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                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.1

                      RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
                                       OF
                           LIN TELEVISION CORPORATION

         LIN Television Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under
the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), does hereby certify:

         1.       The original Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the
                  Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on June 18, 1990.

         2.       A Restated Certificate of Incorporation was filed with the
                  Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on November 18,
                  1994.

         3.       The following Restated Certificate of Incorporation was duly
                  proposed by this corporation's Board of Directors pursuant to
                  the applicable provisions of Section 242 and Section 245 of
                  the DGCL. In lieu of a meeting of the stockholders, written
                  consent has been given for the adoption of said Restated
                  Certificate of Incorporation and the amendments to be made
                  thereby pursuant to the applicable provisions of Sections 242
                  and 245 of the DGCL.

                                ARTICLE 1. NAME

         The name of the corporation is LIN Television Corporation.

                     ARTICLE 2. REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

         The address of the initial registered office of this corporation is
Suite L-100, 32 Lookerman Square, Dover, County of Kent, Delaware 19901, and the
name of its initial registered agent at such address is The Prentice-Hall
Corporation System, Inc.

                              ARTICLE 3. PURPOSES

         The purpose of this corporation is to engage in any lawful act or
activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

                               ARTICLE 4. SHARES

         The total authorized number of par value shares of the corporation is
One Thousand (1,000) with a par value of One Cent ($0.01) per share, amounting
in the aggregate to Ten Dollars ($10). The shares are to consist of one class
only, to be known as common stock.

                               ARTICLE 5. BY-LAWS

         The Board of Directors shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal
the By-laws of this corporation; provided, however, that the Board of Directors
may not repeal or amend any by-law that the stockholders have expressly provided
may not be amended or repealed by the

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Board of Directors. The stockholders shall also have the power to adopt, amend
or repeal the By-laws.

                         ARTICLE 6. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

         The number of Directors of this corporation shall be determined in the
manner provided by the By-laws and may be increased or decreased from time to
time in the manner provided therein. Written ballots are not required in the
election of Directors.

                          ARTICLE 7. PREEMPTIVE RIGHTS

         Preemptive rights shall not exist with respect to shares of stock or
securities convertible into shares of stock of this corporation.

                          ARTICLE 8. CUMULATIVE VOTING

         The right to cumulate votes in the election of Directors shall not
exist with respect to shares of stock of this corporation.

                     ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENTS TO CERTIFICATE OF
                                  INCORPORATION

         This corporation reserves the right to amend or repeal any of the
provisions contained in this Certificate of Incorporation in any manner now or
hereafter permitted by law, and the rights of the stockholders of this
corporation are granted subject to this reservation.

                  ARTICLE 10. LIMITATION OF DIRECTOR LIABILITY

         To the full extent that the DGCL, as it exists on the date hereof or
may hereafter be amended, permits the limitation or elimination of the liability
of directors, a director of this corporation shall not be liable to this
corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director. Any amendment to or repeal of this Article 10 shall not
adversely affect any right or protection of a director of this corporation for
or with respect to any acts or omissions of such director occurring prior to
such amendment or repeal. In addition to any requirements or any other
provisions herein or in the terms of any class or series of capital stock having
a preference over the common stock of this corporation as to dividends or upon
liquidation (and notwithstanding that a lesser percentage may be specified by
law), the affirmative vote of the holders of 80% or more of the voting power of
the outstanding voting stock of this corporation, voting together as a single
class, shall be required to amend, alter or repeal any provision of this Article
10.

                       ARTICLE 11. ACTION BY STOCKHOLDERS
                                WITHOUT A MEETING

         Action may be taken by the stockholders of this corporation without a
meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, in accordance with the terms
of Section 228 of the DGCL.

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                          ARTICLE 12. FOREIGN OWNERSHIP

         To the extent deemed necessary or appropriate by the Board of Directors
to enable this corporation to engage in any business or activity directly or
indirectly conducted by it in compliance with the laws of the United States of
America as now in effect or as they may hereafter from time to time be amended,
this corporation may adopt such by-laws as may be necessary or advisable to
comply with the provisions and avoid the prohibitions of any such law. Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, such by-laws may restrict or prohibit
the transfer of shares of capital stock of this corporation to, and the voting
of such stock by, aliens or their representatives, or corporations organized
under the laws of any foreign country or their representatives, or corporations
directly or indirectly controlled by aliens or by any such corporation or
representative.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this document and
affirms, under penalties of perjury, that the statements herein are true and
that this instrument is the act and deed of LIN Television Corporation as of the
1st day of July, 2000.

                                                     LIN TELEVISION CORPORATION

                                                     By: /s/ Marcia L. Greene
                                                         Marcia L. Greene
                                                         Assistant Secretary

ATTEST: /s/ Tom Lindenfeld

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