<PAGE>   1

                                                              EXHIBIT 10.2(3)(b)

                                    AMENDMENT
                                       TO
                             A. H. BELO CORPORATION
                        1995 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN


         A. H. Belo Corporation, a Delaware corporation, pursuant to action of
its Board of Directors adopts the following amendments to the A. H. Belo
Corporation 1995 Executive Compensation Plan (the "Plan"):

         1. Paragraph 5(h) of the Plan is amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

                  (h) If a Participant terminates employment by reason of
          retirement at or after attaining the earliest age that qualifies as
          the Participant's Early Retirement Age under The G. B. Dealey
          Retirement Pension Plan, as amended from time to time, death or
          disability, each outstanding Stock Option granted to the Participant
          to the extent not vested will vest and be fully exercisable and will
          remain exercisable until the term of the Stock Option expires
          (determined without regard to the Participant's termination of
          employment). If a Participant terminates employment for any other
          reason, the Participant's right, if any, to exercise Stock Options
          after termination of employment will be determined in accordance with
          the termination guidelines set forth on Appendix A to the Plan. Such
          Stock Options will be exercisable after termination of employment only
          to the extent the Stock Options were vested and exercisable
          immediately prior to termination of employment.

         2. Paragraph 7(f) of the Plan is amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

                  (f) If a Participant terminates employment by reason of
          retirement at or after attaining the earliest age that qualifies as
          the Participant's Early Retirement Age under The G. B. Dealey
          Retirement Pension Plan, as amended from time to time, death or
          disability, each outstanding Appreciation Right granted to the
          Participant to the extent not vested will vest and be fully
          exercisable and will remain exercisable until the Appreciation Right
          expires by its terms (determined without regard to the Participant's
          termination of employment). If a Participant terminates employment
          for any other reason, the Participant's right, if any, to exercise
          Appreciation Rights after termination of employment will be
          determined in accordance with the termination guidelines set forth on
          Appendix A to the Plan. Such Appreciation Rights will be exercisable
          after termination of employment only to the extent the Appreciation
          Rights were vested and exercisable immediately prior to termination
          of employment.

         3. Paragraph 14 of the Plan is amended in its entirety to read as
follows:

                  14. Withholding Taxes. To the extent that the Company is
          required to withhold federal, state, local or foreign taxes in
          connection with any payment made or benefit realized by a Participant
          or other person under the Plan, and the amounts available to the
          Company for such withholding are insufficient, it will be a condition
          to the receipt of


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          such payment or the realization of such benefit that the Participant
          or such other person make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for
          payment of the balance of such taxes required to be withheld. In
          addition, if permitted by the Committee, the Participant or such other
          person may elect to have any withholding obligation of the Company
          satisfied with shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be
          transferred to the Participant or such other person in payment of the
          Participant's Award. In no event, however, will shares of Common Stock
          be withheld in excess of the minimum number of shares required to
          satisfy Belo's withholding obligation.

         4. The Plan is amended by the addition of Appendix A, in the form
attached to this Amendment.

         5. The foregoing amendments will be effective as of December 7, 1999,
with respect to all Stock Options and Appreciation Rights outstanding on that
date and with respect to all Stock Options and Appreciation Rights granted after
that date.

         Executed at Dallas, Texas, this 16th day of December, 1999.


                                        A. H. BELO CORPORATION



                                        By   /s/ MARIAN SPITZBERG
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Marian Spitzberg
                                                    ----------------------------
                                             Title: Secretary
                                                    ----------------------------

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                                   APPENDIX A

                             TERMINATION GUIDELINES


         The following guidelines will determine the period of time, if any,
during which a Participant may continue to exercise Stock Options and
Appreciation Rights after termination of employment for reasons other than
retirement at or after attaining the earliest age that qualifies as the
Participant's Early Retirement Age under The G. B. Dealey Retirement Pension
Plan, as amended from time to time (the "Retirement Plan"), death or disability.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  REASON FOR TERMINATION                                  EXERCISE PERIOD
                  ----------------------                                  ---------------
<S>                                                         <C>
         Voluntary Resignation                              None; Stock Options and Appreciation Rights
                                                            expire immediately, and all unexercised Stock
                                                            Options and Appreciation Rights are forfeited,
                                                            on the date of termination of employment.

         Discharge for Cause                                None; Stock Options and Appreciation Rights
                                                            expire immediately, and all unexercised Stock
                                                            Options and Appreciation Rights are forfeited,
                                                            on the date of termination of employment.

         Termination for Other Reasons:

         Executive officers and general
         managers of operating units                        One year after termination of employment.

         Other Participants with 10 or more
         years of service                                   One year after termination of employment.

         Other Participants with more than 5
         but less than 10 years of service                  Six months after termination of employment.

         Other Participants with 5 or fewer
         years of service                                   Three months after termination of employment.
</TABLE>

         For purposes of these guidelines, a year of service will be determined
in the same manner as a year of vesting service under the Retirement Plan.