2000-Present

2000
In March, Media General opened its Tampa News Center, bringing the newsrooms of WFLA, The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com together in the nation's most advanced laboratory for media convergence.

In March, Media General acquired 13 television stations from Spartan Communications for $605 million. The stations included: WKRG in Mobile, Ala; WMBB in Panama City, Fla.; WJBF in Augusta, Ga.; WRBL in Columbus, Ga.; WNEG in Toccoa, Ga.; KIMT in Mason City, Iowa; KBSD in Dodge City, Kan.; KBSL in Goodland, Kan.; KBSH in Hays, Kan.; KWCH in Wichita, Kan.; WASV in Anderson, S.C.; WBTW in Florence, S.C.; and WSPA in Spartanburg, S.C.

In August, Media General acquired The Dothan Eagle, the Opelika-Auburn News, The (Florence) Morning News plus several other daily and weekly newspapers in Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. The company purchased these properties from Thomson Corp. for $237 million.

In August, Media General sold Garden State Paper Co. to Enron.

2001
In January, Media General launched its Interactive Media Division, the cornerstone of the company's efforts to fully integrate Internet technologies into its corporate strategies. The new division builds upon the strengths of the company's newspapers, television stations and financial databases to create profitable online enterprises.

On Sept. 19, Media General's stock moved to the New York Stock Exchange under a new ticker symbol: MEG.

In October, Media General relocated its Broadcast Division to Richmond from Tampa.

In December, Media General opened a completely renovated building at 111 N. Fourth St. to house the headquarters of its Broadcast Division and its Interactive Media Division.

2002
This was the first full year of operation of the Broadcast Division's new Central Traffic Operation in Tampa. The new system enables all Media General television stations to more effectively manage and price spot inventory, and the division far outpaced the industry in revenue growth for the year.

By year's end, Media General had implemented convergence in five more markets, including Central and Southwest Virginia, South Carolina, the Florida Panhandle-Southern Alabama, and the Alabama-Georgia state line.

2003
On June 2, the Federal Communications Commission relaxed its newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule, which opens new opportunities for convergence in the Southeast.

2005
On July 1, J. Stewart Bryan III stepped down as chief executive officer and will remain chairman of the board. Marshall N. Morton, who had been vice chairman and chief financial officer, became president and chief executive officer.

Broadcast Division and Interactive Media Division headquarters

On July 18, Media General acquired Blockdot, Inc., a Dallas-based advergaming and game development firm known for successful product innovation and services for many Fortune 500 companies. Blockdot was founded in 2001 and pioneered advergaming, which is the use of interactive games to deliver advertising messages to develop brand awareness and drive traffic to consumer-oriented Web sites. Blockdot also operates a network of casual game sites, including its flagship site, Kewlbox.com.

2006
On April 6, Media General and NBC Universal announce that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Media General will purchase four NBC owned and operated television stations in a cash transaction valued at approximately $600 million. Media General also announced it plans divestitures, including the required sale, based on FCC rules, of its CBS affiliate in Birmingham, Ala. Media General also plans to sell its CBS affiliates KWCH in Wichita, Kan., including that station’s three satellites; KIMT in Mason City, Iowa; and WDEF in Chattanooga, Tenn. Media General intends to divest these assets, separately or as a group, by the end of this year.

On June 26, Media General announces that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of four NBC stations. The stations and their Designated Market Areas (DMAs) are: WNCN in Raleigh, N.C., #29; WCMH in Columbus, Ohio, #32; WVTM in Birmingham, Ala., #40; and WJAR in Providence, R.I., #51. All four stations are ranked among the top three in their respective markets.

On December 4, Media General enters into a strategic alliance with Yahoo! Inc., joining the national consortium of newspaper companies to deliver search, graphical, and classified advertising to consumers in the communities where they live and work.

2007
On October 29, Media General announces that it is exploring the potential sale of five broadcast television stations in mid-sized markets in the Southeastern U.S. The five stations and Designated Market Areas (DMAs) are:

• WCWJ (CW), Jacksonville, Fla., 49
• WTVQ (ABC), Lexington, Ky., 64
• WMBB (ABC), Panama City, Fla., 154
• KALB/NALB (NBC/CBS), Alexandria, La., 180
• WNEG, Toccoa, Ga., which is an independent satellite station for WSPA in Spartanburg, S.C.

2008
On March 31, Media General along with its two other equal partners in SP Newsprint Company, Cox Enterprises, Inc. and The McClatchy Company, complete the sale of SP Newsprint to White Birch Paper Company.  Media General received proceeds of approximately $58 million from the transaction and used the funds to reduce debt.

On March 31, Media General purchases DealTaker.com, an online social shopping portal that attracts nearly 500,000 unique visitors per month who are seeking shopping bargains. The site is frequented by a growing community of users who come to the site seeking savings, discounts, coupons, advice and convenient purchasing opportunities.

On October 31, Media General purchases Richmond.com, an award-winning local news and entertainment portal, from TWG Portals, LLC of Richmond.

2009
On February 1, Media General launched a new production and distribution unit within its Publishing Division.  The new Operations and Distribution Solutions Group is responsible for all printing and distribution for the company’s 21 daily newspapers and more than 250 weekly newspapers and niche publications.  The new unit will expand outside sales for commercial printing, including pursuing opportunities for high-speed offset web printing, primarily with other newspapers and specialty publications.

On March 23, Media General announces that effective July 1, 2009, the company will alter its organizational structure, shifting from its current three division structure (Publishing, Broadcast and Interactive Media) to five geographic markets.  All properties in a given market will report to a market leader regardless of platform.

On September 24, the company sold Virginia Business Magazine to Virginia Business Publications LLC, a Virginia-based investment company that includes Bernard A. Niemeier, the magazine’s president and publisher. The magazine was launched in 1986.

2010
On April 12, the Bristol (Va.) Herald Courier wins the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the work of reporter Daniel Gilbert in illuminating the murky mismanagement of natural-gas royalties owed to thousands of land owners in Southwest Virginia, spurring remedial action by state lawmakers.

Previous Media General Pulitzer Prize winners include:

• 1948 - Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial Writing
• 1966 - The Tampa Tribune Investigative Reporting
• 1971 - Winston-Salem Journal Public Service
• 1972 - Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial Cartooning
• 1978 - Richmond Times-Dispatch Editorial Cartooning