Gannett Co. announced this morning that its fourth quarter TV revenue was up 26% over the same period in 2009.
Like Media General and Meredith Corp., Gannett saw a big boost in advertising revenue in the last quarter of 2010 due to hotly contested local elections.
Overall, Gannett’s TV revenues were $220.2 million with $52.4 of that coming from political advertising. Non-political advertising, however, increased a respectable 1.2% in the quarter.
“Broadcasting had an outstanding year in terms of ratings, revenue, and profitability,” said Craig Dubow, chairman and CEO of Gannett, which owns stations in top markets such as Atlanta, Phoenix, Cleveland, and D.C.
“Without a doubt, Gannett today is a stronger company than it was at the beginning of 2010,” Dubow added.