Media General Reports September Revenues

Media General Reports September Revenues

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Media General, Inc. (NYSE:MEG) today reported total revenues for September 2005 of $71.4 million, an increase of 3.1 percent from September 2004. On a divisional basis, Publishing revenues increased 4.3 percent, Broadcast revenues were down slightly compared with last September, and Interactive Media Division revenues rose 50.2 percent.

Newspaper advertising revenues for the month increased $2.2 million, or 6.2 percent, the largest monthly percentage increase since April 2005. Including revenues from the company's newspaper Web sites, newspaper advertising revenues rose 7.1 percent for the month and total Publishing revenues increased 5 percent.

Classified revenues increased $1.7 million, or 11.3 percent, despite weak automotive advertising. Total Classified advertising increased 20.3 percent at The Tampa Tribune compared with last September when multiple hurricanes had an adverse impact on the category, especially help-wanted. The Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Winston-Salem Journal were up 7.9 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively. The company's Community Newspapers increased 3.5 percent. Including online advertising, Classified revenues increased 13.1 percent overall in September.

At the company's three metro newspapers, employment linage followed the strong growth trends of recent months and increased 14.8 percent. The Tampa Tribune had 28.2 percent growth in comparison to the hurricane-depressed results of last September. Employment linage increased 8.7 percent at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and 7.4 percent at the Winston-Salem Journal. Real estate linage increased 43.4 percent for the three markets combined, while automotive linage was down 13.8 percent.

Retail revenues, which had declined in August, increased $640,000, or 3.8 percent in September. The Tampa Tribune reported a 5.9 percent increase mostly due to a special section published in the month and the absence of any hurricane impact this year. Retail revenues at the Richmond Times-Dispatch increased 2 percent, led by gains in preprints and color revenues, while the Winston-Salem Journal was down 4 percent due to lower linage in the department store category and businesses that have left the market. Retail advertising at the Community Newspapers increased 2.1 percent.

National revenues declined $150,000, or 4.2 percent. The Tampa Tribune reported a 7.4 percent decrease mostly due to the absence of insurance advertising that followed the hurricanes last year. The Winston-Salem Journal was down 16.9 percent due to reductions in telecommunication and automotive advertising. Running counter to this trend, the Richmond Times-Dispatch was up 3.8 percent due to improvements in telecommunications advertising and preprints.

Due primarily to a change in wholesale rates to independent carriers, for which there was a corresponding expense decrease, Circulation revenues were down 5 percent, or $340,000, from last year. While some Media General newspapers experienced circulation volume declines in September, 10 newspapers reported Daily circulation volume growth and six newspapers did so for Sunday.

In the Broadcast Division, gross time sales were down $400,000, or 1.6 percent, due to the near absence of Political advertising in this off-election year. Political revenues of $195,000 in 2005 contrasted with revenues of $3.5 million in September 2004. In the 2005 month, Political revenues mostly reflected spending for a local election in Mobile, Ala., and the gubernatorial race in Virginia. Also in September, Broadcast revenues were adversely affected by more than $350,000 due to advertising cancellations and preemptions related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Local time sales grew by $2.2 million, or 16.1 percent, driven by new business development initiatives. Advances in the fast food, medical, automotive and home improvement categories more than offset declines in department store advertising.

National time sales increased $650,000, or 8.4 percent. The increases were driven by higher spending levels in the telecommunications, medical and drug store categories, offsetting a reduction in automotive and fast food advertising.

Interactive Media Division revenues rose 50.2 percent to $1.7 million. This growth was driven by a 52.3 percent increase in Classified advertising and a 27.9 percent increase in Local advertising.

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

September 2005 2004 % Change

Revenues (000) $71,389 $69,242 3.1 % Publishing 45,740 43,865 4.3 % Broadcast 24,400 24,557 (0.6)% Interactive Media 1,658 1,104 50.2 % Eliminations (409) (284) (44.0)%

Selected Publishing Revenues (000) By Category Advertising $38,339 $36,105 6.2 % Classified 16,750 15,046 11.3 % Retail 17,553 16,917 3.8 % National 3,366 3,515 (4.2)% Other 670 627 6.9 % Circulation 6,437 6,776 (5.0)% By Property Richmond 11,240 10,989 2.3 % Tampa 14,599 13,456 8.5 % Winston-Salem 4,134 4,167 (0.8)% Community Newspapers 15,508 15,037 3.1 %

Advertising Revenues (000) Richmond $8,854 $8,458 4.7 % Tampa 13,314 12,143 9.6 % Winston-Salem 3,338 3,402 (1.9)% Community Newspapers 12,419 11,891 4.4 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $24,642 $25,044 (1.6)% Local 16,055 13,829 16.1 % National 8,394 7,744 8.4 % Political 193 3,471 (94.4)%

Selected Online Total Page Views TBO.com 18,624,758 45,810,809 (59.3)% (Tampa, Fla.) TimesDispatch.com 9,587,938 7,983,756 20.1 % (Richmond, Va.) JournalNow.com 3,788,167 3,051,994 24.1 % (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Year-to-Date 2005 2004 % Change

Revenues (000) $672,447 $650,690 3.3 % Publishing 431,993 413,893 4.4 % Broadcast 229,250 229,434 (0.1)% Interactive Media 14,726 10,010 47.1 % Eliminations (3,522) (2,647) (33.1)%

Selected Publishing Revenues (000) By Category Advertising $358,511 $338,203 6.0 % Classified 158,636 145,718 8.9 % Retail 161,175 156,273 3.1 % National 33,177 30,921 7.3 % Other 5,523 5,291 4.4 % Circulation 64,054 66,727 (4.0)% By Property Richmond 103,312 101,558 1.7 % Tampa 140,124 129,479 8.2 % Winston-Salem 39,571 39,045 1.3 % Community Newspapers 147,303 142,166 3.6 %

Advertising Revenues (000) Richmond $80,097 $76,920 4.1 % Tampa 126,381 116,014 8.9 % Winston-Salem 31,885 31,630 0.8 % Community Newspapers 117,568 112,080 4.9 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $227,590 $230,133 (1.1)% Local 149,133 135,431 10.1 % National 77,113 77,575 (0.6)% Political 1,344 17,127 (92.2)%

Selected Online Total Page Views TBO.com 171,001,782 184,575,905 (7.4)% (Tampa, Fla.) TimesDispatch.com 79,273,877 60,122,203 31.9 % (Richmond, Va.) JournalNow.com 33,112,967 25,800,308 28.3 % (Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Notes: All data are subject to later adjustment.

MEDIA GENERAL INC.

Daily Newspapers Advertising Linage*

September 2005 2004 % Change RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Retail 32,664 33,789 (3.3)% National 9,822 10,431 (5.8)% Classified 72,737 74,673 (2.6)% Total 115,223 118,893 (3.1)% TAMPA TRIBUNE Retail 41,400 44,713 (7.4)% National 14,528 15,594 (6.8)% Classified 129,720 121,436 6.8 % Total 185,648 181,743 2.1 % WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL Retail 33,647 37,827 (11.1)% National 5,845 6,731 (13.2)% Classified 56,669 56,906 (0.4)% Total 96,161 101,464 (5.2)% COMMUNITY DAILIES Retail 317,352 306,674 3.5 % National 25,555 28,322 (9.8)% Classified 420,609 423,156 (0.6)% Total 763,516 758,152 0.7 % MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL Retail 425,063 423,003 0.5 % National 55,750 61,078 (8.7)% Classified 679,735 676,171 0.5 % Total 1,160,548 1,160,252 -- -

Year-to-Date 2005 2004 % Change RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH Retail 278,508 296,296 (6.0)% National 92,319 94,659 (2.5)% Classified 699,946 700,564 (0.1)% Total 1,070,773 1,091,519 (1.9)% TAMPA TRIBUNE Retail 402,778 389,678 3.4 % National 138,224 129,528 6.7 % Classified 1,245,296 1,239,497 0.5 % Total 1,786,298 1,758,703 1.6 % WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL Retail 320,923 336,986 (4.8)% National 77,161 73,039 5.6 % Classified 562,693 556,508 1.1 % Total 960,777 966,533 (0.6)% COMMUNITY DAILIES Retail 2,946,909 2,940,479 0.2 % National 262,061 257,585 1.7 % Classified 4,085,417 4,200,663 (2.7)% Total 7,294,387 7,398,727 (1.4)% MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL Retail 3,949,118 3,963,439 (0.4)% National 569,765 554,811 2.7 % Classified 6,593,352 6,697,232 (1.6)% Total 11,112,235 11,215,482 (0.9)%

* Advertising is in column inches - full run only

Source: Media General, Inc.

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

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

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