Sun-Times News Group Launches Integrated, Online Local News Network

CHICAGO, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sun-Times News Group (STNG) today announced that it has launched the STNG Online Network, an integrated network of its 98 local news websites, including Suntimes.com. Consistent with STNG's focus on being the premier source of local news and information in the Chicago area, under this new Network, each of STNG's sites will remain dedicated to serving its local community, but will also offer visitors full access and helpful links to the content on all of the other STNG sites. At the same time, the Network leverages technology that provides unique opportunities for advertisers.

STNG's news websites, which serve 120 communities across Chicago, attract an average 3.6 million unique visitors per month. Suntimes.com is one of the nation's top 10 most visited newspaper websites, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.

"STNG's ability to create a network of this depth and reach reflects the unmatched presence of our media properties across the greater Chicago area and our unique position as the leader in local news and information for the market, both in print and now online," said John D. Cruickshank, STNG Chief Operating Officer and Publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times. "The launch of STNG Online marks a substantial step in our efforts to leverage, on the web, the power of our content and presence in communities across Chicago. As we look ahead, our objective is to continually enhance the Network with new features that make our sites even more helpful for our readers and our advertisers. We expect to make more exciting announcements about this in the coming months."

Easy and Convenient for Visitors to the STNG Websites

Fred Lebolt, Vice President of New Media for STNG, said, "For visitors to our sites, our Network allows us to deliver both the helpful, local content for which we are relied upon as well as broader news in a way that is easy and convenient to access."

Citing examples of the functionality of the Network, STNG said that if a visitor to one of its sites clicks to an article about gardening, that visitor will also be directed towards links across the Network with other information on the same topic. The same is true of a visitor looking at news about a local high school football game ... that visitor will be easily directed to information about football across Chicago and other professional sports, without having to search at all.

Advertising Tailored to Individual Visitors

Mr. Lebolt added, "The technology supporting the Network tailors advertising to the way that an individual clicks through the STNG sites. Based on this, for national advertisers, the Network will allow them to reach specific audience segments within the attractive Chicago metro area and surrounding suburbs. And for local businesses, many of which have not yet been able to effectively integrate the Internet into their advertising strategies, the Network provides a clear way to directly reach consumers in their communities."

Recent New Media Developments at STNG

The creation of the STNG Online Network represents a substantial step in STNG's efforts to capitalize on new media opportunities to further enhance its position as the number one source of local news and information in Chicago. These include: the recent addition of centerstagechicago.com, Chicago's best online city guide, to Suntimes.com; the creation of STNG Wire, a Web-based, 24-hour news and headline service used by major Chicago media outlets; a news sharing partnership with WMAQ-TV/NBC5; and making Suntimes.com available on mobile devices in a specialized format designed for easy access on small screens.

About Sun-Times News Group

Sun-Times News Group ("STNG") is dedicated to being the premier source of local news and information for the greater Chicago area. Its media properties include the Chicago Sun-Times and Suntimes.com as well as newspapers and websites serving 120 communities across Chicago. STNG's parent company is Sun-Times Media Group, Inc. (NYSE: SVN) (http://www.thesuntimesgroup.com/).

Certain statements made in this release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements, and may contain the words "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," "is subject to," or similar words or phrases. Forward- looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in reports filed by Sun-Times Media Group with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its Forms 10-K and 10-Q. New risk factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor can it assess the impact of all such risk factors on the Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.

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