Media General Reports April Revenues

Media General Reports April Revenues

RICHMOND, Va., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Media General, Inc. (NYSE:MEG) today reported that total revenues for April 2005 were $90.3 million, an increase of 5 percent from April 2004. By segment, Publishing Division revenues increased 5.1 percent, Broadcast Division revenues grew 3 percent, and Interactive Media Division revenues rose 43.3 percent.

"Media General is pleased that the momentum we have experienced so far this year in monthly revenue growth continued in April," said J. Stewart Bryan III, chairman and chief executive. "Our Publishing Division's revenue growth continued to be top of industry, and our Broadcast Division continued to perform well above its industry's average growth rates.

"In April, Publishing revenue growth was spurred by increased Classified advertising, particularly help-wanted. Broadcast revenue growth resulted from higher ratings that translated into increased audience share in several markets, the success of new business initiatives to drive Local revenue growth, and strong advertiser spending in key categories," Bryan said.

Newspaper advertising revenues in April increased $3 million, or 6.6 percent, and reflected a 9.7 percent increase at The Tampa Tribune and a 6.6 percent gain at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Including revenues from the company's newspaper Web sites, the increase in total publishing revenues over last year's period was 5.8 percent and newspaper advertising revenues increased 7.5 percent.

Classified revenues increased $2 million, or 10.8 percent, and reflected growth in nearly all markets. April results were helped somewhat by the fact that Easter fell in April in 2004, while the holiday occurred in March this year. Classified advertising is typically lower on holidays than it is on regular Sundays. Including Interactive Media classified revenues for April, Media General's Classified revenues grew 12.7 percent.

Classified advertising revenues at The Tampa Tribune increased 12.7 percent and the Richmond Times-Dispatch was up 12.6 percent. The Winston- Salem Journal reported growth of 1 percent and Media General's Community newspapers in the aggregate were up 10.9 percent. Employment linage increased 22.1 percent at The Tampa Tribune and 19.7 percent at the Richmond Times- Dispatch, while the Winston-Salem Journal had a 13 percent decline. Automotive linage at The Tampa Tribune was up 4.5 percent, the Richmond Times- Dispatch increased slightly, while the Winston-Salem Journal posted a 6 percent decline and the community newspapers were generally down in automotive classifieds. Real estate linage was up 37 percent at the Winston-Salem Journal, 27.1 percent at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and 7.9 percent at The Tampa Tribune.

Retail revenues increased $930,000, or 4.4 percent. Department store advertising reductions were offset by gains in other categories such as home improvement and financial, and by higher preprints and color revenues. The Tampa Tribune reported the largest increase, 11.1 percent, due partially to a solid performance in the department store and the home improvement categories, as well as increased color and preprint revenues. The Richmond Times-Dispatch posted a 2.9 percent gain, reflecting increases in the medical, home improvement and financial categories. The Winston-Salem Journal was down 1.2 percent and the Community newspaper group was up 1 percent.

National revenues, which were robust in the first quarter, were down slightly in April and mostly reflected decreases at The Tampa Tribune, especially in the automotive and cruise line categories.

Circulation revenues were $290,000, or 3.4 percent below last year, primarily due to a change in wholesale rates to independent carriers in several markets, and to a lesser extent, to volume declines in some markets. The Audit Bureau of Circulations report for the six months ended March 31, 2005, showed that Media General newspapers as a group continued to outperform the industry averages, both Daily and Sunday.

In the Broadcast Division, gross time sales increased $1.4 million, or 4.5 percent. Gains in Local and National transactional time sales more than offset the decline in Political revenues.

Local time sales increased $2.4 million, or 13.1 percent, reflecting another month of strong results from the division's business development initiatives. Growth in fast food, automotive, furniture and services advertising offset declines in the department store and corporate categories.

National time sales rose $420,000, or 4.1 percent, due to gains in the corporate and fast food categories that offset declines in financial and drug store advertising.

Although down substantially from last year, Political revenues of $260,000 exceeded expectations and were attributable to issues advertising for Social Security and educational reforms as well as several local political races.

Interactive Media Division revenues rose 43.3 percent to a monthly record of $1.8 million. This growth was driven by a 52 percent increase in Classified advertising, reflecting continued strong liner upsell activity and special product revenue. Local advertising was up 38 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, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and the 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 20 percent interest in The Denver Post and a 33 percent interest in SP Newsprint Company.

MEDIA GENERAL INC.
Revenues and Page Views

April
2005 2004 % Change

Revenues (000) $90,346 $86,059 5.0 %
Publishing 57,189 54,427 5.1 %
Broadcast 31,758 30,829 3.0 %
Interactive Media 1,830 1,277 43.3 %
Eliminations (431) (474) 9.1 %

Selected Publishing Revenues (000)
By Category
Advertising $47,520 $44,568 6.6 %
Classified 20,679 18,664 10.8 %
Retail 22,071 21,144 4.4 %
National 4,154 4,176 (0.5)%
Other 616 584 5.5 %
Circulation 8,386 8,677 (3.4)%
By Property
Richmond 13,907 13,370 4.0 %
Tampa 18,224 16,700 9.1 %
Winston-Salem 5,278 5,250 0.5 %
Community Newspapers 19,631 18,940 3.6 %

Advertising Revenues (000)
Richmond $10,850 $10,183 6.6 %
Tampa 16,400 14,949 9.7 %
Winston-Salem 4,284 4,282 ---
Community Newspapers 15,686 14,997 4.6 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $32,070 $30,678 4.5 %
Local 21,050 18,617 13.1 %
National 10,762 10,340 4.1 %
Political 258 1,721 (85.0)%

Selected Online Total Page Views
TBO.com 17,196,658 14,583,186 17.9 %
(Tampa, Fla.)
TimesDispatch.com 8,577,824 6,401,826 34.0 %
(Richmond, Va.)
JournalNow.com 3,766,724 2,581,602 45.9 %
(Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Year-to-Date
2005 2004 % Change

Revenues (000) $308,253 $294,215 4.8 %
Publishing 200,622 190,075 5.5 %
Broadcast 102,750 101,086 1.6 %
Interactive Media 6,376 4,286 48.8 %
Eliminations (1,495) (1,232) 21.3 %

Selected Publishing Revenues (000)
By Category
Advertising $165,428 $154,369 7.2 %
Classified 72,285 65,728 10.0 %
Retail 74,672 72,107 3.6 %
National 16,067 14,029 14.5 %
Other 2,404 2,505 (4.0)%
Circulation 30,652 31,464 (2.6)%
By Property
Richmond 48,264 46,756 3.2 %
Tampa 65,914 60,106 9.7 %
Winston-Salem 18,412 18,033 2.1 %
Community Newspapers 67,308 64,446 4.4 %

Advertising Revenues (000)
Richmond $37,268 $35,294 5.6 %
Tampa 58,910 53,399 10.3 %
Winston-Salem 14,890 14,605 2.0 %
Community Newspapers 53,551 50,401 6.2 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000) $101,559 $100,593 1.0 %
Local 66,604 61,465 8.4 %
National 34,374 34,415 (0.1)%
Political 581 4,713 (87.7)%

Selected Online Total Page Views
TBO.com 70,170,888 57,796,761 21.4 %
(Tampa, Fla.)
TimesDispatch.com 33,937,655 25,745,667 31.8 %
(Richmond, Va.)
JournalNow.com 14,174,663 10,734,979 32.0 %
(Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Notes: All data are subject to later adjustment.

MEDIA GENERAL

Daily Newspapers Advertising Linage*

April
2005 2004 % Change
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
Retail 39,205 39,482 (0.7)%
National 11,314 11,198 1.0 %
Classified 94,368 87,232 8.2 %
Total 144,887 137,912 5.1 %
TAMPA TRIBUNE
Retail 53,429 47,095 13.4 %
National 15,594 17,016 (8.4)%
Classified 162,119 156,082 3.9 %
Total 231,142 220,193 5.0 %
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL
Retail 45,390 43,713 3.8 %
National 10,012 9,975 0.4 %
Classified 74,552 72,806 2.4 %
Total 129,954 126,494 2.7 %
COMMUNITY & ASSOCIATES DAILIES
Retail 388,063 401,094 (3.2)%
National 30,056 33,898 (11.3)%
Classified 519,952 545,922 (4.8)%
Total 938,071 980,914 (4.4)%
MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL
Retail 526,087 531,384 (1.0)%
National 66,976 72,087 (7.1)%
Classified 850,991 862,042 (1.3)%
Total 1,444,054 1,465,513 (1.5)%

Year-to-Date
2005 2004 % Change
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
Retail 131,260 138,634 (5.3)%
National 46,036 45,701 0.7 %
Classified 322,180 317,693 1.4 %
Total 499,476 502,028 (0.5)%
TAMPA TRIBUNE
Retail 190,410 182,081 4.6 %
National 64,042 56,364 13.6 %
Classified 578,390 569,088 1.6 %
Total 832,842 807,533 3.1 %
WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL
Retail 145,305 152,801 (4.9)%
National 38,041 36,313 4.8 %
Classified 262,865 252,420 4.1 %
Total 446,211 441,534 1.1 %
COMMUNITY & ASSOCIATES DAILIES
Retail 1,321,726 1,333,804 (0.9)%
National 123,602 109,649 12.7 %
Classified 1,846,671 1,879,896 (1.8)%
Total 3,291,999 3,323,349 (0.9)%
MEDIA GENERAL DAILIES TOTAL
Retail 1,788,701 1,807,320 (1.0)%
National 271,721 248,027 9.6 %
Classified 3,010,106 3,019,097 (0.3)%
Total 5,070,528 5,074,444 (0.1)%

* 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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