EXHIBIT 31.1

I, Dennis J. FitzSimons, certify
that:

|1. | I
have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Tribune Company;
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|2. | Based
on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of
a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this quarterly report;
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|3. | Based
on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information
included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of Tribune Company as
of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;
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|4. | Tribune
Companys other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for Tribune Company and have:
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|a) |  | Designed
such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material
information relating to Tribune Company, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly
during the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;
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|b) |  | Evaluated
the effectiveness of Tribune Companys disclosure controls and procedures
and presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about the effectiveness
of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered
by this quarterly report based on such evaluation; and
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|c) |  | Disclosed
in this quarterly report any change in Tribune Companys internal control
over financial reporting that occurred during Tribune Companys most
recent fiscal quarter (Tribune Companys fourth fiscal quarter in the case
of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
materially affect, Tribune Companys internal control over financial
reporting; and
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|5. | Tribune
Companys other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to Tribune
Companys auditors and the audit committee of Tribune Companys board
of directors:
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|a) |  | All
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of
internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to
adversely affect Tribune Companys ability to record, process, summarize
and report financial information; and
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|b) |  | Any
fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who
have a significant role in Tribune Companys internal control over
financial reporting.
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|Date:  July 30, 2004 | /s/  Dennis J. FitzSimons   
          Dennis J. FitzSimons      Chairman, President and
              Chief Executive Officer
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