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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. John W. Hesse Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer (972) 916-6102
or Montgomery W. Cornell, Treasurer (972) 916-6044
Protection One, Inc.
www.protectionone.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

              PROTECTION ONE ESTABLISHES POSITION AS SECOND LARGEST
           SECURITY COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH ACQUISITION
               OF APPROXIMATELY 140,000 SUBSCRIBERS AND ASSETS OF
                              MULTIMEDIA SECURITY

               Culver City, California, January 20, 1998 - Protection One
(Nasdaq: ALRM) announced today that it will acquire the subscribers and assets
of Multimedia Security Services, Inc. ("Multimedia"), the nation's 10th largest
monitored alarm company, for approximately $220 million in cash.

     The acquisition, expected to close later in the first quarter of 1998, will
position Protection One as the second largest security company in the United
States. Multimedia, a subsidiary of the Gannett Co., Inc., has approximately
140,000 subscribers primarily in California, Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma and
Texas. Protection One will offer employment to all of Multimedia's approximately
560 employees and expects to maintain Multimedia's state-of-the-art monitoring
center and call center in Wichita, Kansas.

     "We are gratified to have the opportunity to acquire the excellent
operations, assets and employees of Multimedia," said James M. Mackenzie, Jr.,
Protection One's president and chief executive officer. "Multimedia is
recognized industrywide as one of the highest quality providers of residential
security alarm services in the country."

     Mackenzie said that with Multimedia's subscriber base in key growth
markets, it provides a natural overlay on Protection One's existing branch
network and offers further opportunities for growth.

     "We also are gaining a modern, high capacity monitoring and call center
that will complement our existing operations and a growing dealer program that
increases our new account production by 15% immediately," said Mackenzie. "This
acquisition cements our position as the second largest provider of security
services in the country and demonstrates our resolve to become the largest
residential security alarm company in the future."

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     The acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, for
transactions of this size.

     Statements contained in this press release concerning the Company's outlook
for fiscal year 1998, competitive position and other statements of management's
beliefs, goals and expectations are "forward-looking statements" as that term is
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject
to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed in or implied by the statements. These risks and
uncertainties include the ability of the Company to add accounts through the
Dealer Program, acquisitions and strategic alliances and other factors described
in the cautionary statements included in Protection One's prospectus dated
January 2, 1997 (pages 5-11), which statements are incorporated herein by
reference. Protection One disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking
statement as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press
release.

     Protection One, one of the largest security alarm companies in the United
States, provides monitoring and related security services to residential and
commercial subscribers across the nation.

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