FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 18, 2001

Media General Reports March Revenues

RICHMOND, Va. — Media General (AMEX: MEG.A) today reported total revenues for March 2001 of $64.2 million, up more than 14 percent from $56.2 million in March 2000. This increase represents the results of 13 television stations and five daily newspapers acquired in 2000. Excluding the effects of acquisitions and divestitures, revenues declined 4.2 percent.

Publishing revenues for March 2001 exceeded the prior year by 2.7 percent, including acquisitions and divestitures. Excluding acquisitions and divestitures, the division's revenues were down 5 percent.

Broadcast revenues for the month increased 51 percent, including acquisitions. Excluding acquisitions, the division's revenues decreased 2.6 percent.

Interactive Media revenues were $723,000, up 20 percent from $601,000 in March 2000, when they were included in the other divisions' results.

Excluding acquisitions and divestitures, newspaper advertising revenues declined from March 2000 in all major categories except preprints, which rose 1.7 percent. Classified decreased 9.5 percent; retail fell 9.3 percent; and national declined 6.1 percent.

Excluding acquisitions, gross television time sales declined 4.1 percent from March 2000. Gross time sales also were down significantly at the acquired stations. These shortfalls were due primarily to an extremely soft national spot market, which was characterized by sharp reductions in automotive and telecommunications advertising.

About Media General
Media General is an independent, publicly owned 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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