Gannett Releases August Statistical Report
MCLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the eighth period ended September 1, 2002, increased 2 percent.
Pro forma newspaper advertising revenues in August were up modestly compared with the same period in 2001 on a 2 percent increase in ROP volume and a 7 percent increase in preprint distribution.
Pro forma classified revenues were slightly higher in the August period on a 4 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues decreased 11 percent. Classified real estate revenues advanced 7 percent, and automotive increased by 5 percent.
Pro forma local advertising revenues increased 2 percent on a 1 percent decline in ad volume. The performance of the company’s small and medium-sized advertisers in its domestic newspapers outpaced the revenue performance of its largest advertisers.
Pro forma national advertising revenues decreased 4 percent on a 2 percent decline in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers was flat in the period compared with the same interval in 2001. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues declined 8 percent on a 15 percent decline in paid ad pages to 292 from 342. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid pages numbered 3,085 compared to 3,574 last year, while ad revenues were 9 percent lower.
Pro forma television revenues increased 18 percent in the eighth period. National revenues increased 32 percent and local revenues grew 8 percent.
Ad linage for Newsquest is not included in the ad volume statistics. Circulation volume numbers for Newsquest’s paid daily newspapers are included in the enclosed statistics, but volume from unpaid daily and non-daily publications is not included in the circulation volume statistics.
Gannett Co., Inc. is an international news and information company that publishes 94 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns in excess of 300 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. In the United Kingdom, Gannett subsidiary Newsquest plc publishes more than 300 titles, including 15 daily newspapers. Gannett also operates 22 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by its TV stations and newspapers including USA TODAY.com, one of the most popular news sites on the Web.
Certain statements in this press release may be forward looking in nature or “forward looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward looking statements contained in this press release are subject to a number of risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual performance to differ materially from these forward looking statements. A number of those risks, trends and uncertainties are discussed in the company’s SEC reports, including the company’s annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward looking statements in this press release should be evaluated in light of these important risk factors.
Gannett is not responsible for updating the information contained in this press release beyond the published date, or for changes made to this press release by wire services, Internet service providers or other media.
Contact:
Gracia Martore
Senior Vice President of Finance and Treasurer
703-854-6918
gmartore@gannett.com
GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Period 8 (August 5, 2002 - September 1, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 137,928,000 $ 135,663,000 $ 2,265,000 2
National 44,893,000 46,836,000 (1,943,000) (4)
Classified 138,762,000 138,200,000 562,000 0
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Advertising $ 321,583,000 $ 320,699,000 $ 884,000 0
Circulation 98,443,000 98,011,000 432,000 0
Television 59,661,000 50,752,000 8,909,000 18
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Revenue $ 479,687,000 $ 469,462,000 $10,225,000 2
============= ============= =========== ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 2,849,155 2,871,274 (22,119) (1)
National 268,210 274,357 (6,147) (2)
Classified 4,598,567 4,414,419 184,148 4
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total ROP 7,715,932 7,560,050 155,882 2
============= ============= =========== ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 824,616 771,448 53,168 7
============= ============= =========== ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,871,372 6,850,518 20,854 0
Evening 1,167,096 1,209,132 (42,036) (3)
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Daily 8,038,468 8,059,650 (21,182) (0)
============= ============= =========== ====
Sunday 6,894,644 6,949,239 (54,595) (1)
============= ============= =========== ====
Year-to-Date through September 1, 2002
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 1,180,073,000 $ 1,179,903,000 $ 170,000 0
National 446,656,000 468,540,000 (21,884,000) (5)
Classified 1,168,728,000 1,206,601,000 (37,873,000) (3)
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Advertising $ 2,795,457,000 $ 2,855,044,000 $(59,587,000) (2)
Circulation 860,697,000 860,622,000 75,000 0
Television 478,633,000 437,233,000 41,400,000 9
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Revenue $ 4,134,787,000 $ 4,152,899,000 $(18,112,000) (0)
============= ============= =========== ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 24,905,004 25,145,889 (240,885) (1)
National 2,529,811 2,533,761 (3,950) (0)
Classified 38,264,779 36,655,353 1,609,426 4
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total ROP 65,699,594 64,335,003 1,364,591 2
============= ============= =========== ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 6,737,664 6,478,334 259,330 4
============= ============= =========== ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,940,432 6,966,947 (26,515) (0)
Evening 1,206,757 1,234,478 (27,721) (2)
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Daily 8,147,189 8,201,425 (54,236) (1)
============= ============= =========== ====
Sunday 6,970,612 7,023,539 (52,927) (1)
============= ============= =========== ====
Note: The above revenue and statistics include the pro rata portion from our
50% owned joint operating agencies, consistent with past practice.
The above revenue amounts and statistics have been restated to include all companies presently owned.
Newsquest (which includes Newscom) is a regional newspaper publisher in the United Kingdom with more than 300 titles, including paid and unpaid daily and non-daily products. Circulation volume statistics for Newsquest’s fifteen paid daily newspapers are included above. Circulation volume statistics for Newsquest’s unpaid daily and non-daily publications are not reflected above. Advertising linage for Newsquest publications is not reflected above.