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                                                                      EXHIBIT 12

                            THE TIMES MIRROR COMPANY

                     RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND
        RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS
                             (DOLLARS IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               1999       1998       1997       1996       1995
                                             --------   --------   --------   --------   ---------
<S>                                          <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Fixed charges:
  Interest expense.........................  $ 93,439   $ 68,473   $ 35,713   $ 19,362   $  20,216
  Capitalized interest.....................        --         --         --         --         485
  Portion of rents deemed to be interest...    12,929     11,533     12,406     12,637      14,205
  Amortization of debt expense.............     2,264      2,151      1,417        529         411
                                             --------   --------   --------   --------   ---------
          Total fixed charges..............   108,632     82,157     49,536     32,528      35,317
Preferred stock dividends..................    30,634     39,653     54,883     71,901      74,581
                                             --------   --------   --------   --------   ---------
Fixed charges and preferred stock
  dividends................................  $139,266   $121,810   $104,419   $104,429   $ 109,898
                                             ========   ========   ========   ========   =========
Earnings (loss):
  Income (loss) from continuing operations
     before income taxes...................  $439,291   $245,004   $396,499   $300,254   $(253,421)
  Fixed charges, less capitalized
     interest..............................   108,632     82,157     49,536     32,528      34,832
  Amortization of capitalized interest.....     3,862      3,902      3,966      4,094       4,475
  Distributed income from less than 50%
     owned unconsolidated affiliates.......        --         --         92        191         191
  Equity loss (income) from less than 50%
     owned unconsolidated affiliates.......     3,783     13,146      4,690       (115)     (1,917)
                                             --------   --------   --------   --------   ---------
          Total earnings (loss)............  $555,568   $344,209   $454,783   $336,952   $(215,840)
                                             ========   ========   ========   ========   =========
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges.........      5.1x       4.2x       9.2x      10.4x         (a)
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and
  preferred stock dividends................      4.0x       2.8x       4.4x       3.2x         (b)
</TABLE>

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(a) Earnings are approximately $251 million lower than the amount needed to
    cover fixed charges in this year, as earnings were impacted by approximately
    $502 million in restructuring charges.

(b) Earnings are approximately $326 million lower than the amount needed to
    cover fixed charges and preferred stock dividends in this year, as earnings
    in 1995 were impacted by approximately $502 million in restructuring
    charges.