The New York Times Company Reports April Revenues

    Business Editors

    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 17, 2005--The New York Times Company announced today that in April 2005 advertising revenues for the Company's business units increased 3.7% and total Company revenues increased 2.7% compared with the same month in 2004. Excluding About.com, which was acquired in March 2005, advertising revenues increased 1.9% and total Company revenues increased 1.5%.

    Advertising results for April were as follows:

    The New York Times Media Group - Advertising revenues for The New York Times Media Group increased 0.7% for April 2005 compared with April 2004. While shifts in the timing of the T Style magazine Living and Travel issues affected particular ad categories (such as home furnishing manufacturers, which benefited, and transportation/travel, which was adversely affected), the combined impact on revenues was negligible.
    National advertising revenues decreased as weakness in studio entertainment, hotels, corporate, transportation/travel and banking advertising offset strength in media, financial services, technology products, American fashion and home furnishing manufacturers advertising. Retail advertising revenues increased largely due to growth in fashion/jewelry store, mass market store and fine arts advertising. Classified advertising revenues increased as softness in automotive advertising was offset by gains in real estate and help-wanted advertising, in part due to the timing of Easter, which fell in March this year but was in April last year. Easter is traditionally a time of reduced advertising.
    New England Media Group - Advertising revenues for the New England Media Group increased 3.4% for April 2005 compared with April 2004. National advertising revenues decreased as weakness in transportation/travel and studio entertainment advertising offset growth in banking, financial services, technology products and national automotive advertising. Retail advertising revenues increased with particular strength in department store and jewelry/watches advertising. Classified advertising revenues, which benefited from the timing of Easter, increased as gains in the real estate and help-wanted categories offset softness in automotive advertising. In addition classified advertising improved as a result of a number of special sections including The Big Move (real estate) and Diversity (help wanted).
    Regional Media Group - Advertising revenues for the Regional Media Group grew 5.8% for April 2005 compared with April 2004. Excluding the North Bay Business Journal, which was purchased on February 1, 2005, advertising revenues increased 5.4%. Retail advertising revenues increased as strength in the banking, financial and telecommunications ad categories offset weakness in department store and grocery store advertising. Classified advertising revenues increased as strong growth in help-wanted advertising offset losses in real estate and automotive advertising.
    The Company's Internet ad revenues, which are included in the figures for the three media groups above, increased 31.6% for April 2005 compared with April 2004 due to strong growth in display advertising and in all classified advertising categories.
    Circulation revenues for April 2005 were on a par with last year. Circulation revenues increased at the Regional Media Group and The New York Times Media Group and declined at the New England Media Group.
    Broadcast Media Group - Advertising revenues for April 2005 for the Broadcast Media Group decreased 1.9%, due to lower political advertising revenue.
    About.com - Strong advertising revenue growth in April 2005 resulted from the consumer product goods, telecommunications, travel and health categories.

    The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2004 revenues of $3.3 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 16 other newspapers, eight network-affiliated television stations, two New York City radio stations and more than 40 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. For the fifth consecutive year, the Company was ranked No. 1 in the publishing industry in Fortune's 2005 list of America's Most Admired Companies. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY 2005 TOTAL COMPANY REVENUES (a) APRIL AND YEAR TO DATE

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Total Company Revenues ($ 000's) April Year to Date --------------------------------------------------------- % % 2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change --------- --------- ------ ----------- ----------- ------ Advertising Revenues News Media National(b) $86,797 $91,454 -5.1 $314,839 $323,348 -2.6 Retail(c) 48,607 44,590 +9.0 161,934 151,954 +6.6 Classified (d) 62,006 57,549 +7.7 208,192 204,233 +1.9 Other Ad Revenue(e) 5,969 5,461 +9.3 20,541 17,973 +14.3 --------- --------- ----------- ----------- Sub-Total 203,379 199,054 +2.2 705,506 697,507 +1.1

Broadcast Media 13,871 14,147 -1.9 44,474 44,721 -0.6 --------- --------- ----------- ----------- Sub-Total 217,250 213,201 +1.9 749,980 742,228 +1.0

About.com (f) 3,807 - N/A 4,857 - N/A --------- -----------

Total Advertising Revenues 221,057 213,201 +3.7 754,837 742,228 +1.7

Circulation Revenues 84,236 83,942 +0.4 303,853 304,185 -0.1 Other Revenues (g) 18,720 18,261 +2.5 70,908 70,935 +0.0 ========= ========= ========= ===========

Total Company Revenues $324,014 $315,405 +2.7 $1,129,597 $1,117,349 +1.1 ========= ========= =========== ===========

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(a) Numbers may not add due to rounding. (b) Includes all ad revenue from the International Herald Tribune. (c) Includes all preprint revenues. (d) Includes legal advertising. (e) Primarily includes ad revenue from the Regional Media Group's magazines. (f) Acquired March 18, 2005. (g) Primarily includes revenues from wholesale delivery operations, news services, direct marketing, digital archives and commercial printing.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY 2005 ADVERTISING REVENUES (a) APRIL AND YEAR TO DATE

---------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Company Advertising Revenues ($ 000's) April Year to Date ----------------------------------------------------- % % 2005 2004 Change 2005 2004 Change --------- --------- ------ --------- --------- ------ News Media New York Times Media Group (b) $120,391 $119,577 +0.7 $421,857 $418,694 +0.8 New England Media Group (c) 47,365 45,799 +3.4 156,772 160,010 -2.0 Regional Media Group (d) 35,623 33,679 +5.8 126,877 118,804 +6.8 --------- --------- --------- ---------

Sub-Total 203,379 199,054 +2.2 705,506 697,507 +1.1

Broadcast Media 13,871 14,147 -1.9 44,474 44,721 -0.6 --------- --------- --------- ---------

Sub-Total 217,250 213,201 +1.9 749,980 742,228 +1.0

About.com (e) 3,807 - N/A 4,857 - N/A --------- ---------

Total Company Ad Revenues $221,057 $213,201 +3.7 $754,837 $742,228 +1.7 ========= ========= ========= =========

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(a) Numbers may not add due to rounding. (b) The New York Times, NYTimes.com, International Herald Tribune and WQXR-FM. (c) The Boston Globe, Boston.com and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. (d) Beginning in February 2005, includes the results of the North Bay Business Journal, purchased February 1, 2005. Excluding the North Bay Business Journal, advertising revenues were up 5.4% in April and 6.3% year to date. (e) Acquired March 18, 2005.

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY 2005 NEWS MEDIA AD REVENUE GROWTH BY CLASSIFIED CATEGORY APRIL AND YEAR TO DATE

---------------------------------------------------------------------- % Change % Change April '05 YTD '05 vs. April vs. YTD '04 '04 --------------------

News Media Help-Wanted +12.6 +7.3 Real Estate +15.9 +3.7 Automotive -11.0 -9.1

THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY 2005 PRINT ADVERTISING VOLUME (a) (Inches in thousands, Preprints in thousands of copies) APRIL AND YEAR TO DATE

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April Year to Date ---------------------------------------------------------------------- % % 2005 2004(c) Change 2005 2004(c) Change ------ ------- ------ ------ ------- ------ National (b) 229.1 242.1 -5.3 818.2 865.9 -5.5 Retail 617.3 603.1 +2.3 2,176.6 2,145.6 +1.4 Classified 942.9 950.7 -0.8 3,282.6 3,333.9 -1.5 ----- ----- ------- ------- Total ROP 1,789.3 1,795.9 -0.4 6,277.4 6,345.4 -1.1 ------- ------- -------- -------

Part Run/ 224.6 215.5 +4.2 706.8 739.0 -4.4 Zoned ----- ----- ----- ----- Total 2,013.9 2,011.4 +0.1 6,984.2 7,084.4 -1.4 ======= ======= ======= =======

Preprints 291,562 262,917 +10.9 979,633 917,399 +6.8 ----------------------------------------------------------------------

(a) Advertising volume is based on preliminary internal data, which may be updated in subsequent reports and may not be indicative of advertising revenue or operating profit. Numbers may not add due to rounding. (b) Includes all ad volume from the International Herald Tribune. (c) The historical ad volume for April and May 2004 that was posted on www.nytco.com last July was incorrect. A spreadsheet with the corrected information is available in the Investors section at www.nytco.com.

    This press release can be downloaded from www.nytco.com

--30--CT/ny*

CONTACT: The New York Times Company Catherine J. Mathis, 212-556-1981 mathis@nytimes.com or Paula Schwartz, 212-556-5224 schwap@nytimes.com

KEYWORD: NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ADVERTISING/MARKETING PUBLISHING SOURCE: The New York Times Company

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