-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 JGvXt9hlkG7cp9cWOSSx2GojRMkLXn+/CoJP8LzJ8aBnG3aRlqblPqf6LGEdAiXY
 4YFo4ZDYJdr1FUDv+ddL2Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001056087-03-000024.txt : 20030516
<SEC-HEADER>0001056087-03-000024.hdr.sgml : 20030516
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030515195128
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001056087-03-000024
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030514
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030516

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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MCCLATCHY WILLIAM ELLERY
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000918716

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	333-46501
		FILM NUMBER:		03707027

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		246 SEA SPRAY
		CITY:			PALM BEACH
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33480
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4078332321

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		WILMA C FLACH
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 15779
		CITY:			SACRAMENTO
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			95852
</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>2003-05-14</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0001056087</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MCCLATCHY CO</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>MNI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0000918716</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCCLATCHY WILLIAM ELLERY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>59.58</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSe
curityShares><value>750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>59.58</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionA
mounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>59.58</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transa
ctionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2006-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2250</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>59.58</value></conversionOrExe
rcisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2007-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-14</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natu
reOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Director's stock option granted pursuant to The McClatchy Company 2001 Director Option Plan.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>William Ellery McClatchy</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----