Gannett Releases November Statistical Report
McLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the eleventh period ended December 1, 2002 increased 4 percent, benefiting from strong television revenues and year-over-year gains in newspaper advertising.
Pro forma (assuming that all properties presently owned were owned in both periods) newspaper advertising revenues in November were up 3 percent compared with the same period in 2001 on a 2 percent increase in ROP volume and a 5 percent advance in preprint distribution.
Pro forma classified revenues increased 6 percent in the November period on a 7 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues increased 3 percent, the first increase since December 2000. Classified real estate revenues advanced 9 percent, and automotive increased 6 percent.
Pro forma local advertising revenues declined 1 percent on a 4 percent decrease in ad volume. Retail advertising was impacted by the later date of Thanksgiving this year. The important Thanksgiving holiday advertising week for our Phoenix, Indianapolis and other former Central newspapers falls in our December reporting period this year versus November last year. Also, for all the other U.S. locations there were two post-Thanksgiving Sundays in the November period last year versus one this year. For comparison purposes the company recommends combining November and December results.
Pro forma national advertising revenues rose 8 percent on a 6 percent increase in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers rose 10 percent in the period compared with the same interval in 2001. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues were flat on a 13 percent decline in paid ad pages to 436 from 501. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid pages numbered 4,385 compared to 5,055 last year, while ad revenues were 8 percent lower.
Pro forma television revenues increased 13 percent in the eleventh period. National revenues rose 18 percent and local revenues grew 11 percent.
In addition to the revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart which shows the consolidated Gannett Online audience shares for October from Nielsen//NetRatings. In October, Gannett’s domestic web sites had 14 million unique visitors reaching 11 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
Period 11 (November 4, 2002 - December 1, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 176,731,000 $ 178,475,000 $ (1,744,000) (1)
National 67,011,000 62,181,000 4,830,000 8
Classified 133,069,000 124,990,000 8,079,000 6
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Advertising $ 376,811,000 $ 365,646,000 $ 11,165,000 3
Circulation 100,271,000 99,651,000 620,000 1
Television 66,816,000 59,001,000 7,815,000 13
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Revenue $ 543,898,000 $ 524,298,000 $ 19,600,000 4
============= ============= ============ ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 3,560,119 3,700,453 (140,334) (4)
National 364,171 343,388 20,783 6
Classified 4,417,903 4,117,043 300,860 7
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total ROP 8,342,193 8,160,884 181,309 2
============= ============= ============ ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 1,136,349 1,080,616 55,733 5
============= ============= ============ ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 7,066,454 7,019,944 46,510 1
Evening 1,207,154 1,216,950 (9,796) (1)
------------- ------------- ------------ ----
Total Daily 8,273,608 8,236,894 36,714 0
============= ============= ============ ====
Sunday 7,065,682 7,077,162 (11,480) (0)
============= ============= ============ ====
Year-to-Date through December 1, 2002
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 1,689,469,000 $ 1,679,263,000 $ 10,206,000 1
National 644,333,000 659,899,000 (15,566,000) (2)
Classified 1,623,255,000 1,640,398,000 (17,143,000) (1)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Advertising $ 3,957,057,000 $ 3,979,560,000 $ (22,503,000) (1)
Circulation 1,186,892,000 1,189,519,000 (2,627,000) (0)
Television 715,181,000 612,900,000 102,281,000 17
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Revenue $ 5,859,130,000 $ 5,781,979,000 $ 77,151,000 1
============== ============== ============= ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 35,301,581 35,523,967 (222,386) (1)
National 3,624,546 3,527,283 97,263 3
Classified 53,039,413 50,414,070 2,625,343 5
============== ============== ============= ====
Total ROP 91,965,540 89,465,320 2,500,220 3
============== ============== ============= ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 9,766,644 9,305,474 461,170 5
============== ============== ============= ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,987,967 7,027,851 (39,884) (1)
Evening 1,201,966 1,233,432 (31,466) (3)
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Daily 8,189,933 8,261,283 (71,350) (1)
============== ============== ============= ====
Sunday 6,980,126 7,040,631 (60,505) (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.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gannett Online Internet Audience October 2002Nielsen//NetRatings Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 14,000,000 11%