Media General Reports June Revenues

Media General Reports June Revenues

RICHMOND, Va., July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Media General, Inc. (NYSE:MEG) today reported that total revenues for June 2005 increased 3.6 percent, to $70.8 million, from June 2004. On a divisional basis, Publishing revenues increased 3.5 percent, Broadcast revenues were up 2.6 percent, and Interactive Media Division revenues rose 37.3 percent.

Newspaper advertising revenues increased $1.8 million, or 5 percent, over last June, and reflected an 8 percent increase at The Tampa Tribune and a 3.3 percent gain at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Including revenues from the company's newspaper Web sites, Publishing revenues increased 4.2 percent and newspaper advertising revenues rose 5.9 percent for the month.

Classified revenues increased $960,000, or 6.2 percent, compared with June 2004. The Tampa Tribune was up 6.9 percent, the Richmond Times-Dispatch was up 6 percent and the Winston-Salem Journal was even with last year. The Community newspapers were up 6.9 percent. Including online advertising, Classified revenues increased 7.9 percent in June.

Employment linage continued to trend upward and increased 7.1 percent at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1.7 percent at The Tampa Tribune and 0.9 percent at the Winston-Salem Journal. Real estate linage was strong in all three markets, while automotive linage was down.

Retail revenues increased $690,000, or 4.4 percent, led by 12 percent growth at The Tampa Tribune. Tampa's results reflected strength in the preprints, entertainment, home furnishings, medical and drug store categories. Retail revenues at the Richmond Times-Dispatch rose 4.3 percent and reflected strong financial advertising and color revenues. Retail advertising at the company's Community newspapers was softer than expected for the month, with the exception of the Northern Virginia market.

National revenues rose $130,000, or 3.9 percent, over last June. Increases at the Winston-Salem Journal and The Tampa Tribune were partially offset by a decline at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The increase in Winston- Salem resulted from higher telecommunications, travel, medical and automotive advertising. Tampa's improvement was due to increased automotive, pharmaceutical and grocery advertising. Richmond's decline was due to lower telecommunications and entertainment advertising.

Circulation revenues were $365,000, or 5.5 percent, below last year, mostly due to a change in wholesale rates to independent carriers. There also were volume decreases in some markets.

In the Broadcast Division, gross time sales increased $590,000, or 2.4 percent, from last June. Local and National transactional sales improved by an aggregate $2.3 million and more than offset a $1.7 million decline in Political spot sales compared with last year.

Local time sales grew by a robust $2 million, or 13.7 percent, driven by continued success with new business development initiatives. Gains in the automotive, financial, furniture, home improvement, and entertainment categories more than offset declines in the telecommunications and corporate categories.

National time sales rose $305,000, or 3.6 percent. Increases in the corporate and entertainment categories more than offset decreases in financial and automotive advertising.

Interactive Media Division revenues rose 37.3 percent to $1.6 million. This growth was driven by a 44.6 percent increase in Classified advertising and new product revenue. Local advertising was up 47.5 percent.

About Media General

Media General is a diversified communications company operating leading newspapers, television stations and online enterprises, primarily in the Southeastern United States. The company's publishing assets include three metropolitan newspapers, The Tampa Tribune, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Winston-Salem Journal; 22 daily community newspapers in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina; and more than 100 weekly newspapers and other publications. The company's broadcasting assets include 26 network-affiliated television stations that reach more than 30 percent of the television households in the Southeast and nearly 8 percent of those in the United States. The company's interactive media assets include more than 50 online enterprises that are associated with its newspapers and television stations. Media General also owns a 33 percent interest in SP Newsprint Company.

MEDIA GENERAL INC.

Revenues and Page Views

June % 2005 2004 Change

Revenues (000) $70,805 $68,364 3.6 % Publishing 44,193 42,719 3.5 % Broadcast 25,435 24,793 2.6 % Interactive Media 1,550 1,129 37.3 % Eliminations (373) (277) (34.7)%

Selected Publishing Revenues (000) By Category Advertising $36,949 $35,182 5.0 % Classified 16,541 15,580 6.2 % Retail 16,347 15,655 4.4 % National 3,525 3,393 3.9 % Other 536 554 (3.2)% Circulation 6,308 6,672 (5.5)% By Property Richmond 10,502 10,466 0.3 % Tampa 14,358 13,359 7.5 % Winston-Salem 4,127 4,029 2.4 % Community Newspapers 15,039 14,693 2.4 %

Advertising Revenues (000) Richmond $8,178 $7,920 3.3 % Tampa 13,090 12,116 8.0 % Winston-Salem 3,334 3,294 1.2 % Community Newspapers 12,017 11,685 2.8 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $25,341 $24,749 2.4 % Local 16,403 14,432 13.7 % National 8,754 8,448 3.6 % Political 184 1,869 (90.2)%

Selected Online Total Page Views TBO.com 20,121,559 17,522,217 14.8 % (Tampa, Fla.) TimesDispatch.com 8,668,467 6,039,122 43.5 % (Richmond, Va.) JournalNow.com 3,650,106 2,960,807 23.3 % (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Year-to-Date % 2005 2004 Change

Revenues (000) $451,646 $433,046 4.3 % Publishing 289,893 276,234 4.9 % Broadcast 154,561 152,126 1.6 % Interactive Media 9,463 6,484 45.9 % Eliminations (2,271) (1,798) 26.3 %

Selected Publishing Revenues (000) By Category Advertising $239,864 $225,232 6.5 % Classified 105,063 96,749 8.6 % Retail 108,617 104,415 4.0 % National 22,689 20,526 10.5 % Other 3,495 3,542 (1.3)% Circulation 43,522 44,999 (3.3)% By Property Richmond 69,572 67,676 2.8 % Tampa 94,427 87,011 8.5 % Winston-Salem 26,678 26,052 2.4 % Community Newspapers 98,159 94,416 4.0 %

Advertising Revenues (000) Richmond $53,832 $51,108 5.3 % Tampa 84,768 77,714 9.1 % Winston-Salem 21,563 21,128 2.1 % Community Newspapers 78,221 74,277 5.3 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $153,638 $152,249 0.9 % Local 100,052 91,880 8.9 % National 52,686 51,763 1.8 % Political 900 8,606 (89.5)%

Selected Online Total Page Views TBO.com 106,244,130 81,509,098 30.3 % (Tampa, Fla.) TimesDispatch.com 50,541,228 39,840,243 26.9 % (Richmond, Va.) JournalNow.com 21,241,403 15,477,352 37.2 % (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Notes: All data are subject to later adjustment.

MEDIA GENERAL INC.

Daily Newspapers Advertising Linage*

June

2005 2004 % Change RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Retail 27,479 29,063 (5.5)% National 8,742 11,090 (21.2)% Classified 75,699 74,647 1.4 % Total 111,920 114,800 (2.5)%

TAMPA TRIBUNE Retail 41,775 38,953 7.2 % National 13,722 14,557 (5.7)% Classified 127,504 131,900 (3.3)% Total 183,001 185,410 (1.3)%

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL Retail 34,909 33,796 3.3 % National 8,974 6,496 38.1 % Classified 58,638 59,750 (1.9)% Total 102,521 100,042 2.5 %

COMMUNITY & ASSOCIATES DAILIES Retail 296,727 303,050 (2.1)% National 27,051 31,918 (15.2)% Classified 415,478 451,783 (8.0)% Total 739,256 786,751 (6.0)%

MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL Retail 400,890 404,862 (1.0)% National 58,489 64,061 (8.7)% Classified 677,319 718,080 (5.7)% Total 1,136,698 1,187,003 (4.2)%

Year-to-Date

2005 2004 % Change RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Retail 189,699 198,622 (4.5)% National 64,143 65,141 (1.5)% Classified 471,439 464,413 1.5 % Total 725,281 728,176 (0.4)%

TAMPA TRIBUNE Retail 275,838 258,239 6.8 % National 91,716 86,511 6.0 % Classified 834,321 832,022 0.3 % Total 1,201,875 1,176,772 2.1 %

WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL Retail 218,426 224,094 (2.5)% National 54,336 50,985 6.6 % Classified 377,022 370,164 1.9 % Total 649,784 645,243 0.7 %

COMMUNITY & ASSOCIATES DAILIES Retail 1,954,035 1,964,381 (0.5)% National 175,740 169,780 3.5 % Classified 2,698,856 2,806,552 (3.8)% Total 4,828,631 4,940,713 (2.3)%

MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL Retail 2,637,998 2,645,336 (0.3)% National 385,935 372,417 3.6 % Classified 4,381,638 4,473,151 (2.0)% Total 7,405,571 7,490,904 (1.1)%

* Advertising is in column inches -- full run only

Source: Media General, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors: Lou Anne J. Nabhan, +1-804-649-6103, or Media: Ray Kozakewicz, +1-804-649-6748, both of Media General, Inc.

Web site: http://www.mediageneral.com/

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