FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 17, 2003

Media General Reports May Revenues, Confirms Second Quarter Earnings Guidance

RICHMOND, Va. – Media General, Inc. (NYSE: MEG) today reported May 2003 revenues of $66.2 million, a 1.3 percent decline from May 2002 revenues of $67 million. Publishing revenues increased 1.5 percent, Broadcast revenues declined 6.4 percent, and Interactive Media revenues increased 23.2 percent.

"Publishing revenues continued the growth shown in April. Advertising revenue was 1.5 percent above May 2002, with increases in all categories but retail. Our three metro newspapers all posted healthy revenue increases," said J. Stewart Bryan III, chairman and chief executive officer. "The decline in Broadcast revenues was principally due to difficult comparisons to the substantial political revenues of last year. Also, national TV advertising, while up, has not come back post-war as strongly as we had expected," said Bryan.

Publishing retail advertising revenue decreased $1.1 million, or 9.7 percent. All newspapers were affected, with the department store category hardest hit. Preprint revenue continued to be robust and increased $760,000, or 14.1 percent, offsetting some of the ROP retail decline.

Classified revenue was $305,000, or 2.3 percent, above last year. Employment continued to show weakness but was offset by strong automotive and real estate classifieds. Employment linage was down 11.8 percent in Tampa, 13.7 percent in Richmond, and 22.3 percent in Winston-Salem.

National revenue increased $490,000, or 22.2 percent. All three metropolitan markets experienced substantial increases, driven by strong telecommunications schedules in Tampa and Richmond and by automotive advertising in Winston-Salem.

Circulation revenue increased nominally over the prior year.

Broadcast gross time sales declined $965,000, or 3.8 percent, compared to May 2002. The decrease mostly reflects this year's lower political revenues of $320,000, compared with $2.3 million last year.

Local time sales, excluding political advertising, increased $790,000, or 5.6 percent, reflecting strength in the automotive category, partly offset by declines in department store, grocery and fast food advertising. National time sales, excluding political, increased $220,000, or 2.5 percent, reflecting strength in the financial, utilities, medical and department store categories. Political revenues were the result of spending on Kentucky's gubernatorial primaries and early spending in the Louisiana gubernatorial race.

Interactive Media revenues continued to show strong growth both through classified up-selling arrangements with Media General newspapers and through the introduction of value-added services.

Outlook
Media General today confirmed its most recent earnings guidance for the second quarter, provided April 16, 2003, of 72-74 cents per share.

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.

About Media General
Media General is an independent 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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