Media General Reports April Revenues

Media General Reports April Revenues

RICHMOND, Va., May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Media General, Inc. (NYSE:MEG) today reported April 2006 total revenues of $90.8 million, a 0.5 percent increase from April 2005. By business segment, Publishing Division total revenues increased 0.3 percent, Broadcast Division total revenues declined 0.6 percent, and Interactive Media Division revenues rose 36 percent.

"For the month of April, Publishing Division advertising revenues increased 1.2 percent, which reflected growth in Classified advertising revenues of 8.4 percent, partially offset by lower Retail and National advertising," said Marshall N. Morton, president and chief executive officer. "In the Broadcast Division, National time sales increased while Local time sales declined, reflecting soft advertiser spending in several categories and a challenging comparison to an especially strong month in 2005 when this category grew 13.1 percent.

"Interactive Media Division revenues of $2.5 million were the highest monthly total since the division's inception in 2001. The growth in April was driven mostly by Classified advertising, which was up 28.1 percent. Nearly all of our Web sites generated strong revenue increases and improved operating performance for the month. Unique visitors increased 22 percent in May to 5.8 million users," said Mr. Morton.

In the Publishing Division, Classified revenue growth was driven primarily by the strength of real estate advertising at The Tampa Tribune, where total Classified revenues increased 21.5 percent. The Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Winston-Salem Journal reported decreases in Classified revenues of 0.6 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively, and the Community newspapers were up 3.4 percent in total Classified advertising.

Real estate linage increased 36.5 percent for the company's three metropolitan newspapers, including growth of 84.6 percent at The Tampa Tribune and 23.7 percent at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Automotive linage continued to reflect restrained spending by automotive dealers and was down 20.6 percent for the three metros.

Employment linage at the three metro newspapers declined 9.2 percent, partially due to Easter Sunday, when Classified advertising is typically soft. Help-wanted linage was down 24.6 percent at The Tampa Tribune, while the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Winston-Salem Journal were both essentially even with last year.

Retail revenues for April declined $420,000, or 1.9 percent. The April 2006 results reflected soft Easter advertising and a shift this year of Mother's Day preprint advertising into May. Higher Retail revenues at the Winston-Salem Journal, up 5.5 percent, and for the Community newspaper group, up 1.3 percent, only partially offset declines in the Tampa market and at the Richmond Times-Dispatch of 6.8 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.

National revenues decreased $895,000, or 21.5 percent, which was attributable to lower spending in the telecommunications and automotive categories at The Tampa Tribune.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch posted an increase in National revenues of 3.6 percent, mostly due to higher insurance and real estate advertising, and the Winston-Salem Journal was even with last year.

Circulation revenues were down $420,000, or 5 percent, and approximately 40 percent of the decline was due to the continued roll-out of a change in wholesale rates to independent carriers at several newspapers. These rate changes generated a parallel dollar-for-dollar decrease in Circulation expense. The rate change process is expected to be completed at all of the company's newspapers by mid-2006. In April 2006, eight Media General newspapers posted increases in net paid Daily Circulation for the month, while overall volume decreased slightly.

In the Broadcast Division, gross time sales decreased $385,000, or 1.2 percent. National time sales increased $60,000, or 0.6 percent, and reflected higher spending in the telecommunications, automotive and services categories, offset partially by decreases in fast food and home improvement advertising.

Local time sales decreased $595,000, or 2.8 percent, and reflected lower spending in the fast food, entertainment and home improvement categories, partially offset by increases in the furniture, telecommunications and department store categories.

Political revenues for the month were $405,000 compared with $260,000 last April and were mostly derived from state and local races in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

Interactive Media Division revenue growth reflected increased advertising in all categories, especially online Classifieds for help-wanted and real estate advertising. National/Regional advertising increased more than 60 percent as a result of additional campaigns across multiple Web sites. Local revenues increased 27.4 percent and reflected additional video banners and the benefit of sales training initiatives. Page views and visitor sessions for the month increased 11 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

About Media General

Media General is a multimedia 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 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 75 online enterprises that are associated with its newspapers and television stations. Media General also owns a 33 percent interest in SP Newsprint Company, a manufacturer of recycled newsprint.

MEDIA GENERAL INC.
Revenues and Page Views

April
2006 2005 % Change

Revenues (000)(1) $90,769 $90,346 0.5 %
Publishing 57,374 57,189 0.3 %
Broadcast 31,553 31,758 (0.6)%
Interactive Media 2,489 1,830 36.0 %
Eliminations (647) (431) (50.1)%

Selected Publishing Revenues (000)
By Category
Advertising $48,077 $47,520 1.2 %
Classified 22,413 20,679 8.4 %
Retail 21,652 22,071 (1.9)%
National 3,261 4,154 (21.5)%
Other 751 616 21.9 %
Circulation 7,964 8,386 (5.0)%
By Property
Richmond 13,584 13,907 (2.3)%
Tampa 18,309 18,224 0.5 %
Winston-Salem 5,405 5,278 2.4 %
Community Newspapers 19,863 19,631 1.2 %

Advertising Revenues (Dailies) (000)(2)
Richmond $10,691 $10,850 (1.5)%
Tampa 16,588 16,400 1.1 %
Winston-Salem 4,344 4,284 1.4 %
Community Newspapers 16,004 15,686 2.0 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000)(1) $31,684 $32,070 (1.2)%
Local 20,456 21,050 (2.8)%
National 10,823 10,762 0.6 %
Political 405 258 57.0 %

Selected Online Total Page Views
TBO.com 14,635,851 17,196,658 (14.9)%
(Tampa, Fla.)
TimesDispatch.com 9,737,857 8,577,824 13.5 %
(Richmond, Va.)
JournalNow.com 3,243,602 3,766,724 (13.9)%
(Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Year-to-Date
2006 2005 % Change

Revenues (000)(1) $317,173 $308,253 2.9 %
Publishing 205,537 200,622 2.4 %
Broadcast 105,098 102,750 2.3 %
Interactive Media 8,684 6,376 36.2 %
Eliminations (2,146) (1,495) (43.5)%

Selected Publishing Revenues (000)
By Category
Advertising $171,621 $165,428 3.7 %
Classified 79,818 72,285 10.4 %
Retail 75,050 74,672 0.5 %
National 14,155 16,067 (11.9)%
Other 2,598 2,404 8.1 %
Circulation 29,156 30,652 (4.9)%
By Property
Richmond 47,922 48,264 (0.7)%
Tampa 70,579 65,914 7.1 %
Winston-Salem 18,281 18,412 (0.7)%
Community Newspapers 68,048 67,308 1.1 %

Advertising Revenues (Dailies) (000)(2)
Richmond $37,542 $37,268 0.7 %
Tampa 63,578 58,910 7.9 %
Winston-Salem 14,626 14,890 (1.8)%
Community Newspapers 54,425 53,551 1.6 %

Broadcast Time Sales (gross) (000)(1) $106,268 $101,559 4.6 %
Local 69,092 66,604 3.7 %
National 36,524 34,374 6.3 %
Political 652 581 12.2 %

Selected Online Total Page Views
TBO.com 63,686,304 70,170,888 (9.2)%
(Tampa, Fla.)
TimesDispatch.com 45,361,968 33,937,655 33.7 %
(Richmond, Va.)
JournalNow.com 15,085,042 14,174,663 6.4 %
(Winston-Salem, N.C.)

Notes: All data are subject to later adjustment.
(1) Includes revenues from certain broadcast and interactive media
operations that the Company is selling.
(2) Amounts reflected included both daily and weekly newspapers.

MEDIA GENERAL INC.
Daily Newspapers Advertising Linage*

April
2006 2005 % Change
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Retail 39,021 39,205 (0.5)%
National 11,017 11,314 (2.6)%
Classified 82,890 94,368 (12.2)%
Total 132,928 144,887 (8.3)%
Tampa Tribune
Retail 53,199 53,429 (0.4)%
National 12,879 15,594 (17.4)%
Classified 161,266 162,119 (0.5)%
Total 227,344 231,142 (1.6)%
Winston-Salem Journal
Retail 45,868 45,390 1.1 %
National 8,712 10,012 (13.0)%
Classified 65,477 74,552 (12.2)%
Total 120,057 129,954 (7.6)%
Community & Associates Dailies
Retail 415,387 388,063 7.0 %
National 21,824 30,056 (27.4)%
Classified 544,718 519,952 4.8 %
Total 981,929 938,071 4.7 %
Media General Dailies Total
Retail 553,475 526,087 5.2 %
National 54,432 66,976 (18.7)%
Classified 854,351 850,991 0.4 %
Total 1,462,258 1,444,054 1.3 %

Year-to-Date
2006 2005 % Change
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Retail 128,244 131,260 (2.3)%
National 41,045 46,036 (10.8)%
Classified 303,470 322,180 (5.8)%
Total 472,759 499,476 (5.3)%
Tampa Tribune
Retail 188,302 190,410 (1.1)%
National 55,255 64,042 (13.7)%
Classified 600,566 578,390 3.8 %
Total 844,123 832,842 1.4 %
Winston-Salem Journal
Retail 147,885 145,305 1.8 %
National 33,966 38,041 (10.7)%
Classified 239,805 262,865 (8.8)%
Total 421,656 446,211 (5.5)%
Community & Associates Dailies
Retail 1,375,268 1,321,726 4.1 %
National 81,620 123,602 (34.0)%
Classified 1,841,865 1,846,671 (0.3)%
Total 3,298,753 3,291,999 0.2 %
Media General Dailies Total
Retail 1,839,699 1,788,701 2.9 %
National 211,886 271,721 (22.0)%
Classified 2,985,706 3,010,106 (0.8)%
Total 5,037,291 5,070,528 (0.7)%

* 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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