Released: 12/14/2009

Sacramento, Calif. -- The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) today named Debra Kuykendall as president and publisher of the Merced Sun-Star in California.

Since 2007, Kuykendall has been the vice president of sales and marketing at the Merced Sun-Star. On Nov. 27, she assumed the additional role of interim publisher, replacing Hank Vander Veen, who left the paper to pursue other opportunities.

"Debbie is a dynamic, experienced executive who knows Merced and the Central Valley inside and out," said Gary Pruitt, McClatchy’s chairman and chief executive officer. "She's an ideal fit for the newspaper and the community."

Kuykendall, 56, has worked for The McClatchy Company for 36 years. Until joining the Merced Sun-Star in 2007, she spent her entire newspaper career at The Modesto Bee, where she held a variety of management roles in advertising, operations and production.

At the Merced Sun-Star, Kuykendall led the sales staff to several strong performances in company-wide advertising contests, including a first-place finish among all McClatchy papers in a sales contest in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Kuykendall was The Modesto Bee's vice president for operations from 2004 to 2007, where she had oversight of print production, building facilities and the circulation fleet. She was director of operational services from 2000 to 2004 and served as prepress manager from 1996 to 2000. She began her newspaper career in classified advertising, rising from an entry-level position as a telephone sales representative to become the classified advertising manager.

"Debbie has spent her professional life serving readers, residents and businesses in California's Central Valley," said Frank Whittaker, McClatchy vice president, operations, who oversees the company’s California newspapers. "She understands the importance of good journalism and good business and she’s prepared to continue those traditions at the Merced Sun-Star."

Kuykendall was born in Wichita, Kan., and raised in the Modesto area. She and her husband, Lew Kuykendall, live on a 40-acre ranch in Merced County where they raise beef cattle. They have two adult children and six grandchildren.

"I am honored to be given this opportunity to serve as publisher of what I consider to be a great local newspaper," Kuykendall said. "The people at the Sun-Star are some of the best in the industry. Together, we will continue to do our best to bring Merced and the surrounding communities the highest quality journalism possible."

About McClatchy

The McClatchy Company is the third largest newspaper company in the United States, with 30 daily newspapers, approximately 50 non-dailies, and direct marketing and direct mail operations. McClatchy also operates leading local websites in each of its markets which extend its audience reach. The websites offer users comprehensive news and information, advertising, e-commerce and other services. Together with its newspapers and direct marketing products, these interactive operations make McClatchy the leading local media company in each of its premium high growth markets. McClatchy-owned newspapers include The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Kansas City Star, The Charlotte Observer, and The News & Observer (Raleigh).

McClatchy also owns a portfolio of premium digital assets, including 14.4% of CareerBuilder, the nation's largest online job site, 25.6% of Classified Ventures, a newspaper industry partnership that offers two of the nation's premier classified websites: the auto website, cars.com, and the rental site, Apartments.com and 33.3% of HomeFinder, LLC which operates the real estate website HomeFinder.com. McClatchy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.

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