As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 9, 2001
                                                        Registration No. 333-___
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                              ---------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                               ------------------

                            UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA plc
                                formerly known as
                             UNITED NEWS & MEDIA plc
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                  England                                 N/A
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
      Incorporation or Organization)

                                 Ludgate House,
                              245 Blackfriars Road
                                 London SE1 9UY
   (Address, including Zip Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

               THE UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
           (formerly The United News & Media Long Term Incentive Plan)
                              (Full Title of Plan)

                              Anne W. Gurnsey, Esq.
                           United Business Media Inc.
                               810 Seventh Avenue
                                   27th Floor
                               New York, NY 10019
                                 (212) 358-6750

                     (Name and Address, Including Zip Code,
        and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

                                   Copies to:

                              Nancy M. Ruzich, Esq.
                      Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
                                 399 Park Avenue
                            New York, New York 10022
                                 (212) 782-2900
                               -------------------

Approximate  date of  commencement  of sales  pursuant  to the Plan:  As soon as
reasonably practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Title of Each Class of      Amount to be         Proposed       Proposed Maximum    Amount of
    Securities to be        Registered (1)        Maximum           Aggregate       Registration
       Registered                              Offering Price   Offering Price (2)      Fee
                                               Per Share (2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>                 <C>          <C>                  <C>
Ordinary Shares, 25p           223,135             $7.71        $1,720,370.90        $430.09
each (3)................
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>



<PAGE>



--------------------

(1)     This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional Ordinary
        Shares which may become issuable under The United Business Media Long
        Term Incentive Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split,
        recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt
        of consideration which results in an increase in the number of
        outstanding Ordinary Shares.

(2)     Pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
        the proposed maximum offering price per share and the proposed maximum
        aggregate offering price for the Ordinary Shares to be issued under The
        United Business Media Long Term Incentive Plan has been computed based
        upon the average of the high and low prices for the Registrant's
        Ordinary Shares which trade on The London Stock Exchange as of July 6,
        2001 ((pound)5.51/ $7.71). The proposed maximum offering price per share
        and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price are expressed in U.S.
        dollars using the noon buying rate in New York City for cable transfers
        in British pounds sterling as certified for customs purposes by the
        Federal Reserve Bank of New York on July 6, 2001 of (pound)1.00 =
        $1.3998.

(3)     Represents Ordinary Shares to be issued under The United Business Media
        Long Term Incentive Plan pursuant to allocations of shares already
        promised, with no exercise price.


                                       2

<PAGE>



PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THIS SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.    Plan Information.

        Documents  containing  the  information  specified  in  Part  I of  this
Registration  Statement  have been sent or given to  participants  in The United
Business Media Long Term  Incentive  Plan  (formerly  known as The United News &
Media Long Term  Incentive  Plan (the "Plan") as specified by Rule  428(b)(l) of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act").  Such documents
are not  required  to be and are not  filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission (the "Commission")  either as part of this Registration  Statement or
as a prospectus or prospectus  supplement  pursuant to Rule 424. These documents
and the  documents  incorporated  by  reference in this  Registration  Statement
pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Form S-8,  taken  together,  constitute  a
prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

Item 2.    Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

        Upon  written or oral  request,  any of the  documents  incorporated  by
reference in Item 3 of Part II of this  Registration  Statement (which documents
are incorporated by reference in this Section 10(a) Prospectus), other documents
required to be  delivered  to eligible  employees  pursuant to Rule  428(b),  or
additional   information   about  the  Plan  are  available  without  charge  by
contacting:

                            UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA plc
                         c/o United Business Media Inc.
                               810 Seventh Avenue
                                   27th Floor
                               New York, NY 10019
                           Attention: Anne W. Gurnsey
                                 (212) 782-2900

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.    Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The following  documents,  heretofore filed by United Business Media plc
(the "Company") with the Commission,  are  incorporated  herein by reference and
made a part hereof:

                (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1999, filed by the Company with the Commission under the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), on July
10, 2000.


                                       3

<PAGE>



                (b) All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since December 31, 1999, which is the end of
the fiscal year covered by the Annual Report on Form 20-F referred to above.

                (c) The description of the Company's Share Capital contained in
the Company's Registration Statement on Form 20-F (File No. 0-15742), filed by
the Company with the Commission under the Exchange Act on April 29, 1987,
including any amendment thereto or report filed by the Company with the
Commission for the purpose of updating such description.

                (d) All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold from the date of filing such
documents with the Commission.

Item 4.    Description of Securities.

           Not Applicable.

Item 5.    Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

           Not Applicable.

Item 6.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        Except as hereinafter set forth,  there is no provision of the Company's
Memorandum and Articles of  Association or any contract,  arrangement or statute
under which any Director or officer of the Company is insured or  indemnified in
any manner against any liability that he may incur in his capacity as such.

        The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company  provide that,
subject to the  provisions of the  Companies  Act 1985 of England and Wales,  as
amended (the "Companies  Act"), and other applicable laws, but without prejudice
to any  indemnity  to which any  Director or officer may  otherwise be entitled,
every Director or officer of the Company shall be indemnified  out of the assets
of the  Company  against  any  liability  incurred  by him in such  capacity  in
defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgment is given
in his favor or in which he is acquitted or in connection  with any  application
under the  Companies Act or other  applicable  law in which relief is granted to
him by the court.

        Section 310 of the Companies Act provides:

               "(1) This section applies to any provision,  whether contained in
               a  company's  articles  or in any  contract  with the  company or
               otherwise, for exempting any officer of the company or any person
               (whether  an officer or not)  employed  by the Company as auditor
               from, or indemnifying him against, any liability which by


                                       4

<PAGE>



               virtue  of any  rule  of law  would  otherwise  attach  to him in
               respect of any negligence,  default,  breach of duty or breach of
               trust of which he may be guilty in relation to the company.

               (2) Except as  provided  by the  following  subsection,  any such
               provision is void.

               (3) This section does not prevent a company -

                      (a)    from purchasing and maintaining for any such
                             officer or auditor insurance against any such
                             liability, or

                      (b)    from indemnifying any such officer or auditor
                             against any liability incurred by him -

                             (i)     in defending any proceedings (whether civil
                                     or criminal) in which judgment is given in
                                     his favor or he is acquitted, or

                             (ii)    in connection with any application under
                                     section 144(3) or (4) (acquisition of
                                     shares by innocent nominee) or section 727
                                     (general power to grant relief in case of
                                     honest and reasonable conduct) in which
                                     relief is granted to him by the court."

        The Company has obtained  directors' and officers'  insurance  coverage,
which,  subject to policy terms and limitations,  includes coverage to reimburse
the  Company for amounts  that it may be  required or  permitted  by laws to pay
Directors or officers of the Company.

Item 7.    Exemption from Registration Claimed

           Not applicable.

Item 8.    Exhibits

Exhibit Number      Description
--------------      -----------

        4.1         Memorandum of Association of United Business Media plc
        4.2         New Articles of Association of United Business Media plc
        4.3         Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares
        4.4         The United Business Media Long Term Incentive Plan (formerly
                      known as The United News & Media Long Term Incentive Plan)
        4.5         Form of Allocation Certificate
        23          Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers
        24          Powers of Attorney (included in signature page)


                                       5

<PAGE>

Item 9.    Undertakings

        9.1    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

               9.1.1  to file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
                      being  made,   a  post-   effective   amendment   to  this
                      registration statement:

                      (a)    to include any prospectus required by Section
                             10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                      (b)    to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                             arising after the effective date of the
                             registration statement (or the most recent post-
                             effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
                             in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in
                             the information set forth in the registration
                             statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
                             increase or decrease in volume of securities
                             offered (if the total dollar value of securities
                             offered would not exceed that which was registered)
                             and any deviation from the low or high and of the
                             estimated maximum offering ranges may be reflected
                             in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
                             pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
                             changes in volume and price represent no more than
                             a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
                             offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
                             Registration Fee" table in the effective
                             registration statement; and

                      (c)    to include any material information with respect to
                             the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
                             in the registration statement or any material
                             change to such information in the registration
                             statement;

        Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
if the  information  required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment  by
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission  by the  registrant  pursuant  to Section 13 or Section  15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement;

               9.1.2  that, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
                      the  Securities  Act, each such  post-effective  amendment
                      shall  be  deemed  to  be  a  new  registration  statement
                      relating  to  the  securities  offered  therein,  and  the
                      offering of such  securities  at that time shall be deemed
                      to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

               9.1.3  to remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
                      amendment any


                                       6

<PAGE>



                      of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
                      the termination of the offering.

        9.2    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes, that, for purposes
               of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each
               filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section
               13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where
               applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual
               report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
               incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be
               deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
               securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
               at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
               thereof.

        9.2    Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
               Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and
               controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing
               provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in
               the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against
               public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is,
               therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
               indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
               by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
               officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful
               defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
               director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
               securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the
               opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
               precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
               question whether such indemnification by it is against public
               policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
               the final adjudication of such issue.


                                       7

<PAGE>







                                   SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

        Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8 and has  duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized in London, England on this 9th day of July, 2001.

                                                   UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA plc

                                                   By:  /s/ Clive Hollick
                                                        -----------------
                                                   Name:  Clive Hollick
                                                   Title:  Group Chief Executive



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Anne W. Gurnsey, Anne Siddell and Jane
Stables, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or
her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all
exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in, and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature                    Title                               Date
---------                    -----                               ----

/s/ Sir Ronald Hampel        Chairman of the Board               July 9, 2001
-------------------------    and Non-Executive Director
Sir Ronald Hampel

/s/ Clive Hollick            Group Chief Executive and           July 9, 2001
-------------------------    and Executive Director
Clive Hollick

/s/ Malcolm Wall             Chief Operating Officer and         July 9, 2001
-------------------------    Executive Director
Malcolm Wall



<PAGE>



/s/ John Botts               Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
John Botts

/s/ Fields Wicker-Miurin     Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Fields Wicker-Miurin

/s/ Charles Gregson          Executive Director                  July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Charles Gregson

/s/ J. Christopher Powell    Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
J. Christopher Powell

/s/ Adair Turner             Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Adair Turner

/s/ Geoffrey Unwin           Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Geoffrey Unwin


Authorized Representative of
United Business Media plc in
the United States:


/s/ Anne W. Gurnsey
-------------------
Anne W. Gurnsey



<PAGE>



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit                      Description
-------                      -----------

4.1           Memorandum of Association of United Business Media plc

4.2           New Articles of Association of United Business Media plc

4.3           Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares

4.4           The United Business Media Long Term Incentive Plan (formerly known
                as The United News & Media Long Term Incentive Plan)

4.5           Form of Allocation Certificate

23            Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers

24            Powers of Attorney (included in signature page)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "s8.txt", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 22567}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA PLC", "cik": "0000813811", "assigned-sic": "2711", "irs-number": "000000000", "state-of-incorporation": "X0", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-64782", "film-number": "1676987"}, "business-address": {"street1": "C/O UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA INC", "street2": "32 UNION SQUARE EAST 5TH FLOOR", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10003", "phone": "2123586750"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "C/O UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA INC", "street2": "32 UNION SQUARE EAST 5TH FLOOR", "city": "NEW YORK", "state": "NY", "zip": "10003"}, "former-company": [{"former-conformed-name": "UNITED NEWS & MEDIA PLC", "date-changed": "19990602"}, {"former-conformed-name": "UNITED NEWS & MEDIA GROUP LTD", "date-changed": "19981230"}]}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 9, 2001
                                                        Registration No. 333-___
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                              ---------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                        UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                               ------------------

                            UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA plc
                                formerly known as
                             UNITED NEWS & MEDIA plc
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                  England                                 N/A
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of        (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
      Incorporation or Organization)

                                 Ludgate House,
                              245 Blackfriars Road
                                 London SE1 9UY
   (Address, including Zip Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

               THE UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA LONG TERM INCENTIVE PLAN
           (formerly The United News & Media Long Term Incentive Plan)
                              (Full Title of Plan)

                              Anne W. Gurnsey, Esq.
                           United Business Media Inc.
                               810 Seventh Avenue
                                   27th Floor
                               New York, NY 10019
                                 (212) 358-6750

                     (Name and Address, Including Zip Code,
        and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

                                   Copies to:

                              Nancy M. Ruzich, Esq.
                      Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP
                                 399 Park Avenue
                            New York, New York 10022
                                 (212) 782-2900
                               -------------------

Approximate  date of  commencement  of sales  pursuant  to the Plan:  As soon as
reasonably practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Title of Each Class of      Amount to be         Proposed       Proposed Maximum    Amount of
    Securities to be        Registered (1)        Maximum           Aggregate       Registration
       Registered                              Offering Price   Offering Price (2)      Fee
                                               Per Share (2)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ordinary Shares, 25p           223,135             $7.71        $1,720,370.90        $430.09
each (3)................
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------

(1)     This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional Ordinary
        Shares which may become issuable under The United Business Media Long
        Term Incentive Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split,
        recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt
        of consideration which results in an increase in the number of
        outstanding Ordinary Shares.

(2)     Pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
        the proposed maximum offering price per share and the proposed maximum
        aggregate offering price for the Ordinary Shares to be issued under The
        United Business Media Long Term Incentive Plan has been computed based
        upon the average of the high and low prices for the Registrant's
        Ordinary Shares which trade on The London Stock Exchange as of July 6,
        2001 ((pound)5.51/ $7.71). The proposed maximum offering price per share
        and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price are expressed in U.S.
        dollars using the noon buying rate in New York City for cable transfers
        in British pounds sterling as certified for customs purposes by the
        Federal Reserve Bank of New York on July 6, 2001 of (pound)1.00 =
        $1.3998.

(3)     Represents Ordinary Shares to be issued under The United Business Media
        Long Term Incentive Plan pursuant to allocations of shares already
        promised, with no exercise price.

                                       2
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THIS SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

Item 1.    Plan Information.

        Documents  containing  the  information  specified  in  Part  I of  this
Registration  Statement  have been sent or given to  participants  in The United
Business Media Long Term  Incentive  Plan  (formerly  known as The United News &
Media Long Term  Incentive  Plan (the "Plan") as specified by Rule  428(b)(l) of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act").  Such documents
are not  required  to be and are not  filed  with the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission (the "Commission")  either as part of this Registration  Statement or
as a prospectus or prospectus  supplement  pursuant to Rule 424. These documents
and the  documents  incorporated  by  reference in this  Registration  Statement
pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of this Form S-8,  taken  together,  constitute  a
prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

Item 2.    Registrant Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.

        Upon  written or oral  request,  any of the  documents  incorporated  by
reference in Item 3 of Part II of this  Registration  Statement (which documents
are incorporated by reference in this Section 10(a) Prospectus), other documents
required to be  delivered  to eligible  employees  pursuant to Rule  428(b),  or
additional   information   about  the  Plan  are  available  without  charge  by
contacting:

                            UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA plc
                         c/o United Business Media Inc.
                               810 Seventh Avenue
                                   27th Floor
                               New York, NY 10019
                           Attention: Anne W. Gurnsey
                                 (212) 782-2900

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.    Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The following  documents,  heretofore filed by United Business Media plc
(the "Company") with the Commission,  are  incorporated  herein by reference and
made a part hereof:

                (a) The Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1999, filed by the Company with the Commission under the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), on July
10, 2000.

                                       3
(b) All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since December 31, 1999, which is the end of
the fiscal year covered by the Annual Report on Form 20-F referred to above.

                (c) The description of the Company's Share Capital contained in
the Company's Registration Statement on Form 20-F (File No. 0-15742), filed by
the Company with the Commission under the Exchange Act on April 29, 1987,
including any amendment thereto or report filed by the Company with the
Commission for the purpose of updating such description.

                (d) All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to
Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold from the date of filing such
documents with the Commission.

Item 4.    Description of Securities.

           Not Applicable.

Item 5.    Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

           Not Applicable.

Item 6.    Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

        Except as hereinafter set forth,  there is no provision of the Company's
Memorandum and Articles of  Association or any contract,  arrangement or statute
under which any Director or officer of the Company is insured or  indemnified in
any manner against any liability that he may incur in his capacity as such.

        The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company  provide that,
subject to the  provisions of the  Companies  Act 1985 of England and Wales,  as
amended (the "Companies  Act"), and other applicable laws, but without prejudice
to any  indemnity  to which any  Director or officer may  otherwise be entitled,
every Director or officer of the Company shall be indemnified  out of the assets
of the  Company  against  any  liability  incurred  by him in such  capacity  in
defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgment is given
in his favor or in which he is acquitted or in connection  with any  application
under the  Companies Act or other  applicable  law in which relief is granted to
him by the court.

        Section 310 of the Companies Act provides:

               "(1) This section applies to any provision,  whether contained in
               a  company's  articles  or in any  contract  with the  company or
               otherwise, for exempting any officer of the company or any person
               (whether  an officer or not)  employed  by the Company as auditor
               from, or indemnifying him against, any liability which by

                                       4
virtue  of any  rule  of law  would  otherwise  attach  to him in
               respect of any negligence,  default,  breach of duty or breach of
               trust of which he may be guilty in relation to the company.

               (2) Except as  provided  by the  following  subsection,  any such
               provision is void.

               (3) This section does not prevent a company -

                      (a)    from purchasing and maintaining for any such
                             officer or auditor insurance against any such
                             liability, or

                      (b)    from indemnifying any such officer or auditor
                             against any liability incurred by him -

                             (i)     in defending any proceedings (whether civil
                                     or criminal) in which judgment is given in
                                     his favor or he is acquitted, or

                             (ii)    in connection with any application under
                                     section 144(3) or (4) (acquisition of
                                     shares by innocent nominee) or section 727
                                     (general power to grant relief in case of
                                     honest and reasonable conduct) in which
                                     relief is granted to him by the court."

        The Company has obtained  directors' and officers'  insurance  coverage,
which,  subject to policy terms and limitations,  includes coverage to reimburse
the  Company for amounts  that it may be  required or  permitted  by laws to pay
Directors or officers of the Company.

Item 7.    Exemption from Registration Claimed

           Not applicable.

Item 8.    Exhibits

Exhibit Number      Description
--------------      -----------

        4.1         Memorandum of Association of United Business Media plc
        4.2         New Articles of Association of United Business Media plc
        4.3         Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares
        4.4         The United Business Media Long Term Incentive Plan (formerly
                      known as The United News & Media Long Term Incentive Plan)
        4.5         Form of Allocation Certificate
        23          Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers
        24          Powers of Attorney (included in signature page)

                                       5
Item 9.    Undertakings

        9.1    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

               9.1.1  to file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
                      being  made,   a  post-   effective   amendment   to  this
                      registration statement:

                      (a)    to include any prospectus required by Section
                             10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

                      (b)    to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                             arising after the effective date of the
                             registration statement (or the most recent post-
                             effective amendment thereof) which, individually or
                             in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in
                             the information set forth in the registration
                             statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any
                             increase or decrease in volume of securities
                             offered (if the total dollar value of securities
                             offered would not exceed that which was registered)
                             and any deviation from the low or high and of the
                             estimated maximum offering ranges may be reflected
                             in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
                             pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the
                             changes in volume and price represent no more than
                             a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
                             offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
                             Registration Fee" table in the effective
                             registration statement; and

                      (c)    to include any material information with respect to
                             the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
                             in the registration statement or any material
                             change to such information in the registration
                             statement;

        Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
if the  information  required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment  by
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission  by the  registrant  pursuant  to Section 13 or Section  15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement;

               9.1.2  that, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
                      the  Securities  Act, each such  post-effective  amendment
                      shall  be  deemed  to  be  a  new  registration  statement
                      relating  to  the  securities  offered  therein,  and  the
                      offering of such  securities  at that time shall be deemed
                      to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; and

               9.1.3  to remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
                      amendment any

                                       6
of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
                      the termination of the offering.

        9.2    The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes, that, for purposes
               of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each
               filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section
               13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where
               applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual
               report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
               incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be
               deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
               securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
               at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
               thereof.

        9.2    Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
               Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and
               controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing
               provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in
               the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against
               public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is,
               therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
               indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment
               by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
               officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful
               defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
               director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
               securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the
               opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
               precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
               question whether such indemnification by it is against public
               policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by
               the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       7
SIGNATURES
                                   ----------

        Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8 and has  duly  caused  this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly authorized in London, England on this 9th day of July, 2001.

                                                   UNITED BUSINESS MEDIA plc

                                                   By:  /s/ Clive Hollick
                                                        -----------------
                                                   Name:  Clive Hollick
                                                   Title:  Group Chief Executive

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Anne W. Gurnsey, Anne Siddell and Jane
Stables, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent
with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or
her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all
exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and
each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in, and about the premises, as fully to
all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or any of
them, or their or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature                    Title                               Date
---------                    -----                               ----

/s/ Sir Ronald Hampel        Chairman of the Board               July 9, 2001
-------------------------    and Non-Executive Director
Sir Ronald Hampel

/s/ Clive Hollick            Group Chief Executive and           July 9, 2001
-------------------------    and Executive Director
Clive Hollick

/s/ Malcolm Wall             Chief Operating Officer and         July 9, 2001
-------------------------    Executive Director
Malcolm Wall
/s/ John Botts               Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
John Botts

/s/ Fields Wicker-Miurin     Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Fields Wicker-Miurin

/s/ Charles Gregson          Executive Director                  July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Charles Gregson

/s/ J. Christopher Powell    Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
J. Christopher Powell

/s/ Adair Turner             Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Adair Turner

/s/ Geoffrey Unwin           Non-Executive Director              July 9, 2001
-------------------------
Geoffrey Unwin

Authorized Representative of
United Business Media plc in
the United States:

/s/ Anne W. Gurnsey
-------------------
Anne W. Gurnsey
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit                      Description
-------                      -----------

4.1           Memorandum of Association of United Business Media plc

4.2           New Articles of Association of United Business Media plc

4.3           Specimen Certificate for Ordinary Shares

4.4           The United Business Media Long Term Incentive Plan (formerly known
                as The United News & Media Long Term Incentive Plan)

4.5           Form of Allocation Certificate

23            Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers

24            Powers of Attorney (included in signature page)