[4] Long-time Media General CFO James F. Woodward remained as Chief Financial Officer[5] until the company's dissolution in 2017.

In 1981, the company began its expansion practice of television stations under the Media General Telecommunications subsidiary.

On July 28, 2006, Media General announced that they would sell KWCH-TV and its satellites to a Schurz Communications-affiliated company Sunflower Broadcasting for $73 million.

[15] On August 2, 2006, Media General announced that it would sell WIAT and KIMT to New Vision Television for $35 million; the sale was finalized on October 12, 2006.

[16][17][18] On October 29, 2007, Media General announced that the company was exploring the sale of WCWJ, KALB-TV, WMBB, and WNEG-TV.

Headquarters would remain in Richmond, Virginia, however, for the first time in over a century, the Bryan Family would not have a controlling interest in the company.

The deal, worth an estimated $1.6 billion, would create an entity of 71 stations with a combined reach of 24% of U.S. television households.

45 Media General staff members were laid off; CEO George Mahoney stepped down in favor of his LIN counterpart Vincent Sadusky.

[36] On July 14, 2015, Media General pulled its stations off of Mediacom cable systems across the United States due to a carriage dispute over retransmission consent fees.

[37] This carriage dispute saw Media General stations disappear from Mediacom lineups in 14 television markets across the United States and even three of the Fox affiliates owned by Media General were lost to Mediacom subscribers in Hampton Roads, Virginia, Terre Haute, Indiana, and Topeka, Kansas just before the start of the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

[39] On July 13, 2016, the FCC issued a $700,000 fine against Media General for using a shared services agreement with WAGT to prevent its new owner Gray Television from divesting it in the spectrum incentive auction.

[40] On September 8, 2015, it was announced that Media General would acquire Meredith Corporation in a cash and stock deal valued at $2.4 billion.

The combined company was to be known as Meredith Media General, and become the third-largest owner of television stations in the United States—serving an estimated 30% of households.

[41] On September 28, it was revealed that Nexstar Broadcasting Group had made an unsolicited cash-and-stock offer for Media General, valued at $14.50 per-share.

[48] On May 17, 2012, it was announced that investment company Berkshire Hathaway would be acquiring Media General's newspaper division (excluding The Tampa Tribune).

[50] Media General's chairman and former CEO, J. Stewart Bryan III said the company faced a choice: either sell its newspaper division or file for bankruptcy protection.