EXHIBIT31.1

Certification

I, Robert M. Jelenic,Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Journal Register Company (the"Registrant"), certifythat:

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| 1.  | I have reviewed this QuarterlyReport on Form 10-Q of theRegistrant; |

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| 2.  | Based on my knowledge, thisquarterly report does not contain any untrue statement of a materialfact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statementsmade, in light of the circumstances under which such statements weremade, not misleading with respect to the period covered by thisreport; |

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| 3.  | Based on my knowledge, thefinancial statements, and other financial information included in thisreport, fairly present in all material respects the financialcondition, results of operations and cash flows of the Registrant asof, and for, the periods presented in thisreport; |

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| 4.  | The Registrant's othercertifying officer and I are responsible for establishing andmaintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in ExchangeAct Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Registrant andhave: |

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|  | a.  | Designed such disclosurecontrols and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure thatmaterial information relating to the Registrant, including itsconsolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within thoseentities, particularly during the period in which this report is beingprepared; and |

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|  | b.  | Evaluated theeffectiveness of the Registrant's disclosure controls andprocedures and presented in this report our conclusions about theeffectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the endof the period covered by this report based on such evaluation;and |

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|  | c.  | Disclosed in this reportany change in the Registrant's internal control over financialreporting that occurred during the Registrant's most recentfiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely tomaterially affect, the Registrant's internal control overfinancial reporting; and |

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| 5.  | TheRegistrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, basedon our most recent evaluation of internal control over financialreporting, to the Registrant's auditors and the audit committeeof the Registrant's board ofdirectors: |

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|  | a.  | All significantdeficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likelyto adversely affect the Registrant's ability to record, process,summarize and report financial information;and |

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|  | b.  | Any fraud, whether or notmaterial, that involves management or other employees who have asignificant role in the Registrant's internal control overfinancial reporting. |

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| Date: August 5,2005  | /s/ Robert M.Jelenic                                                    Robert M. Jelenic Chairman and Chief ExecutiveOfficer |

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