Gannett Releases January Statistical Report
McLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the first period ended Feb. 2, 2003 increased 5 percent, benefiting from solid year-over-year gains in newspaper advertising and television revenues.
Pro forma (assuming that all properties presently owned were owned in both periods) newspaper advertising revenues in January were up 5 percent compared with the same period in 2002 on a 4 percent increase in ROP volume and a 14 percent advance in preprint distribution.
Pro forma classified revenues increased 5 percent in the January period on a 6 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues declined 2 percent from the same period last year. Classified real estate revenues advanced 6 percent, and automotive also increased 6 percent.
Pro forma local advertising revenues increased 4 percent on flat 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 rose 9 percent on an 11 percent increase in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers advanced 13 percent in the period compared with the same interval in 2002. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues were up 16 percent on a 6 percent increase in paid ad pages to 403 from 381.
Pro forma television revenues increased 8 percent in the period. National revenues rose 12 percent and local revenues grew 8 percent.
Pro forma other revenue, which primarily includes Gannett’s share of the operating results of the Detroit and Tucson joint operating agencies and the company’s commercial printing activities, rose 10 percent.
In addition to the revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart which shows the consolidated Gannett Online audience shares for January Nielsen//NetRatings. In January, Gannett’s domestic Web sites had 13 million unique visitors reaching 10 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 1 (December 30, 2002 - February 2, 2003)
%
2003 2002 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 138,900,000 $ 133,706,000 $ 5,194,000 4
National 57,326,000 52,785,000 4,541,000 9
Classified 143,620,000 136,818,000 6,802,000 5
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Advertising $ 339,846,000 $ 323,309,000 $ 16,537,000 5
Circulation 109,168,000 108,638,000 530,000 0
Other revenue 27,930,000 25,397,000 2,533,000 10
Television 53,548,000 49,521,000 4,027,000 8
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Revenue $ 530,492,000 $ 506,865,000 $ 23,627,000 5
============= ============= ============ ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 2,986,826 3,001,428 (14,602) (0)
National 311,478 279,705 31,773 11
Classified 4,911,603 4,642,900 268,703 6
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total ROP 8,209,907 7,924,033 285,874 4
============= ============= ============ ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 891,276 783,297 107,979 14
============= ============= ============ ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,900,406 6,930,139 (29,733) (0)
Evening 1,183,826 1,205,945 (22,119) (2)
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Daily 8,084,232 8,136,084 (51,852) (1)
============= ============= ============ ====
Sunday 7,017,541 7,016,383 1,158 0
============= ============= ============ ====
Year-to-Date through February 2, 2003
%
2003 2002 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 138,900,000 $ 133,706,000 $ 5,194,000 4
National 57,326,000 52,785,000 4,541,000 9
Classified 143,620,000 136,818,000 6,802,000 5
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Advertising $ 339,846,000 $ 323,309,000 $ 16,537,000 5
Circulation 109,168,000 108,638,000 530,000 0
Other revenue 27,930,000 25,397,000 2,533,000 10
Television 53,548,000 49,521,000 4,027,000 8
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Revenue $ 530,492,000 $ 506,865,000 $ 23,627,000 5
============== ============== ============= ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 2,986,826 3,001,428 (14,602) (0)
National 311,478 279,705 31,773 11
Classified 4,911,603 4,642,900 268,703 6
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total ROP 8,209,907 7,924,033 285,874 4
============== ============== ============= ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 891,276 783,297 107,979 14
============== ============== ============= ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,900,406 6,930,139 (29,733) (0)
Evening 1,183,826 1,205,945 (22,119) (2)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Daily 8,084,232 8,136,084 (51,852) (1)
============== ============== ============= ====
Sunday 7,017,541 7,016,383 1,158 0
============== ============== ============= ====
Note: The operating results from the company’s newspapers participating in joint operating agencies, and which are accounted for under the equity method of accounting, are reported as a single amount in other operating revenues. Advertising linage statistics from these newspapers are not included above, however, circulation volume statistics for these newspapers are included above.
The above revenue amounts and statistics have been restated to include all companies presently owned.
Certain immaterial charges relating to sales promotions have been reclassified in the prior year from newspaper expenses to a reduction of circulation revenue; the reclassification had no effect on operating income or net income.
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 2003Nielsen//NetRatings Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 13,476,000 10%