Challenges Facing Newspapers Today

Publishers and journalists today face worrisome issues, such as the decline in newspaper readership and the failure of many papers to attract younger readers. However, other problems persist as newspapers continue to converge with the Internet and grapple with the future of digital news.

WHAT GANNETT OWNS

Consider how Gannett connects to your life; then turn the page for the bigger picture.

NEWSPAPERS

  • 80 daily papers and 600 nondaily publications, including

    -USA Today

    -Asbury Park Press (N.J.)

    -Detroit Free Press

    -Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (N.Y.)

    -Arizona Republic (Phoenix)

    -Cincinnati Enquirer

    -Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.)

    -Des Moines Register (Iowa)

    -Indianapolis Star

    -News Journal (Wilmington, Del.)

    -Tennessean (Nashville)

    -Army Times Publishing Company (newspapers)

    -Newsquest plc (newspaper publishing, United Kingdom)

TELEVISION

  • Captivate Network (advertising-based television in elevators)
  • 23 TV stations, including

    -KARE-TV (Minneapolis)

    -KNAZ-TV (Flagstaff, Ariz.)

    -KSDK-TV (St. Louis)

    -KTHV-TV (Little Rock, Ark.)

    -KUSA-TV (Denver)

    -KXTV-TV (Sacramento, Calif.)

    -WATL-TV (Atlanta)

    -WBIR-TV (Knoxville, Tenn.)

    -WCSH-TV (Portland, Me.)

    -WGRZ-TV (Buffalo, N.Y.)

    -WJXX-TV (Jacksonville)

    -WKYC-TV (Cleveland)

    -WTLV-TV (Jacksonville)

    -WTSP-TV (Tampa)

    -WZZM-TV (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

INTERNET

  • CareerBuilder (50 percent)
  • Metromix.com (51 percent)
  • ShopLocal.com
  • Topix (34 percent)

MAGAZINES AND PRINTING

  • Clipper Magazine (direct mail advertising)
  • Gannett Healthcare Group (periodical publishing)
  • Gannett Offset (commercial printing)
  • USA Weekend

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

To recoup some of its lost newspaper advertising revenue, Gannett is investing in online sites that are similar to classified ads.

  • Revenue. Gannett’s 2010 revenue was $5.4 billion, down from 2006’s peak revenue of $7.8 billion.1
  • Executive Pay. CEO Craig Dubow earned $9.4 million in 2010, more than double his 2009 compensation. But Gannett eliminated 24,000 jobs in the same year, and its sales declined from 2009.
  • USA Today. The second-largest newspaper in the United States, USA Today has a daily circulation of more than 1.8 million and its mobile apps (iPad, iPhone, and Android) have had more than 7 million downloads since their launches.2
  • Market Reach. Gannett’s ownership of numerous local newspapers means it can reach large segments of the population. It owns papers in major markets such as Phoenix, Ariz., and Louisville, Ky; in midsize markets such as Palm Springs, Calif., and Greenville, S.C.; and in smaller markets like Sheboygan, Wis., and Ithaca, N.Y.3
  • Television. In 2009, Gannett’s twenty-three television stations earned $770 million.The stations reach over 21 million U.S. households (18.2% of the population) and account for 14 percent of Gannett’s revenue.4
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CAREERBUILDER.COM, the largest online job site in the United States, has more than 24 million unique visitors each month.