BLC Belo Corp.

DALLAS, May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Belo Corp. (NYSE:BLC) issued today its statistical report for the month of April. Consolidated revenue for April increased 3.8 percent versus April of last year with increases in the Newspaper Group and the Television Group. Newspaper Group total revenue increased 5.2 percent for the month of April versus the prior year, with a 3.7 percent increase in advertising revenue. This growth includes an increase in online advertising revenue of almost 50 percent. April 2006 included one more Sunday than April 2005. Adjusting for the extra Sunday, Newspaper Group advertising revenue decreased approximately two percent with an estimated 3.9 percent decrease at The Dallas Morning News and slight increases at The Providence Journal and The Press- Enterprise in Riverside. Television Group revenue increased 2.3 percent in April versus last year, with a 0.4 percent increase in spot revenue. Local spot decreased 2.7 percent versus April of the prior year, national decreased 2.1 percent and political revenues were $1.9 million. Advertising revenues from Belo's Television Group Web sites increased 76 percent in April. At The Dallas Morning News, total revenue increased 5.6 percent in April versus last year, including an estimated $2.9 million in incremental circulation revenue associated with the implementation of the Circulation Review Team's recommended changes, primarily the move from a buy-sell arrangement to a fee-for-delivery distribution system. Advertising revenues, which were not affected by the increase in circulation revenue, increased 2.4 percent in April 2006 versus April 2005, including a 50 percent increase in interactive revenues. On a like-days basis, total revenue at The Morning News increased slightly in April. On a reported basis, classified revenue increased 3.1 percent versus the prior year. On a like-days basis, classified revenue decreased about six percent with an estimated 6.1 percent increase in classified employment revenue, a decrease of about 8.4 percent in classified real estate revenue and an approximate 20 percent decrease in classified automotive revenue. On a reported basis, general full-run ROP revenue increased 5.6 percent in April versus last year with significant strength noted in the financial and telecom categories. Retail full-run ROP revenue decreased 13.9 percent with notable decreases in the department store and entertainment categories. At The Providence Journal, advertising revenue increased 9.7 percent in April 2006 versus April 2005 with total revenue up 8.1 percent. On a like- days basis, total revenue and advertising revenue increased slightly in April. April marked another solid month in classified real estate at The Journal, which was up 17 percent on a like-days basis. At The Press-Enterprise, advertising revenues increased 2.1 percent in April 2006 versus April 2005 with total revenue up 1.1 percent. On a like- days basis, advertising revenue increased slightly and total revenue decreased about half of a percent. Classified real estate continued to show strength in April, increasing 22 percent on a like-days basis. About Belo Belo Corp. is one of the nation's largest media companies with a diversified group of market-leading television, newspaper, cable and interactive media assets. A Fortune 1000 company with 7,700 employees and more than $1.5 billion in annual revenues, Belo operates in some of America's most dynamic markets in Texas, the Northwest, the Southwest, the Mid-Atlantic and Rhode Island. Belo owns 19 television stations, six of which are in the 15 largest U.S. broadcast markets. The Company also owns or operates seven cable news channels and manages one television station through a local marketing agreement. Belo's daily newspapers are The Dallas Morning News, The Providence Journal, The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA) and the Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, TX). The Company also publishes specialty publications targeting young adults, and the fast-growing Hispanic market, including Quick and Al Dia in Dallas/Fort Worth, and El D and La Prensa in Riverside. Belo operates more than 30 Web sites associated with its operating companies. Additional information is available at http://www.belo.com/ or by contacting Carey Hendrickson, vice president/Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, at 214-977-6626. Statements in this communication concerning Belo's business outlook or future economic performance, anticipated profitability, revenues, expenses, dividends, capital expenditures, investments, future financings, or other financial and non-financial items that are not historical facts, are "forward- looking statements" as the term is defined under applicable federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to, changes in capital market conditions and prospects, and other factors such as changes in advertising demand, interest rates and newsprint prices; newspaper circulation matters, including changes in readership, and audits and related actions (including the censure of The Dallas Morning News) by the Audit Bureau of Circulations; technological changes, including the transition to digital television and the development of new systems to distribute television and other audio-visual content; development of Internet commerce; industry cycles; changes in pricing or other actions by competitors and suppliers; regulatory changes; adoption of new accounting standards or changes in existing accounting standards by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or other accounting standard-setting bodies or authorities; the effects of Company acquisitions and dispositions; the recovery of the New Orleans market (where the Company owns and operates market-leading television station WWL-TV, the CBS affiliate) from the effects of Hurricane Katrina; general economic conditions; and significant armed conflict, as well as other risks detailed in Belo's other public disclosures, and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") including the Annual Report on Form 10-K. Belo Monthly Revenue and Statistics April 2006 Revenue (Note 1): (Dollars in thousands) April YTD 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Number of Sundays 5 4 1 18 17 1 Net Operating Revenues Television Group* 62,371 60,964 2.3% 237,063 222,109 6.7% Newspaper Group 71,626 68,075 5.2% 268,656 256,080 4.9% Total Net Operating Revenues 133,996 129,039 3.8% 505,719 478,190 5.8% Television Group* Spot Revenue 55,765 55,535 0.4% 214,318 201,359 6.4% All Other Revenue 6,605 5,429 21.7% 22,745 20,751 9.6% Total Television Group 62,371 60,964 2.3% 237,063 222,109 6.7% Newspaper Group Ad Revenue 59,518 57,380 3.7% 220,279 213,846 3.0% All Other Revenue 12,107 10,695 13.2% 48,377 42,235 14.5% Total Newspaper Group 71,626 68,075 5.2% 268,656 256,080 4.9% Supplemental Newspaper Advertising Revenue Data April % Change DMN PJ PE Group Retail** -13.9% 0.9% -4.8% -8.7% General** 5.6% -15.8% -14.4% 0.9% Classified Total 3.1% 13.0% 5.2% 5.5% Automotive -18.2% -13.6% -26.1% -19.3% Employment 22.8% 2.8% 6.2% 14.4% Real Estate 7.4% 27.8% 20.6% 16.0% Total Advertising Revenue 2.4% 9.7% 2.1% 3.7% Note 1: Certain amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. * This segment includes Belo's television stations and cable news operations. ** Does not include internet-related revenue. DMN - The Dallas Morning News PJ - The Providence Journal PE - The Press-Enterprise Supplemental Newspaper Advertising Revenue Data YTD % Change DMN PJ PE Group Retail** -9.9% -1.0% -5.5% -6.8% General** 9.6% -26.2% -17.4% 2.5% Classified Total 1.7% 9.2% 8.2% 4.7% Automotive -15.4% -2.7% -7.7% -13.1% Employment 16.0% -3.5% 10.1% 10.3% Real Estate 3.1% 26.3% 15.3% 11.8% Total Advertising Revenue 2.4% 5.5% 2.4% 3.0% Note 1: Certain amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. * This segment includes Belo's television stations and cable news operations. ** Does not include internet-related revenue. DMN - The Dallas Morning News PJ - The Providence Journal PE - The Press-Enterprise Linage (Note 1): April YTD 2006 2005 Change 2006 2005 Change Number of Sundays 5 4 1 18 17 1 FULL RUN ROP (Measured in six- column SAU inches) The Dallas Morning News (Note 2) Retail 65,092 79,500 -18.1% 255,397 306,562 -16.7% General 19,968 27,924 -28.5% 81,665 94,899 -13.9% Classified 119,290 130,230 -8.4% 456,975 481,114 -5.0% TOTAL 204,350 237,653 -14.0% 794,036 882,575 -10.0% The Providence Journal Retail 48,327 55,267 -12.6% 188,521 199,293 -5.4% General 3,554 4,438 -19.9% 12,204 18,200 -32.9% Classified 41,805 40,352 3.6% 150,743 153,674 -1.9% TOTAL 93,686 100,057 -6.4% 351,468 371,167 -5.3% The Press-Enterprise Retail 24,213 25,936 -6.6% 90,366 101,227 -10.7% General 9,038 12,067 -25.1% 35,725 44,952 -20.5% Classified 81,939 82,155 -0.3% 317,604 309,501 2.6% TOTAL 115,190 120,158 -4.1% 443,695 455,680 -2.6% Note 1: Certain amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. Note 2: Linage is for The Dallas Morning News newspaper only. Linage for the Denton Record-Chronicle, Al Dia, and Quick is not included due to the difference in their circulation versus The Dallas Morning News. Source: Internal Records DATASOURCE: Belo Corp. CONTACT: Carey Hendrickson, vice president-Investor Relations & Corporate Communications of Belo Corp., +1-214-977-6626 Web site: http://www.belo.com/

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