1950-1989

1965
D. Tennant Bryan acquired controlling interest of Richmond Newspapers.

In the postwar years, the city again experienced robust growth. By 1966, the population had reached 230,000 within the city limits and almost as many in the suburbs. The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Richmond News Leader became a publicly owned company under the corporate name Richmond Newspapers, Inc., offering 350,983 shares of RNI Class A stock at $22 a share.

1968
RNI purchased the Fredericksburg, Va., cable television system.

1969
Media General, Inc. came into existence with Richmond Newspapers, Inc. as its wholly owned subsidiary.

The first board of directors of Media General:

D. Tennant Bryan
Director and Chairman, Richmond

Alan S. Donnahoe
Director and President, Richmond

Andrew J. Brent
Director, Secretary and General Counsel Partner, Christian, Barton, Parker, Epps and Brent, Richmond

A. Hamilton Bryan
Director, President, The Corley Company, Richmond

Lamont S. Bryan
Director, Richmond

John C. Council
Director, Chairman of the Editorial Board, The Tribune Company, Tampa

George W. Harvey
Director, Vice President, The Tribune Company, Tampa

Paul E. Manheim
Director, Partner, Lehman Brothers, New York

J. Harvie Wilkinson Jr.
Director, President, United Virginia Bankshares, Inc., CEO, United Virginia Bank/State Planters, Richmond

William F. Robertson
Assistant Secretary and Treasurer

J. Curtis Barden
Assistant Treasurer and Controller

OTHER KEY EVENTS:

Media General purchased Beacon Press, Inc.

Acquired an additional 29 percent share of The Tribune Co., bringing total ownership to 84 percent.

Acquired Piedmont Publishing Co. (Winston-Salem Journal, Twin City Sentinel) announced.

Media General listed on the American Stock Exchange.

Obtained 100 percent ownership of The Tribune Co.

1971
MG founds MG Financial Daily, which grows into MG Financial Services.

Sold Richmond radio stations WRNL, AM and FM.

Sold all physical assets of The Evening News Publishing Co., except certain press units.

1972
Completed expansion of Pomona, Calif., newsprint mill.

Media General building
from 1971-1998

1975
The Tampa newspapers moved into a $25 million facility in downtown Tampa.

1976
Completed newsprint recycling mill in Mexico (49 percent interest).

Acquired Cliggott Publishing Co., medical magazine publisher.

The Tampa Tribune home since 1975

1978
J. Stewart Bryan III succeeded his father as publisher of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Richmond News Leader.

1979
Dublin, Ga.newsprint mill opened.

1980
Acquired Highlander Publications and Golden West Publishing, Inc., in Southern California, with a total of 26 community newspapers.

1982
Awarded franchise to construct cable television system in Fairfax, Va.

Acquired William B. Tanner Co. of Memphis, Tenn.

Merged The Tampa Times into The Tampa Tribune.

Acquired WJWB-TV in Jacksonville, Fla.

1983
Acquired WCBD-TV, Charleston, S.C.

Construction began at Fairfax Cable.

1985
The Sentinel merged into Winston-Salem Journal.

Acquired 40 percent interest in Garden State Newspapers, Inc.

1986
Began publishing Virginia Business Magazine.

1987
Acquired one-third interest in Gulf Coast Media Group, Inc.

1988
Divested principal operations of Media General Broadcast Services (Tanner).

1989
Sold Pomona, Calif., newsprint mill (and $44 million cash) in exchange for 2.8 million Class A shares.

Acquired 12.5 percent interest in Sun Coast Media Group, Inc.