US newspaper groups report rise in advertising revenues

by Staff,, Brand Republic 19-Aug-03, 16:00

NEW YORK - Three of the largest newspaper groups in the US have reported rises in advertising revenue for July, with the Tribune Group, owner of the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, recording a 3.3% rise.

The New York Times Company said that ad revenue for the month was up by 0.2% for the newspaper group, not including revenues for the International Herald Tribune, which it acquired in January 2003.

At Gannett, publisher of USA Today and owner of the UK local newspaper group Newsquest, advertising revenues in July rose by 2% compared with the same period in 2002.

At the Tribune Group, which owns the Chicago Tribune and the LA Times, advertising revenues were up 3.3% to $271m (£170.8m), with revenues increasing 3.5% to $508m.

There were rises in national advertising, traditionally the hardest hit sector during a recession, at Gannett and across Tribune's newspapers, with both saying that financial sector spend was up while movies and entertainment spend fell.

At the New York Times, national advertising was on a par with last year, but retail advertising rose for the mass market and chain stores.

Gannett, which added to its UK empire with the acquisition of the Glawgow Herald and Sunday Herald from the Scottish Media Group in April 2003, said that it anticipated a favourable second six months for its newspapers, although it expects revenues for its television assets to be softer than anticipated.

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