FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, Oct. 18, 2002

Media General Reports September Revenues

RICHMOND, Va. — Media General, Inc. (NYSE: MEG) today reported September 2002 revenues of $65.9 million, 9.6 percent higher than last September's revenues of $60.1 million. Publishing revenues increased 1.1 percent from September 2001, Broadcast revenues increased 27.4 percent and Interactive Media revenues grew 28.9 percent.

Publishing revenue exceeded prior year levels for the first time since December 2000, excluding acquisitions. Advertising revenue was 2.4 percent ahead of last year, driven mostly by strong national advertising in the company's metropolitan markets.

Retail revenue was below last year by $480,000, or 4.5 percent; the majority of losses occurred in the metropolitan markets. The Tampa Tribune felt the impact of soft advertising schedules in the department store and entertainment categories. The Richmond Times-Dispatch experienced losses in the furniture, financial, medical, and department store categories. With the exception of the North Carolina group, community newspapers were behind last year in retail advertising as well.

Classified revenue was above last year for the first time since April, with an increase of $210,000, or 1.6 percent, although weakness in employment advertising continues to hamper results. Strong automotive and real estate advertising offset declines in employment. Help-wanted linage decreased 29.8 percent at The Tampa Tribune, 25.5 percent at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and 22.6 percent at the Winston-Salem Journal.

National revenue was above last year by $550,000, or 26.2 percent, the result of strength in Tampa and Richmond. In Tampa, the increase was driven by the telecommunications, travel and entertainment categories. In Richmond, the telecommunications category, a smokeless tobacco advertising campaign, unexpected airline advertising and increased spending from a major PC retailer drove the increase. Preprint revenue increased 6.8 percent over last September. Circulation revenue declined 2.1 percent, primarily due to the heavy impact of last year's terrorist attacks on September 2001 single-copy sales volume.

In the Broadcast Division, gross time sales increased 45.9 percent compared to last September. One cause of this strong increase was approximately $3 million in cancelled 2001 gross sales associated with the September 11 tragedies. Excluding this amount, gross time sales still rose by a robust 22.1 percent, led by political advertising and aided by automotive, fast food and services advertising.

Local time sales increased 16.3 percent due to gains in the automotive, services, grocery, furniture and fast food categories. National time sales rose 23.8 percent, reflecting added business in the automotive, corporate, entertainment and fast food categories.

Political revenue was $4.7 million, compared to $117,000 in September 2001, fueled by spending on gubernatorial, U.S. Senate and congressional races in Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia.

Interactive Media revenues continued to show strong growth through classified advertising up-selling arrangements with Media General newspapers, particularly in the employment category.

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.

Charts follow:
Revenue Report
Ad Linage Summaries

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