-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 P5KY5Hc6ykgwzmdJv0udySaTiqQVyVfyV0HBuQJDwV3nMA+XoK9tNxtOKtHbkU88
 y66DZtvYiKjJ7Qtj4XDZfg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001056087-03-000015.txt : 20030515
<SEC-HEADER>0001056087-03-000015.hdr.sgml : 20030515
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030515140646
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001056087-03-000015
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030513
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030515

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BERGER ROBERT W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001183623

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	333-46501
		FILM NUMBER:		03703454

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O MCCLATCHY CO
		STREET 2:		2100 Q STREET
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95816

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MCCLATCHY CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001056087
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NEWSPAPERS:  PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING [2711]
		IRS NUMBER:				94066175
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1230

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LEGAL DEPARTMENT
		STREET 2:		2100 Q STREET
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95852
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9163211846

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		LEGAL DEPARTMENT
		STREET 2:		2100 Q STREET
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95816-6899

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MNI NEWCO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19980218
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-13</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0001056087</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MCCLATCHY CO</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>MNI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001183623</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BERGER ROBERT W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Assistant Treasurer/Controller</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>300</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>28.1875</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3469</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value><
/natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>61.1</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3369</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transa
ctionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>200</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>60</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3169</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>28.1875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-13</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transaction
FormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>.48</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1999-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>300</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3.52</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><
footnote id="F1">Employee stock option granted pursuant to The McClatchy Company Amended and Restated Stock Option Plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert W. Berger</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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