That level of cost increase will not be repeated in the fourth quarter, |
The last few years have been very strong for the newspaper industry, ... And we think next year is going to be a very good year, as well. |
The newspaper business is a great business, ... We've just made the biggest acquisition in the history of our industry when we bought four newspapers from Disney ( DIS ). We think the newspaper business in print form . . . is a very, very good business. |
The newspaper business is strong in most markets, and we continue to restructure culturally to take advantage of it, |
The only responsible course is to tighten our operations, ... but with maximum sensitivity to assuring the quality of our journalism and the long-term health of our franchises so that we are better positioned to meet the future, whatever the economic environment. |
The quarter was challenging. With total ad revenue up only 1 percent, and with the persistence of the soft revenue patterns across the industry for many months now (employment and real estate excepted), we continue to look to the second half for improvement. |
There were things Gannett wanted to do and things Knight Ridder wanted to do, ... We decided if we could develop an exit strategy that would leave us whole, it would be a positive thing for both parties. |
Third-quarter operating results were held back by continuing advertising softness, exacerbated by the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, ... In the aftermath, most advertisers curtailed or canceled their normal schedules for the better part of two weeks. |
This is a difficult time in so many ways, but in no way greater than having to disrupt the lives and trust of Knight Ridder people with whom we have worked so closely. But I do feel we have no choice. |
unless and until its board of directors has approved a specific transaction. |
We expect ad revenue to grow in the second half at about the same rate that it grew in the first, |
We feel the need to go our own way. |
We promised a strong bottom-line performance this year, and we are going to deliver, ... We have offset some tightening in the revenue environment with tough cost discipline, and that will not be a one-time event. |
We'd consider it, but we don't have any control over the Times board. Who would buy something like that? |
While the fundamentals of this quarter were disappointing, we took important steps to position our company for a strong future in both print and online publishing, and our accomplishments were significant, |