Gannett Releases February Statistical Report
McLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues increased 1 percent for the second period ended March 3, 2002 compared with the same period in 2001.
Pro forma newspaper advertising revenues fell 3 percent in the period on a 1 percent increase in ROP volume and a 5 percent gain in preprint distribution.
Pro forma classified revenues declined 7 percent in the February period on a 2 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues fell 26 percent. The company’s UK operations experienced softer help-wanted advertising in February. Classified real estate revenues advanced 6 percent and automotive also increased 3 percent. Overall, the company’s classified results for Newsquest continue to be stronger than the domestic results.
Pro forma local advertising revenues declined 1 percent on a similar decrease in ad volume.
Pro forma national advertising revenues rose 1 percent on a 1 percent decline in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers declined 1 percent. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues increased 1 percent while paid pages declined 2 percent to 400 from 407. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid pages numbered 781 compared to 895 last year, while ad revenues were 12 percent lower.
Pro forma television revenues rose 28 percent in the second period, as our NBC stations benefited from Winter Olympics related advertising. Local revenues increased 26 percent and national revenues were 32 percent higher.
In addition to our revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart, which shows the consolidated Gannett Internet audience shares for January from Media Metrix and Nielsen/Net Ratings. In January, Gannett’s domestic Web sites had 11.5 million unique visitors reaching 9.8 percent of the Internet audience. Newsquest is also an Internet leader in the UK.
On Wednesday, March 20th, Gannett management will be making a presentation to the Media and Entertainment Analysts of New York. That presentation will be Webcast at www.gannett.com beginning at 12:45 EST.
Ad linage for Newsquest and Newscom is not included in the ad volume statistics. Circulation volume numbers for Newsquest’s and Newscom’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 95 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 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 of Finance and Treasurer
703-854-6918
gmartore@gannett.com
GANNETT CO., INC. REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Period 2 (Feb. 4, 2001 - Mar. 3, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 136,192,000 $ 137,118,000 $ (926,000) (1)
National 54,029,000 53,317,000 712,000 1
Classified 131,485,000 141,043,000 (9,558,000) (7)
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total Advertising $ 321,706,000 $ 331,478,000 $ (9,772,000) (3)
Circulation 101,451,000 101,879,000 (428,000) (0)
Television 62,126,000 48,659,000 13,467,000 28
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total Revenue $ 485,283,000 $ 482,016,000 $ 3,267,000 1
============ ============ ============ ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 2,864,925 2,888,050 (23,125) (1)
National 294,900 299,296 (4,396) (1)
Classified 4,187,643 4,107,333 80,310 2
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total ROP 7,347,468 7,294,679 52,789 1
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 793,116 757,836 35,280 5
============ ============ ============ ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 7,103,617 7,183,193 (79,576) (1)
Evening 1,234,169 1,255,765 (21,596) (2)
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total Daily 8,337,786 8,438,958 (101,172) (1)
============ ============ ============ ====
Sunday 7,092,492 7,185,725 (93,233) (1)
============ ============ ============ ====
Year-to-Date through Mar. 3, 2002
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 277,864,000 $ 283,631,000 $ (5,767,000) (2)
National 109,683,000 115,943,000 (6,260,000) (5)
Classified 273,389,000 301,801,000 (28,412,000) (9)
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total Advertising $ 660,936,000 $ 701,375,000 $ (40,439,000) (6)
Circulation 220,023,000 220,522,000 (499,000) (0)
Television 111,647,000 99,367,000 12,280,000 12
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total Revenue $ 992,606,000 $1,021,264,000 $ (28,658,000) (3)
============ ============ ============ ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 5,970,750 6,026,657 (55,907) (1)
National 596,475 608,053 (11,578) (2)
Classified 8,950,401 8,812,741 137,660 2
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total ROP 15,517,626 15,447,451 70,175 0
============ ============ ============ ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 1,622,389 1,579,488 42,901 3
============ ============ ============ ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 7,012,817 7,068,138 (55,321) (1)
Evening 1,237,334 1,255,130 (17,796) (1)
------------ ------------ ------------ ----
Total Daily 8,250,151 8,323,268 (73,117) (1)
============ ============ ============ ====
Sunday 7,061,920 7,144,947 (83,027) (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.
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Gannett Online Internet Audience
January 2002
Nielsen/Net Ratings Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 11,537,000 9.8% Media Metrix Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 10,816,000 9.8% Gannett Online includes all domestic Gannett owned Web sites including USATODAY.com.