EXHIBIT 12

TRIBUNE COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
COMPUTATION OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(In thousands, except ratios)

	Three Quarters Ended	Fiscal Year Ended December
	9/29/02	2001		2000		1999		1998		1997
Income from continuing operations, before
cumulative effect of accounting change (1)	$415,032		$111,136		$310,401		$1,449,962		$389,197		$372,759
Add:
Income tax expense	250,722		157,815		270,351		933,981		272,660		250,265
Losses on equity investments	51,903		60,813		79,374		40,083		33,980		34,696
Distributed income from equity investees	9,641		21,784		9,693		–		–		–
Minority interest expense, net of tax	–		–		16,335		–		–		–
Subtotal	727,298		351,548		686,154		2,424,026		695,837		657,720
Fixed charge adjustments
Add:
Interest expense	161,258		254,521		240,708		113,031		88,451		86,502
Amortization of capitalized interest	2,418		2,989		4,012		2,065		2,068		2,076
Interest component of rental expense (2)	17,103		22,853		18,620		9,312		8,871		8,792
Earnings, as adjusted	$908,077		$631,911		$949,494		$2,548,434		$795,227		$755,090
Fixed charges:
Interest expense	$161,258		$254,521		$240,708		$   113,031		$  88,451		$  86,502
Interest capitalized	2,373		3,184		1,950		1,117		1,897		224
Interest component of rental expense (2)	17,103		22,853		18,620		9,312		8,871		8,792
Interest related to guaranteed ESOP debt (3)	4,174		8,192		10,718		13,146		15,578		17,901
Total fixed charges	$184,908		$288,750		$271,996		$   136,606		$114,797		$113,419
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (1)	4.9		2.2		3.5		18.7		6.9		6.7

(1) Income from continuing operations, before cumulative effect of accounting change, included an after-tax non-operating net loss of $7.5 million and after-tax restructuring charges of $16.7 million in the first three quarters of 2002, an after-tax non-operating net loss of $45.7 million and after-tax restructuring charges of $92.6 million in 2001, an after-tax non-operating net loss of $93.1 million in 2000, and after-tax non-operating net gains of $1,067.6 million in 1999, $63.5 million in 1998 and $68.9 million in 1997. Excluding these non-operating items and the restructuring charges, the ratio of earnings to fixed charges was 5.1 in the first three quarters of 2002, 3.0 in 2001, 4.0 in 2000, 5.8 in 1999, 5.9 in 1998 and 5.7 in 1997. See Notes 2 and 5 to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements in this Form 10-Q and the Eleven Year Financial Summary in the Company’s 2001 Form 10-K for further discussion of these restructuring charges and non-operating items.

(2) Represents a reasonable approximation of the interest cost component of rental expense incurred by the Company.

(3) Tribune Company guarantees the debt of its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”).