FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Nov. 16, 2001

Media General Reports October Revenues

RICHMOND, Va. — Media General (NYSE: MEG) today reported revenues of $80.3 million for October 2001, down 10.2 percent from October 2000.

Publishing revenues decreased 9.5 percent from the prior-year month. Broadcast revenues decreased 11.6 percent, while Interactive Media revenues increased 4.8 percent.

"Terrorism and layoffs have severely diminished consumer confidence," said J. Stewart Bryan III, Media General's chairman and chief executive. "As a result, many of our advertisers have curtailed their budgets, and we expect this trend to extend into 2002. We continue to cut our expenses accordingly, and we are beginning to see the full, positive impact of our cost-cutting program."

In the Publishing Division, classified revenue declined 17.2 percent from October 2000, primarily due to weak employment advertising. Help-wanted linage was down 42 percent at the Winston-Salem Journal, 43 percent at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and 47 percent at The Tampa Tribune.

Retail revenue for the month decreased 6.1 percent, but much of that decline was caused by unusually high retail advertising in October 2000 related to the 150th anniversary edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. National revenue dropped 6.8 percent, primarily because of shortfalls at the Times-Dispatch, while preprint revenue slipped 2.6 percent across the division.

After compensating for the switch to independent carriers in Tampa, circulation revenue was essentially even.

In the Broadcast Division, gross television time sales declined 15 percent from the same month last year due to the severe decline of political advertising, which was down 92.4 percent. Local advertising increased 2.9 percent, while national advertising increased 15.4 percent. These positive comparisons, however, are primarily due to the fact that political advertising crowded out other categories in October 2000.

In the Interactive Media Division, up-sell agreements with Media General newspapers continued to boost online classified advertising. The division also enjoyed gains in banner advertising and sponsorship revenue as traffic on Media General Web sites increased steadily.

About Media General
Media General is an independent communications company situated primarily in the Southeast with interests in newspapers, television stations, interactive media and diversified information services. The company's publishing assets include The Tampa Tribune, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Winston-Salem Journal and 22 other daily newspapers in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina, as well as nearly 100 other periodicals and a 20 percent interest in The Denver Post. Media General's 26 network-affiliated television stations 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 extensive interactive media offerings include more than 50 online enterprises. Media General also has a 33 percent interest in SP Newsprint Co., which operates newsprint mills in Dublin, Ga., and Newberg, Ore.

Statistical charts follow:
Revenue Report
Ad Linage Report

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