Chicago Sun-Times Reports Circulation Figures

CHICAGO, Mar 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- SVN | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- Sun-Times Media Group, Inc. (NYSE: SVN | news | PowerRating | PR Charts ) announced that the Audit Bureau of Circulations has released audit reports for the 26-week periods ended March 26, 2006 and September 24, 2006 for its flagship Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. With the release of these figures, ABC has notified the Chicago Sun-Times that it is no longer on censure status.

The March 2006 and September 2006 audits were the last two of four censure audits required by ABC, which censured the Chicago Sun-Times in July 2004 for prior circulation misstatements. The Chicago Sun-Times anticipates filing its March 2007 and September 2007 Publisher Statements this spring and will file its March 2008 circulation figures along with other newspapers in the industry by April 15, 2008.

"We are pleased to put this behind us, and look forward to continuing good relations with ABC and our advertisers," said Cyrus Freidheim, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun-Times Media Group and Publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times.

For the 26 weeks ended March 26, 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times reported an increase in total average daily circulation (Monday through Friday) of 3.7 percent to 362,837 and a decrease in Sunday total paid average circulation of 1.1 percent to 278,072. Daily circulation benefited from an increase in home delivery sales and the event of the Chicago White Sox winning the 2005 World Series in October, 2005.

For the 26 weeks ended September 24, 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times reported average total daily (Monday through Friday) paid circulation of 341,448 and total average paid Sunday circulation of 264,371.

Comparing six-month periods ending September 2005 and September 2006, the Chicago Sun-Times performed in line with the industry in terms of the total average Monday-Friday paid circulation and better than that of metropolitan daily newspapers with paid daily circulations of between 100,000 and 500,000, which experienced a 3.6 percent decline in daily circulation during that period, Mr. Freidheim noted. The Chicago Sun-Times declined 2.4 percent during that same period.

"While the Chicago Sun-Times remains committed to publishing the city's best-read daily newspaper, we recognize readers increasingly get their news and information from other sources," said Mr. Freidheim. "Thus, we continue to invest in online news sources that enhance our 71 newspaper sites with more local news and video than ever. Prime examples include our rapidly growing our collection of hyperlocal, community-focused NeighhorhoodCircle.com sites and our popular high school prep sports site, YourSeason.com."

About Sun-Times Media Group

Sun-Times Media Group is dedicated to being the premier source of local news and information for the greater Chicago area. Its media properties include the Chicago Sun-Times and Suntimes.com as well as newspapers and Web sites serving more than 200 communities across Chicago. Further information can be found at www.thesuntimesgroup.com.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result" or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by Sun-Times Media Group with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its Forms 10-K and 10-Q. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such risk factors on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements as a prediction of actual results.

SOURCE: Sun-Times Media Group, Inc.

Sun-Times Media Group, Inc. Tammy Chase Director of Investor Relations (312) 321-3230 tchase@suntimes.com

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