquiries tel: +44 (0) 20 7321 5010 Bert Willborg, Press enquiries tel: +46 707 27 7022 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) and 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/2001/05/02/20010502BIT00010/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2001/05/02/20010502BIT00010/bit0001.pdf