Hearst-Argyle Renews Electoral-News Leadership Pledge With Commitment 2006, Follow-Up To Prior Commitment Efforts

NEW YORK, March 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. , parent of one of the country's largest television station groups, will once again devote significant resources to news coverage of the political process, through a project called Commitment 2006. A renewal of the Company's detailed biannual election-coverage efforts, which began with Commitment 2000, Commitment 2006 will once again involve an intensified effort at the Company's 26 news-carrying TV stations, and on their respective local websites, to provide comprehensive local TV news coverage of national, state and local election campaigns.

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As part of Commitment 2006, Hearst-Argyle is increasing its pledge of a minimum amount of airtime for daily political news and candidate-discourse coverage to 10 minutes -- including at least five minutes of original content each day -- per weekday and, where possible, on weekends, in the 30 days leading up to the Primary and General elections at each of its news stations. In 2000 Hearst-Argyle was an early adopter of a minimum five-minute commitment of total airtime, acting on a recommendation of a presidential commission on TV broadcasters' public-interest obligations. Hearst-Argyle's Commitment 2000, Commitment 2002 and Commitment 2004 programs earned the Company prestigious Walter Cronkite Awards from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication.

"We believe strong local political coverage is good local television news," said David Barrett, President and CEO of Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. "With the expansion of our 'commitment' to our morning newscasts, our viewers will have the option of finding this important aspect of localism on both evening and morning newscasts. And, with the expanded coverage on the web, we are providing quality coverage to our news consumers, no matter whether they choose our broadcast or our digital news brand for their immediate political update."

As part of Commitment 2006, Hearst-Argyle stations will expand upon successful elements of prior Commitment projects, such as "Town Hall Meetings," debates, and "AdWatch," "Issue Check" and "Truth Check" segments, and will develop a number of innovative approaches to extending and maximizing election coverage online, with a particular emphasis on reaching younger voters.

"We will continue to urge major political candidates to appear on our television stations," Barrett added. "In return, we pledge to continue to provide the most thoughtful, in-depth, intelligent, responsible and responsive electronic news coverage of the political process in our markets."

About Hearst-Argyle

Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. owns 25 television stations, and manages an additional three television and two radio stations, in geographically diverse U.S. markets. The Company's television stations reach approximately 18% of U.S. TV households, making it one of the largest U.S. television station groups. The Company owns 10 NBC affiliates, and is the second-largest NBC affiliate owner. Hearst-Argyle also owns 12 ABC-affiliated stations, and manages an additional ABC station owned by The Hearst Corporation, and is the largest ABC affiliate group. The Company also owns two CBS affiliates.

Hearst-Argyle's stations are recognized news leaders. The station group has been honored with three consecutive Walter Cronkite Awards, which recognize excellence in television political journalism, and is the only group to have received the award since its inception. Hearst-Argyle stations also are the recipients of many of television's other highest awards for excellence in journalism, programming and community service, including the Peabody, the du Pont-Columbia Journalism Award, the Sigma Delta Chi Award, the Gabriel, the Ad Council Silver Bell, the National Headliner Award, the Edward R. Murrow Award and the Emmy.

Hearst-Argyle also is a leader in the convergence of local broadcast television and the Internet through its partnership with Internet Broadcasting, and in the application of digital broadcast spectrum for new local informational services through its Weather Plus partnership with NBC and various NBC affiliate groups.

Hearst-Argyle is majority owned by The Hearst Corporation. Hearst-Argyle Series A Common Stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HTV." HTV debt is rated investment grade by Moody's (Baa3), Standard & Poor's (BBB-) and Fitch (BBB-), each with a stable outlook. The company's Web address is http://www.hearstargyle.com/.