SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY


	The undersigned hereby appoints George L. Mahoney as
the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with
the power to:

(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in
the undersigned's capacity as a Director and/or
Executive Officer of Media General, Inc. (the
Company), Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section
16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules thereunder; and
(2)	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf
of the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable
to complete and execute or to amend any such Form 3, 4
or 5 and timely file such form with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York
Stock Exchange.

The undersigned hereby grants to such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every
act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to
be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully as the undersigned could do if
personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all acts that
such attorney-in-fact shall lawfully do or cause to be done
by virtue of this Power of Attorney.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and
effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file
statements or reports under Section 16(a) of the Act with
respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions
in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked
by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorney-in-fact.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 30th day of
September, 2002.


	/s/ Thompson L. Rankin





ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FOR POWER OF ATTORNEY

STATE OF North Carolina   )
					   )
CITY/COUNTY OF Wateuga   )

	The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me
this 10th day of October, 2002 by
Thompson L. Rankin.


	/s/ Sonya M. Long


(SEAL)
My commission expires: November 2, 2003