Journal Register Company Reports Period Eight Advertising Revenues; Advertising Revenues Increase 33.9 Percent; 3.0 Percent on a Same-Store Basis.

TRENTON, N.J. -- Journal Register Company (NYSE:JRC) today reported that total advertising revenues for the four weeks ended August 29, 2004 were $31.0 million, an increase of 33.9 percent as compared to $23.2 million for the four weeks ended August 31, 2003.

Total advertising revenues for Period Eight of 2004 include the results of the Company's acquisitions from the date of acquisition, including the Company's acquisition of 21st Century Newspapers, which was completed on August 12, 2004.

For comparison purposes, where noted, the Company's advertising revenues are presented on a same-store basis, which excludes the advertising revenues of the Company's 2003 and 2004 acquisitions from the periods presented.

On a same-store basis, Journal Register Company's total advertising revenues for Period Eight increased 3.0 percent as compared to Period Eight of 2003. Year-to-date through Period Eight, the Company's same-store total advertising revenues were up 4.0 percent.

Retail advertising revenues, on a same-store basis, increased 1.9 percent in Period Eight as compared to the prior year period. Growth in retail advertising revenues was led by the Company's Greater Philadelphia cluster, which reported a 4.5 percent increase, with continued strength in the financial, home furnishings and telecommunications categories; the Greater Cleveland cluster, which reported a 2.8 percent increase, driven by strength in the small to mid-sized local retail categories; and the Connecticut cluster, which reported a 2.6 percent increase, driven by the healthcare and entertainment categories.

Classified advertising revenues for Period Eight, on a same-store basis, increased 3.6 percent as compared to Period Eight of 2003. The growth in classified advertising revenues was led by continued growth in classified real estate advertising revenues. Classified real estate advertising revenues were up 20.4 percent in Period Eight, with all six of the Company's clusters reporting increases. Classified real estate advertising revenues were particularly strong in the Company's Central New England cluster, up 38.2 percent; the Connecticut cluster, up 31.3 percent; and the Mid-Hudson, New York cluster, up 26.3 percent. Classified employment advertising revenues increased 7.8 percent in Period Eight, led by growth in the Connecticut cluster, up 20.1 percent, and the Greater Cleveland cluster, up 14.3 percent. Classified automotive advertising revenues on a same-store basis decreased 9.8 percent as compared to Period Eight of 2003, reflecting continued softness in the automotive market and tough comparisons to the prior year. Two of the Company's clusters reported strong increases in classified automotive advertising revenues in Period Eight as compared to the prior year period. Classified automotive advertising revenues for Period Eight were up 51.6 percent in the Capital-Saratoga, New York cluster and were up 6.8 percent in the Central New England cluster, each as compared to the prior year period.

National advertising revenues increased 9.9 percent in Period Eight, on a same-store basis, as compared to the prior year period. The growth was led by the Company's Greater Philadelphia cluster, up 14.8 percent, and the Greater Cleveland cluster, up 14.1 percent. National advertising revenue growth in these clusters continues to be led by the national automotive and telecommunications categories.

Several of the Company's operations reported strong advertising revenues in Period Eight, as noted below.

In the Connecticut cluster, the New Haven Register reported an increase in total advertising revenues for Period Eight of 4.3 percent as compared to the prior year period. Classified advertising revenues at the New Haven Register were up 9.1 percent in Period Eight as compared to the prior year period, led by classified real estate advertising revenues, up 34.4 percent, and classified employment advertising revenues, which increased 21.6 percent, each as compared to Period Eight of 2003. Classified automotive advertising revenues at the New Haven Register decreased 26.3 percent in Period Eight as compared to the prior year period, impacted by tough comparisons to 2003, when the New Haven Register reported a 36.4 percent year-over-year increase in automotive advertising revenues. Retail advertising revenues at the New Haven Register were down 2.5 percent compared to Period Eight of 2003, primarily as a result of a one-time campaign in connection with Yale University that ran in Period Eight of 2003. Excluding the impact of this campaign, retail advertising revenues at the New Haven Register for Period Eight of 2004 would have been up 3.1 percent. National advertising revenues at the New Haven Register were up 16.5 percent for the period, driven by growth in the national automotive and telecommunications categories.

Also in Connecticut, The Bristol Press, in Bristol, reported a strong 16.0 percent increase in total advertising revenues, led by growth in classified employment, classified real estate and classified automotive advertising revenues. The Register Citizen, in Torrington, was up 6.3 percent in total advertising revenues, led by growth in retail, classified automotive and classified real estate advertising revenues. Several of the Company's weekly newspaper groups in Connecticut reported increases in total advertising revenues. Minuteman Newspapers reported an increase of 15.9 percent, Shore Line Newspaper group was up 6.7 percent, and Imprint Newspaper group, based in Bristol, was up 4.7 percent.

In the Greater Philadelphia cluster, the Delaware County Daily Times, in Primos, Pennsylvania, was up 6.2 percent, driven by strength in retail and classified real estate advertising revenues. The Reporter, in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, was up 6.1 percent, driven by growth in retail and classified real estate advertising revenues, and the Daily Local News, in West Chester, Pennsylvania, was up 4.1 percent with strength in retail, classified real estate and classified employment advertising revenues. Several of the Company's weekly groups in the Greater Philadelphia area reported increases in total advertising revenues including Chesapeake Publishing, based in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, up 6.1 percent, with strength in retail, classified real estate and classified employment advertising revenues.

In the Company's Central New England cluster, The Call, in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, was up 17.0 percent in total advertising revenues, driven by strength in retail and all categories of classified advertising revenues. Southern Rhode Island Newspaper group, the Company's weekly group based in Wakefield, Rhode Island, was up 5.2 percent, driven by increases in classified real estate, classified automotive and national advertising revenues.

In the Company's Greater Cleveland cluster, The News-Herald, in Willoughby, Ohio, was up 4.8 percent, with increases in retail, classified employment, classified real estate and classified automotive advertising revenues.

In the Company's Capital-Saratoga, New York cluster, The Saratogian, in Saratoga Springs, reported an increase of 8.1 percent in total advertising revenues, with growth in retail and all categories of classified advertising revenues.

Journal Register Company Web sites generated 13.6 million page views in Period Eight, an increase of 47.1 percent as compared to the prior year period, including page views of the Company's newly-acquired 21st Century Web sites, since the date of the acquisition though the end of Period Eight.

Journal Register Company is a leading U.S. newspaper publishing company. Journal Register Company owns 27 daily newspapers, including the New Haven Register, Connecticut's second largest daily and Sunday newspaper, and 327 non-daily publications. Journal Register Company currently operates 190 individual Web sites that are affiliated with the Company's daily newspapers and non-daily publications. These Web sites can be accessed at www.journalregister.com. All of the Company's operations are strategically clustered in seven geographic areas: Greater Philadelphia; Michigan; Connecticut; Greater Cleveland; Central New England; and the Capital-Saratoga and Mid-Hudson regions of New York. The Company has an investment in PowerOne Media, LLC, a leading provider of online solutions for newspapers, hosting the largest online newspaper network in the U.S.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially. These include, but are not limited to, the success of the Company's acquisition strategy, including the acquisition of 21st Century Newspapers, dispositions, the ability of the Company to achieve cost reductions and integrate acquisitions, including the acquisition of 21st Century Newspapers, competitive pressures, general or regional economic conditions and advertising trends, the unavailability or a material increase in the price of newsprint and increases in interest rates. These and additional risk factors are outlined in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

JOURNAL REGISTER COMPANY
                PERIOD EIGHT ADVERTISING REVENUE REPORT
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                  (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)



                Four Week Period Ended   Thirty-Five Week Period Ended
             --------------------------- -----------------------------
                                    %                             %
             8/29/04  8/31/03   Increase  8/29/04   8/31/03   Increase
             -------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Local        $17,395  $12,198      42.6% $114,199  $106,259       7.5%
Classified    12,300    9,943      23.7%   87,438    80,638       8.4%
National       1,350    1,040      29.8%   10,817     9,699      11.5%
             -------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total        $31,045  $23,181      33.9% $212,454  $196,596       8.1%

Note: The revenues of the Company's acquisitions are included from the
      date of acquisition in each period presented above.