The E.W. Scripps Co. reported a $96.9 million in revenue from television stations in the first quarter of 2013, a 2.8% decline compared to the year-ago quarter.
Local advertising revenue was down 4.9% to $53.7 million and national advertising revenue was up 4.6% to $26.9 million. Digital revenue increased 23% and retransmission revenue increased 35% compared to the year-ago quarter.
“In the first quarter, which is our seasonally smallest revenue period, results were complicated by an expected absence of political advertising and difficult-to-predict advertising patterns coming out of 2012,” president, chairman and CEO Rich Boehne said in a statement. “These tough year-over-year revenue comparisons caused by cyclical political advertising will continue through the balance of 2013.”