Media General Acquires Eufaula (AL) TribuneBack to News

RICHMOND, VA, June 27, 2006 – H. Graham Woodlief, president of Media General’s publishing division, announced Monday that the company has acquired the assets of the Eufaula (AL) Tribune Publishing Co. from Joel and Jack Smith. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a newspaper merger-and-acquisition firm based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, represented the Smith family in the transaction.

The acquisition includes the award-winning 4,200-circulation twice-weekly Eufaula Tribune, founded in 1929; the River Rambler, a 6,750-controlled circulation weekly; and the Eufaula Real Estate & Visitors Guide, published 6 times a year.

"The strategic fit and history of high-quality local journalism are ideal for Media General," said Woodlief. "The Eufaula Tribune and its associated publications represent an excellent opportunity for the company to increase our penetration and serve readers in Alabama."

Jack Smith, who has served as editor since 1999, said, "Media General will take our newspaper to new heights we could only dream of as independents. Fitting perfectly into their southeast Alabama cluster will benefit our readers, our advertisers, the community and the region at large."

Media General is a multimedia company whose publishing operations include three metropolitan newspapers; 22 daily community newspapers in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina; and more than 100 weekly newspapers and other publications.