-----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,
 OmJFerkHLbMVPXzTbP1NiGVu6xppA7QjRxgdirMnasPd/Y4Wn4PN2IeMFFiniPcp
 STK0SH8G4xpRvl6ZWsZcgw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001056087-03-000040.txt : 20030519
<SEC-HEADER>0001056087-03-000040.hdr.sgml : 20030519
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030519172345
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001056087-03-000040
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030515
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030519

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:		03711112

	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>2003-05-15</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>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2200</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>28.1875</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5369</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>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2200</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><conversi
onOrExercisePrice><value>28.1875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>.52</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>325</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1875</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirect
Ownership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>28.1875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-03-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityS
hares><value>625</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1250</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>28.1875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmoun
ts><exerciseDate><value>2001-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>625</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>625</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>28.1875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-15</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transacti
onAmounts><transactionShares><value>1</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-03-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>625</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</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><o
wnerSignature><signatureName>Robert W. Berger</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-19</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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