Gannett Releases December Statistical Report
McLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the twelfth period ended December 29, 2002 increased 7 percent, benefiting from strong television revenues and solid year-over-year gains in newspaper advertising.
Pro forma (assuming that all properties presently owned were owned in both periods) newspaper advertising revenues in December were up 9 percent compared with the same period in 2001 on a 5 percent increase in ROP volume and a 15 percent advance in preprint distribution. As noted last month, due to the later date of Thanksgiving this year, for comparison purposes the company recommends combining November and December results. For the full year, pro forma newspaper advertising revenues were up slightly.
Pro forma classified revenues increased 8 percent in the December period on a 7 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues increased 1 percent over the same period last year. Classified real estate revenues advanced 12 percent, and automotive also increased 12 percent. For all of 2002, pro forma classified revenues were slightly lower than in 2001.
Pro forma local advertising revenues increased 7 percent on a 1 percent increase 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. For the full year, pro forma local ad revenues increased 1 percent.
Pro forma national advertising revenues rose 14 percent on a 16 percent increase in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers advanced 16 percent in the period compared with the same interval in 2001. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues were up 16 percent on a 14 percent increase in paid ad pages to 484 from 425. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid pages numbered 4,869 compared with 5,481 in 2001, while ad revenues were 6 percent lower.
Pro forma television revenues increased 13 percent in the twelfth period. National revenues rose 12 percent and local revenues grew 14 percent. For all of 2002, television revenues increased 16 percent, buoyed by Olympic and very strong political advertising.
In addition to the revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart which shows the consolidated Gannett Online audience shares for December from Nielsen//NetRatings. In December, Gannett’s domestic Web sites had 11.8 million unique visitors reaching 9 percent of the Internet audience.
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 a leading 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 400 non-daily publications in the USA and USA WEEKEND, a weekly newspaper magazine. Gannett subsidiary Newsquest is the United Kingdom’s second largest regional newspaper company. Newsquest publishes more than 300 titles, including 15 daily newspapers, and a network of prize-winning Web sites. Gannett also operates 22 television stations in the United States and is an Internet leader with sites sponsored by most of its TV stations and newspapers including USATODAY.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 and Chief Financial Officer
703-854-6918
gmartore@gannett.com
GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Period 12 (December 2, 2002 - December 29, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 181,538,000 $ 169,345,000 $ 12,193,000 7
National 63,534,000 55,616,000 7,918,000 14
Classified 114,919,000 106,265,000 8,654,000 8
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Advertising $ 359,991,000 $ 331,226,000 $ 28,765,000 9
Circulation 97,346,000 97,263,000 83,000 0
Television 56,122,000 49,752,000 6,370,000 13
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Revenue $ 513,459,000 $ 478,241,000 $ 35,218,000 7
============= ============= ============ ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 3,654,569 3,631,264 23,305 1
National 330,462 286,107 44,355 16
Classified 4,055,990 3,774,925 281,065 7
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total ROP 8,041,021 7,692,296 348,725 5
============= ============= ============ ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 1,159,536 1,007,085 152,451 15
============= ============= ============ ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,747,748 6,745,792 1,956 0
Evening 1,160,277 1,191,141 (30,864) (3)
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Daily 7,908,025 7,936,933 (28,908) (0)
============= ============= ============ ====
Sunday 6,929,012 6,910,243 18,769 0
============= ============= ============ ====
Year-to-Date through December 29, 2002
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 1,871,007,000 $ 1,848,607,000 $ 22,400,000 1
National 707,867,000 715,515,000 (7,648,000) (1)
Classified 1,738,467,000 1,746,664,000 (8,197,000) (0)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Advertising $ 4,317,341,000 $ 4,310,786,000 $ 6,555,000 0
Circulation 1,240,955,000 1,243,932,000 (2,977,000) (0)
Television 771,303,000 662,652,000 108,651,000 16
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Revenue $ 6,329,599,000 $ 6,217,370,000 $ 112,229,000 2
============== ============== ============= ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 38,954,150 39,155,231 (201,081) (1)
National 3,955,008 3,813,390 141,618 4
Classified 57,095,403 54,188,995 2,906,408 5
============== ============== ============= ====
Total ROP 100,004,561 97,157,616 2,846,945 3
============== ============== ============= ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 10,923,803 10,313,234 610,569 6
============== ============== ============= ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,969,541 7,006,302 (36,761) (1)
Evening 1,204,562 1,232,054 (27,492) (2)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Daily 8,174,103 8,238,356 (64,253) (1)
============== ============== ============= ====
Sunday 6,975,890 7,029,768 (53,878) (1)
============== ============== ============= ====
Note: Certain immaterial charges relating to sales promotions have been reclassified from cost of sales and operating expenses to a reduction of circulation revenue; the reclassification had no effect on operating income or net income.
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.
GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
4th Quarter 2002 (Sept. 30 - Dec. 29, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 539,261,000 $ 524,539,000 $ 14,722,000 3
National 202,147,000 191,982,000 10,165,000 5
Classified 411,718,000 388,056,000 23,662,000 6
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Advertising $ 1,153,126,000 $ 1,104,577,000 $ 48,549,000 4
Circulation 310,895,000 311,144,000 (249,000) (0)
Television 228,779,000 180,119,000 48,660,000 27
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Revenue $ 1,692,800,000 $ 1,595,840,000 $ 96,960,000 6
============== ============== ============= ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 11,006,521 11,095,773 (89,252) (1)
National 1,101,879 1,008,164 93,715 9
Classified 14,122,965 13,179,753 943,212 7
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total ROP 26,231,365 25,283,690 947,675 4
============== ============== ============= ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 3,367,523 3,089,340 278,183 9
============== ============== ============= ====
Note: Certain immaterial charges relating to sales promotions have been reclassified from cost of sales and operating expenses to a reduction of circulation revenue; the reclassification had no effect on operating income or net income.
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.
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Gannett Online Internet Audience December 2002Nielsen//NetRatings Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 11,771,000 9%