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For immediate release
8/16/04

Gannett Releases July Statistical Report

McLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the seventh period ended August 1, 2004 increased 8.5 percent, benefiting from strength across all segments. For comparison purposes, the continued increase in the exchange rate of Sterling year-over-year affected results for the company’s UK operations. If the exchange rate had remained constant year-over-year, total pro forma operating revenues would have increased 6.7 percent for the period.

Pro forma (assuming that all properties presently owned were owned in both periods) newspaper advertising revenues in July increased 9.5 percent compared with 2003’s seventh period on a 2.0 percent increase in ROP volume and a 5.4 percent advance in preprint distribution. If the exchange rate had remained constant year-over-year, total pro forma newspaper advertising revenues would have increased 7.2 percent.

Pro forma classified revenues rose 12.6 percent in the seventh period on a 3.3 percent increase in ROP ad volume. Employment revenues advanced 23.4 percent, real estate revenues rose 12.0 percent, and automotive decreased 1.6 percent compared to last year. On a constant currency basis, employment and real estate revenues increased 18.1 percent and 8.0 percent, respectively, while automotive would have decreased 3.4 percent. On a constant currency basis, pro forma classified revenues would have advanced 8.9 percent for July.

Pro forma local advertising revenues increased 6.7 percent on a slight decline in ROP ad volume in July. The performance of the company’s small and medium-sized advertisers in its domestic newspapers outpaced the revenue performance of its largest advertisers. In the U.S., across all products, local ad revenue gains were achieved in the furniture, health, financial, restaurant and home improvement categories while the department store, consumer electronics, entertainment, grocery and telecommunications categories declined compared to the seventh period in 2003. On a constant currency basis, pro forma local advertising would have increased 5.4 percent.

Pro forma national advertising revenues in July increased 8.1 percent on slightly higher ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers was almost flat year-over-year in the period. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues were up 13.9 percent on a 6.0 percent increase in paid ad pages to 391 from 369. For the seventh period, at USA TODAY, results for the automotive, entertainment, technology, packaged goods, classified, advocacy and financial categories were higher, while the travel, telecommunications, and retail categories decreased. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid advertising pages totaled 2,757 versus 2,684 last year, a 2.7 percent increase.

Pro forma broadcasting revenues, which include Captivate, increased 11.9 percent in the period. Television revenues were up 11.1 percent as local and national advanced 3.6 percent and 24.3 percent, respectively. Based on current pacings, television revenues for the third quarter would be ahead of last year’s third quarter results in the mid to high teens.

In addition to the revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart which shows the consolidated Gannett Online audience share for June from Nielsen//NetRatings. In June, Gannett’s domestic Websites had 17.1 million unique visitors reaching almost 12 percent of the Internet audience.

The pro forma revenues include the results of Captivate (acquired in April 2004), NurseWeek (acquired in February 2004), Clipper Magazine (acquired in October 2003), the SMG (Newsquest’s Scottish Media Group) publishing business and the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership as if they had been owned in both years. Ad linage for Newsquest, Clipper and NurseWeek are 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.

Prior to 2004, the company had included online revenues in the classified advertising revenue total but not in the specific classified categories of help wanted, automotive and real estate. Print and online ad revenues are now reported on a combined basis to calculate the percentage changes in these categories. Results for each period of 2003 have been reclassified to reflect this change.

Gannett Co., Inc. is a leading international news and information company that publishes
101 daily newspapers in the USA, including USA TODAY, the nation’s largest-selling daily newspaper. The company also owns more than 600 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 17 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 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:
Jeff Heinz
Director, Investor Relations
703-854-6917
jheinz@gannett.com

GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY


                          Period 7 (June 28, 2004 - August 1, 2004)
                                                                         %
                             2004            2003          CHANGE     CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local                  $  163,935,000  $  153,600,000  $  10,335,000    6.7
National                   60,083,000      55,583,000      4,500,000    8.1
Classified                182,204,000     161,770,000     20,434,000   12.6
                        -------------   -------------   ------------   ----
Total Advertising      $  406,222,000  $  370,953,000  $  35,269,000    9.5

Circulation               109,455,000     108,454,000      1,001,000    0.9
Other revenue              34,296,000      29,150,000      5,146,000   17.7
Broadcasting               65,660,000      58,667,000      6,993,000   11.9
                        -------------   -------------   ------------   ----
Total Revenue          $  615,633,000  $  567,224,000  $  48,409,000    8.5
                        =============   =============   ============   ====

VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local                       3,226,698       3,237,516        (10,818)  (0.3)
National                      327,041         324,627          2,414    0.7
Classified                  5,830,361       5,641,653        188,708    3.3
                        -------------   -------------   ------------   ----
Total ROP                   9,384,100       9,203,796        180,304    2.0
                        =============   =============   ============   ====
Preprint Distribution
  (in thousands)              919,147         871,987         47,160    5.4
                        =============   =============   ============   ====

NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT)            6,869,496       6,811,899         57,597    0.8
Evening                     1,179,614       1,216,432        (36,818)  (3.0)
                        -------------   -------------   ------------   ----
Total Daily                 8,049,110       8,028,331         20,779    0.3
                        =============   =============   ============   ====
Sunday                      6,686,280       6,872,089       (185,809)  (2.7)
                        =============   =============   ============   ====



                          Year-to-Date through August 1, 2004
                                                                         %
                             2004            2003          CHANGE     CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local                 $ 1,159,910,000 $ 1,094,687,000 $   65,223,000    6.0
National                  448,292,000     407,121,000     41,171,000   10.1
Classified              1,209,319,000   1,075,649,000    133,670,000   12.4
                       --------------  --------------  -------------   ----
Total Advertising     $ 2,817,521,000 $ 2,577,457,000 $  240,064,000    9.3

Circulation               728,316,000     721,689,000      6,627,000    0.9
Other revenue             227,465,000     214,358,000     13,107,000    6.1
Broadcasting              450,297,000     414,536,000     35,761,000    8.6
                       --------------  --------------  -------------   ----
Total Revenue         $ 4,223,599,000 $ 3,928,040,000 $  295,559,000    7.5
                       ==============  ==============  =============   ====

VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local                      21,652,272      21,575,671         76,601    0.4
National                    2,468,902       2,321,186        147,716    6.4
Classified                 35,774,012      34,653,721      1,120,291    3.2
                       --------------  --------------  -------------   ----
Total ROP                  59,895,186      58,550,578      1,344,608    2.3
                       ==============  ==============  =============   ====
Preprint Distribution
  (in thousands)            6,398,790       6,224,274        174,516    2.8
                       ==============  ==============  =============   ====

NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT)            7,112,353       7,074,086         38,267    0.5
Evening                     1,219,096       1,245,452        (26,356)  (2.1)
                       --------------  --------------  -------------   ----
Total Daily                 8,331,449       8,319,538         11,911    0.1
                       ==============  ==============  =============   ====
Sunday                      6,906,785       7,039,212       (132,427)  (1.9)
                       ==============  ==============  =============   ====

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 including Captivate (acquired in April 2004), NurseWeek (acquired in February 2004), Clipper Magazine (acquired in late October 2003), SMG Publishing (acquired in April 2003) and 100% of the Texas-New Mexico Newspapers Partnership (established in March 2003). Captivate is a national news and entertainment network that delivers quality programming and full motion video advertising to more than 1.4 million consumers and business professionals each day through wireless digital video screens in the elevators of premier office towers across North America. Captivate is included above in Broadcasting revenue. NurseWeek is a multimedia company with print publications focused on the recruitment, recognition and education of nurses. Clipper Magazine is a direct-mail advertising magazine company publishing over 345 individual market editions in 24 states, which are mailed to over 100 million American homes annually. SMG Publishing consists of three Scottish newspapers: The Herald, Sunday Herald and Evening Times; eleven specialty consumer and business-to-business magazine titles; and an online advertising and content business.

Newsquest (which includes SMG Publishing) 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 seventeen paid daily newspapers are included above. Circulation volume statistics for Sunday Herald are included above in the Sunday statistics. 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.

Circulation volume and advertising linage statistics for non-daily products, including NurseWeek and Clipper Magazine are not reflected above.

Certain online advertising revenues in 2003 have been reclassified to conform with the 2004 presentation. There was no effect on total revenues.

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Gannett Online Internet Audience
June 2004

Nielsen//NetRatings

Nielsen//NetRatings

Home/Work Panel Combined

Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of
Per Month Internet Audience

Gannett Online 17,149,000 11.5%