Gannett Releases September Statistical Report
MCLEAN, VA – Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) reported today that total pro forma operating revenues for the ninth period ended September 29, 2002 increased 7 percent, benefiting from very strong television revenues and year-over-year gains in newspaper advertising.
Pro forma newspaper advertising revenues in September were up 5 percent compared with the same period in 2001 on a 7 percent increase in ROP volume and an 8 percent advance in preprint distribution.
Pro forma classified revenues increased 4 percent in the September period on a 9 percent increase in ad volume. Employment revenues declined 7 percent. Classified real estate revenues advanced 8 percent, and automotive jumped 14 percent.
Pro forma local advertising revenues advanced 5 percent on a 4 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 increased 7 percent on a 19 percent increase in ad volume. National volume at the company’s local domestic newspapers rose 26 percent in the period compared with the same interval in 2001. At USA TODAY, advertising revenues decreased 2 percent on a 12 percent decline in paid ad pages to 346 from 395. For the year-to-date, USA TODAY’s paid pages numbered 3,431 compared to 3,969 last year, while ad revenues were 9 percent lower.
Pro forma television revenues increased 41 percent in the ninth period, propelled by very strong political advertising in September. Also, television revenues in September 2001 were unfavorably affected as the company’s stations ran commercial free for several days following September 11. National revenues soared 73 percent and local revenues grew 24 percent.
In addition to the revenue and statistical summary, attached is a chart which shows the consolidated Gannett Online audience shares for August from Nielsen//Net Ratings. In August, Gannett’s domestic web sites had 15.3 million unique visitors reaching almost 13 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 9 (September 2, 2002 - September 29, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 151,871,000 $ 144,173,000 $ 7,698,000 5
National 58,847,000 54,993,000 3,854,000 7
Classified 157,676,000 151,999,000 5,677,000 4
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Advertising $ 368,394,000 $ 351,165,000 $ 17,229,000 5
Circulation 104,613,000 107,273,000 (2,660,000) (2)
Television 63,891,000 45,301,000 18,590,000 41
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Revenue $ 536,898,000 $ 503,739,000 $ 33,159,000 7
============= ============= =========== ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 3,040,625 2,936,926 103,699 4
National 323,318 271,465 51,853 19
Classified 4,707,659 4,330,532 377,127 9
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total ROP 8,071,602 7,538,923 532,679 7
============= ============= =========== ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 828,366 767,205 61,161 8
============= ============= =========== ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 7,174,332 7,391,583 (217,251) (3)
Evening 1,210,859 1,253,274 (42,415) (3)
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Daily 8,385,191 8,644,857 (259,666) (3)
============= ============= =========== ====
Sunday 6,990,158 7,104,728 (114,570) (2)
============= ============= =========== ====
Year-to-Date through September 29, 2002
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 1,331,942,000 $ 1,324,075,000 $ 7,867,000 1
National 505,505,000 523,533,000 (18,028,000) (3)
Classified 1,326,415,000 1,358,600,000 (32,185,000) (2)
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Advertising $ 3,163,862,000 $ 3,206,208,000 $ (42,346,000) (1)
Circulation 965,309,000 967,896,000 (2,587,000) (0)
Television 542,524,000 482,534,000 59,990,000 12
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Revenue $ 4,671,695,000 $ 4,656,638,000 $ 15,057,000 0
============= ============= =========== ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 27,947,629 28,059,458 (111,829) (0)
National 2,853,129 2,805,226 47,903 2
Classified 42,972,438 41,009,242 1,963,196 5
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total ROP 73,773,196 71,873,926 1,899,270 3
============= ============= =========== ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 7,556,280 7,223,894 332,386 5
============= ============= =========== ====
NET PAID CIRCULATION:
Morning (w/USAT) 6,965,086 7,011,434 (46,348) (1)
Evening 1,207,531 1,237,569 (30,038) (2)
------------- ------------- ----------- ----
Total Daily 8,172,617 8,249,003 (76,386) (1)
============= ============= =========== ====
Sunday 6,972,706 7,032,471 (59,765) (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 CO., INC.
REVENUE & STATISTICAL SUMMARY
3rd Quarter 2002 (July 1 - September 29, 2002)
%
2002 2001 CHANGE CHANGE
REVENUES:
Advertising:
Local $ 442,061,000 $ 427,620,000 $ 14,441,000 3
National 157,618,000 158,925,000 (1,307,000) (1)
Classified 455,007,000 448,105,000 6,902,000 2
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Advertising $ 1,054,686,000 $ 1,034,650,000 $ 20,036,000 2
Circulation 319,301,000 321,149,000 (1,848,000) (1)
Television 184,039,000 148,229,000 35,810,000 24
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total Revenue $ 1,558,026,000 $ 1,504,028,000 $ 53,998,000 4
============== ============== ============= ====
VOLUME:
Newspaper Inches:
Local 9,181,291 9,035,360 145,931 2
National 916,824 862,996 53,828 6
Classified 14,827,392 14,014,623 812,769 6
-------------- -------------- ------------- ----
Total ROP 24,925,507 23,912,979 1,012,528 4
============== ============== ============= ====
Preprint Distribution
(in thousands) 2,528,715 2,338,918 189,797 8
============== ============== ============= ====
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 August 2002Nielsen//NetRatings Home/Work Panel Combined Unique Visitors Percentage Reach of Per Month Internet Audience Gannett Online 15,320,000 13%