Released: 12/20/2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 20 -- The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI) today named Pamela J. (P.J.) Browning as president and publisher of The Sun News in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Since 2005, Browning, 43, has served as president and publisher of The Telegraph, a McClatchy newspaper in Macon, Ga. Her appointment is effective Jan. 7. Browning replaces Gary Wortel, who was named president and publisher of McClatchy's Fort Worth Star-Telegram in November.

"P.J. is a very talented publisher who can lead and inspire a newspaper staff to great accomplishments," said Gary Pruitt, McClatchy's chairman and chief executive officer. "She has a long track record of success and innovation at a number of different newspapers. Her energy and experience will serve The Sun News and the Myrtle Beach community well."

Prior to joining The Telegraph, Browning served briefly as president and publisher of the Centre Daily Times for most of 2004. She joined the Centre Daily Times and Knight Ridder that year from The Sentinel in Carlisle, Pa., where she had been president and publisher since 2002. Prior to that, she was the advertising director of the Asheville Citizen-Times in North Carolina from 1999 to 2002; retail advertising manager of The Grand Rapids Press in Michigan from 1998 to 1999; and advertising director of the Fort Collins Coloradoan from 1996 to 1998.

She began her newspaper career in 1984 at The Springfield News-Leader in Missouri while attending college at Southwest Missouri State, where she earned a bachelor's degree in marketing in 1987. She remained with the News-Leader through 1996, holding a variety of advertising positions.

Browning was born in Wichita, Kan., and raised in Springfield, Mo.

"P.J. accomplished a great deal in Macon in three short years. Under her leadership, Macon has been one of McClatchy's top newspapers in terms of re-engineering operations and innovative use of the internet," said Lynn Dickerson, McClatchy vice president, operations, who oversees the company's newspapers in Texas and the South. "She will be a great addition to the talented team in Myrtle Beach."

In Macon, Browning rebuilt the circulation department, boosted online traffic and revenue and oversaw the launch of several successful niche publications, including "Belle," a women's magazine, "Southern Style," a home, garden and lifestyle magazine, and "The Brief," a monthly business tabloid.

Browning was also a leader in the community, serving on the boards of several civic groups, cultural organizations and charities, including the United Way of Macon, the Museum of Arts & Sciences, the Tubman African American Museum and The Grand Opera House at Mercer University. She is a member of the advisory board of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia and chairs the local Knight Foundation Advisory Committee.

Browning said she was excited about working with the newspaper staff and community leaders in Myrtle Beach.

"Myrtle Beach is a dynamic market. As the newspaper and myrtlebeachonline.com look ahead, we have a wonderful opportunity to play a key role in the future of how we deliver news and information," she said.

Browning is married to Kerry Browning. The couple have three children: Casey, 20, Kylie, 19, and Cody, 17.

A search for Browning's replacement at The Telegraph is underway.

About McClatchy:

The McClatchy Company is the third largest newspaper company in the United States, with 31 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 complement its newspapers and extend its audience reach in each market. Together with its newspapers and direct marketing products, these 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 (Raleigh) News & Observer.

McClatchy also has a portfolio of premium digital assets. Its leading local websites offer users information, comprehensive news, advertising, e-commerce and other services. The company owns and operates McClatchy Interactive, an interactive operation that provides websites with content, publishing tools and software development. McClatchy operates Real Cities (http://www.RealCities.com), the largest national advertising network of local news websites and owns 14.4% of CareerBuilder, the nation's largest online job site. McClatchy also owns 25.6% of Classified Ventures, a newspaper industry partnership that offers classified websites such as the nation's number two online auto website, cars.com, and the number two rental site, apartments.com. McClatchy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MNI.

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