Gannett (GCI): USA Today Ad Figures Implode (MHP)(GCI)(NWS)(TWX)(WPO)

Posted: June 17, 2008 at 5:09 pm

Gannett (GCI), the country’s largest newspaper company posted its revenue for the May period.

Advertising revenue dropped 14.3% to $347 million. This was an acceleration from the year-to-date rate of decrease of 11%.

Real estate classified was off over 30%.

Most notable was the sharp decrease in ad revenue at USA Today, the country’s largest newspaper by circulation. Sales were off 18.4% compared to the previous year as ad pages fell from 324 to 260, a 20% decline.

Because of the national nature of its distribution, USA Today’s trends are likely to mirror those of publications including The Wall Street Journal (NWS), Time (TWX), Newsweek (WPO), and BusinessWeek (MHP).

Douglas A. McIntyre

Read more: Old Media, , , , ,