Observer makes second acquisition in Canada in short time

8/31/2001 4:03 AM EST

Observer is acquiring Canada's Mediascan/CaisseChartier a leader in
media monitoring services in Quebec, the primarily French-speaking part
of the country, to complement its previous Canadian acquisition.

Mediascan/CaisseChartier is a well-established company with a complete
range of media monitoring services for print, radio and TV. Unlike the
previously acquired Bowdens, its base is in the French-speaking province
of Quebec, with its headquarters in Montreal. With this new acquisition,
Observer complements its major Canadian acquisition earlier in the week.

"This is a natural step for us. Together with our earlier acquisition,
Mediascan/CaisseChartier gives us a market-leading position in both of
Canada's official language regions," says Observer CEO Robert Lundberg.

Geographic expansion is an important part of Observer's growth strategy
and gives the company the opportunity to take advantage of the economies
of scale it has built up in Europe, where it has operations in 11
countries. Its goal is to introduce the same broad range of services in
North America as it has in Europe in recent years. Its presence in
Canada also gives Observer alternatives for a continued expansion into
the U.S.

"Our move to Canada is strategic," adds Robert Lundberg. "It is our
first step across the Atlantic, and our position gives us the
opportunity to further expand in North America. This can be done either
by growing our own operations or through other acquisitions."

Mediascan/Caisse Chartier has a turnover of approximately SEK 40 million
and is expected, together with Bowdens, to contribute positively to
Observer's profit before goodwill amortization from the first year.
After the acquisitions, Observer's total turnover in Canada will be
approximately SEK 165 million.

Facts about Observer AB
Observer AB, quoted on the Attract 40 section of Stockholm Stock
Exchange's O-list, operates in the fields of media and market
monitoring, analysis and communication-evaluation, target group
identification for PR- and IR purposes and is world leading in its line
of business. On a rolling twelve-month basis, Observer AB has a turnover
of more than SEK 1,200 million and employs around 2,000 people in the
UK, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Portugal,
Ireland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

For further information, please contact:
Robert Lundberg, President and CEO, phone + 46 8 507 410 10,
e-mail:  

Per Blixt, Senior VP Corporate Communications, phone + 46 8 507 410
12/+46 70 549 28 08, e-mail:  

This press release is also available online at www.observergroup.com