FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 17, 2001

Media General To List Stock on NYSE

RICHMOND, Va. — Media General (AMEX: MEG.A) announced today that it has completed the preliminary steps for listing its Class A common stock for trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

On July 16, Media General received NYSE confirmation that it has satisfied the eligibility requirements for listing and has been cleared to file a listing application. Media General plans to complete that process in time to begin trading on the NYSE before the end of the third quarter. At that time, the company's stock will trade under the new ticker symbol MEG.

"Media General has tightened its focus and grown significantly over the past five years, becoming one of the leading providers of high-quality news, information and entertainment in the Southeast," said J. Stewart Bryan III, chairman and chief executive officer. "We believe moving to the NYSE will enhance long-term shareholder value by increasing our visibility with investors and providing the potential for increased liquidity."

Media General's Class A common stock has been listed on the American Stock Exchange under the symbol MEG.A since 1969. The company's shares will continue to trade on the AMEX until they are listed on the NYSE. "The American Stock Exchange has been very good to Media General, and we wish to thank the AMEX for its support and outstanding service," Bryan said.

"The Exchange is privileged to welcome Media General to our family of listed companies," said NYSE Chairman and CEO Dick Grasso. "Media General is an outstanding company whose network of media properties observe the highest standards of fairness and integrity, which are also hallmarks of the Exchange. We look forward to beginning our partnership with the company and its shareholders."

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.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties and should be understood in the context of the company's publicly available reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Media General's future performance could differ materially from its current expectations.