Gannett Releases October Statistical Report
MCLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the tenth period ended November 3, 2002 increased 7 percent, benefiting from very strong television revenues and year-over-year gains in newspaper advertising.
Pro forma newspaper advertising revenues in October were up 2 percent compared with the same period in 2001 on a 4 percent increase in ROP volume and a 7 percent advance in preprint distribution.
Pro forma classified revenues increased 4 percent in the October period on a 7 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues declined 3 percent. Classified real estate revenues advanced 9 percent, and automotive increased 6 percent.
Pro forma local advertising revenues advanced 2 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.
Pro forma national advertising revenues declined 3 percent on an 8 percent increase in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers rose 14 percent in the period compared with the same interval in 2001. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues decreased 8 percent on a 12 percent decline in paid ad pages to 518 from 585. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid pages numbered 3,949 compared to 4,554 last year, while ad revenues were 8 percent lower.
Pro forma television revenues increased 48 percent in the tenth period, propelled by very strong political advertising in October. National revenues soared 88 percent and local revenues grew 21 percent.
In addition to the revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart which shows the consolidated Gannett Online audience shares for September from Nielsen//NetRatings. In September, Gannett’s domestic web sites had 14.5 million unique visitors reaching 12 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 of Finance and Treasurer
703-854-6918
gmartore@gannett.com
GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
GANNETT CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Period 10 (September 30, 2002 - November 3, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 181,094,000 $ 176,720,000 $ 4,374,000 2
National 71,621,000 74,185,000 (2,564,000) (3)
Classified 163,668,000 156,801,000 6,867,000 4
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Advertising $ 416,383,000 $ 407,706,000 $ 8,677,000 2
Circulation 121,337,000 121,999,000 (662,000) (1)
Television 105,841,000 71,366,000 34,475,000 48
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Revenue $ 643,561,000 $ 601,071,000 $ 42,490,000 7
============= ============= ============ ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 3,800,607 3,769,549 31,058 1
National 408,152 378,669 29,483 8
Classified 5,642,170 5,282,292 359,878 7
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total ROP 9,850,929 9,430,510 420,419 4
============= ============= ============ ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 1,073,195 1,000,964 72,231 7
============= ============= ============ ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 7,119,447 7,160,810 (41,363) (1)
Evening 1,201,180 1,219,328 (18,148) (1)
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Daily 8,320,627 8,380,138 (59,511) (1)
============= ============= ============ ====
Sunday 6,993,892 7,078,111 (84,219) (1)
============= ============= ============ ====
Year-to-Date through November 3, 2002
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $1,512,769,000 $1,500,788,000 $ 11,981,000 1
National 577,292,000 597,718,000 (20,426,000) (3)
Classified 1,490,183,000 1,515,408,000 (25,225,000) (2)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Advertising $3,580,244,000 $3,613,914,000 $ (33,670,000) (1)
Circulation 1,086,621,000 1,089,869,000 (3,248,000) (0)
Television 648,365,000 553,899,000 94,466,000 17
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Revenue $5,315,230,000 $5,257,682,000 $ 57,548,000 1
============== ============== ============= ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 31,741,462 31,823,514 (82,052) (0)
National 3,261,281 3,183,895 77,386 2
Classified 48,621,510 46,297,027 2,324,483 5
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total ROP 83,624,253 81,304,436 2,319,817 3
============== ============== ============= ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 8,629,970 8,224,858 405,112 5
============== ============== ============= ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,980,202 7,026,811 (46,609) (1)
Evening 1,205,979 1,236,778 (30,799) (2)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Daily 8,186,181 8,263,589 (77,408) (1)
============== ============== ============= ====
Sunday 6,971,630 7,036,979 (65,349) (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 September 2002Nielsen//NetRatings Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 14,510,000 12%