Journal Register Company Reports Period Nine Advertising Revenues; Advertising Revenues Increase 45.2 Percent; 3.1 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 September 26, 2004 were $35.4 million, an increase of 45.2 percent as compared to $24.4 million for the four weeks ended September 28, 2003.

Total advertising revenues for Period Nine of 2004 include the results of the Company's acquisitions, including 21st Century Newspapers.

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 Nine increased 3.1 percent as compared to Period Nine of 2003. Year-to-date through Period Nine, the Company's same-store total advertising revenues were up 3.9 percent.

Retail advertising revenues, on a same-store basis, increased 2.5 percent in Period Nine as compared to the prior year period, with five of the Company's clusters reporting increases in the category. Growth in retail advertising revenues was led by the Company's Capital-Saratoga, New York cluster, which reported a 19.5 percent increase, and the Mid-Hudson, New York cluster, which reported an 11.0 percent increase, both driven by strength in the mid-size and major account categories. The Greater Cleveland cluster also reported strong retail advertising results, up 8.0 percent, driven by the telecommunications category.

Classified advertising revenues for Period Nine, on a same-store basis, increased 0.4 percent as compared to Period Nine 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 8.3 percent in Period Nine, with five of the Company's clusters reporting increases in the category. Classified real estate advertising revenues were particularly strong in the Company's Central New England cluster, up 24.5 percent; the Capital-Saratoga, New York cluster, up 22.4 percent; and the Connecticut cluster, up 15.8 percent. Classified employment advertising revenues increased 0.7 percent in Period Nine, led by growth in the Greater Cleveland cluster, up 6.8 percent, and the Greater Philadelphia cluster, up 2.8 percent. Reflecting continued softness in the local automotive market, classified automotive advertising revenues on a same-store basis decreased 8.8 percent as compared to Period Nine of 2003. However, Period Nine classified automotive advertising revenues were up 7.7 percent in the Capital-Saratoga, New York cluster, as compared to the prior year period.

National advertising revenues were very strong, up 33.5 percent in Period Nine, on a same-store basis, as compared to the prior year period. This is the best performance the Company has reported in national advertising revenues since Period Eleven of 2001. The growth was led by the Company's Greater Cleveland cluster, up 119.7 percent, and the Connecticut cluster, up 38.7 percent, each as compared to prior year period. National advertising revenue growth in these clusters continues to be led by the telecommunications and national automotive categories.

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

In the Connecticut cluster, the New Haven Register reported an increase in total advertising revenues for Period Nine of 4.8 percent as compared to the prior year period. National advertising revenues at the New Haven Register were up 44.3 percent for the period, driven by growth in the telecommunications and national automotive categories. Classified advertising revenues were basically flat. Classified real estate advertising revenues were up 12.5 percent, as compared to Period Nine of 2003. Classified automotive advertising revenues at the New Haven Register decreased 14.8 percent in Period Nine as compared to the prior year period, impacted by tough comparisons to 2003, when the New Haven Register reported a 19.3 percent year-over-year increase in automotive advertising revenues. Retail advertising revenues at the New Haven Register were down 3.6 percent in Period Nine as compared to Period Nine of 2003, impacted by softness in the banking and education categories.

Also in Connecticut, The Register Citizen, in Torrington, reported a strong 22.6 percent increase in total advertising revenues, led by growth in retail, national, classified automotive and classified real estate advertising revenues. The Bristol Press, in Bristol, was up 5.8 percent in total advertising revenues, led by growth in retail and classified real estate advertising revenues. Two of the Company's weekly newspaper groups in Connecticut also reported strong increases. The Litchfield County Times Group and Housatonic Publications, in New Milford, reported an increase of 39.7 percent, and Imprint Newspapers in Bristol, was up 11.5 percent.

In the Greater Philadelphia cluster, the Delaware County Daily Times, in Primos, Pennsylvania, was up 7.7 percent, driven by strength in retail and all categories of classified advertising revenues. The Trentonian, in Trenton, New Jersey, was up 7.0 percent, driven by growth in all categories of classified advertising revenues and national advertising revenues. The Company's weekly group, Chesapeake Publishing, based in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, reported an increase in total advertising revenues of 6.2 percent, with strength in retail, classified real estate and classified employment advertising revenues. The Company's weekly newspapers on the Main Line, Main Line Life and Acme Newspapers, based in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and Suburban Publications, based in Wayne, Pennsylvania, were up a combined 4.9 percent, with strength in retail and classified employment advertising revenues.

In the Company's Central New England cluster, the Kent County Daily Times, in West Warwick, Rhode Island, was up 7.5 percent, with strong growth in retail advertising revenues. Southern Rhode Island Newspaper group, the Company's weekly group based in Wakefield, Rhode Island, was up 15.5 percent, driven by increases in retail, national and all categories of classified advertising revenues.

In the Company's Greater Cleveland cluster, The News-Herald, in Willoughby, Ohio, was up 5.3 percent, with increases in retail, national and classified employment advertising revenues.

In the Company's Capital-Saratoga, New York cluster, The Saratogian, in Saratoga Springs, reported an increase of 22.7 percent in total advertising revenues, with growth in retail, national, classified real estate and classified employment advertising revenues.

In the Company's Mid-Hudson, New York cluster, Taconic Press, the Company's weekly group based in Millbrook, reported an increase of 10.8 percent in total advertising revenues, with growth in retail and classified real estate advertising revenues.

Journal Register Company Web sites generated 14.6 million page views in Period Nine, an increase of 51.9 percent as compared to the prior year period, including page views of the Company's newly-acquired 21st Century Web sites.

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 337 non-daily publications. Journal Register Company currently operates 194 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.

Financial Summary follows.

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


                  Four Week Period          Thirty-Nine Week Period
                       Ended                         Ended
             --------------------------- -----------------------------
                                   %                              %
             9/26/04  9/28/03   Increase  9/26/04   9/28/03   Increase
             -------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------

Local        $19,094  $13,024      46.6% $133,293  $119,283      11.7%
Classified    14,306   10,207      40.2%  101,744    90,845      12.0%
National       2,020    1,171      72.5%   12,837    10,870      18.1%
             -------- -------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total        $35,420  $24,402      45.2% $247,874  $220,998      12.2%


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