<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-09-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000216539</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MEDIA GENERAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MEG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001409888</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Standard General L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001418202</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Kim Soohyung</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>See Footnote 3</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001465987</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Standard General Fund L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001591884</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Standard General Communications LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>767 FIFTH AVENUE, 12TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10153</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Voting Common Stock, no par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2016-09-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3137500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>17.65</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4443649</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Deferred Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Voting Common Stock, no par value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>4504</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4504</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The securities reported herein are held by Standard General Fund L.P. (the &quot;Limited Partnership&quot;) and Standard General Communications LLC (the &quot;LLC&quot; and, together with the Limited Partnership, the &quot;Funds&quot;), private investment vehicles for which Standard General L.P. (&quot;Standard General&quot;) serves as investment manager. As the sole owner of the LLC, the Limited Partnership may be deemed to beneficially own the shares held by the LLC. Standard General exercises voting and investment control over the shares held for the accounts of the Funds. Mr. Kim is a director of the general partner of the general partner of Standard General and Chief Investment Officer of Standard General, and in such capacities may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own the securities reported herein.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Each of the Reporting Persons disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares reported herein except to the extent of its pecuniary interest in such shares, and the inclusion of such securities in this report shall not be deemed an admission of beneficial ownership for purposes of Section 16 or for any other purpose. Mr. Kim is also a Director of Media General, Inc.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents 599,094 shares sold for the account of the Limited Partnership and 2,538,406 shares sold for the account of the LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Deferred Stock Units, which vest on July 21, 2017, were granted to Mr. Kim in his capacity as a Director of the issuer, pursuant to the Issuer's Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">As of the close of business on September 6, 2016, the Limited Partnership and the LLC held 0 and 4,443,649 shares of the Issuer's Voting Stock, respectively, after giving effect to the sales described in Footnote 3 above.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Standard General Fund L.P. by Joseph Mause, Chief Financial Officer of Standard General L.P., its investment manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Soohyung Kim</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Standard General L.P. by Joseph Mause, Chief Financial Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Standard General Communications LLC by Joseph Mause, Chief Financial Officer of Standard General L.P., its investment manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-08</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
