Tony Ridder
Tony Ridder
honestly likely
I honestly do not know who is the likely buyer.
delivered despite key management performance soft strong tight year
As promised, we delivered a very strong earnings-per-share (excluding nonrecurring items) performance in 1998. We did this in a year where not everything was going our way, which demonstrates our ability-and commitment-to tight management despite soft revenues in key markets.
newspapers regret
For those 12 newspapers that are being sold, the uncertainty is not over, and I regret that very much.
cost fourth increase level repeated
That level of cost increase will not be repeated in the fourth quarter,
capable online paper
a nationally read paper capable of being leveraged in the online market.
enhance including possible sale strategic
strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value, including the possible sale of the company.
advertising beat cents consensus despite faced far flat
Despite flat revenue, we beat the Street's consensus (earnings forecast) by two cents and faced by far the stiffest advertising comparisons of the year.
advertising beat cents consensus despite faced far flat
Despite flat revenue, we beat the Street's consensus (earnings forecast) by 2 cents and faced by far the stiffest advertising comparisons of the year.
best businesses continue critical great jobs months newspapers online outcome process publish run stay weeks
Our jobs, always, have been to publish great newspapers and online services, and we have done that very well, ... It is important that we continue to do so in the weeks and months to come. Indeed, a big part of all of our jobs will be to stay focused. Nothing could be more critical to the best outcome of the process we're now in than that we run our businesses well.
dealing drummer
Dealing with a drummer isn't that much different from dealing with someone from IT.
ad clearly control cost early emphasis february focus growth margin paying quarter revenue seen since strongest
Ad revenue growth in February and March, boosted by the early Easter, was the strongest we have seen since the first quarter of 1998. Our focus on operations, with emphasis on cost control and margin improvement, is clearly paying off.
cities run
In all of the cities where we have newspapers, we run the business.
ad month percent revenue seen steady
With ad revenue down a steady (and not worsening) 8 percent to 9 percent in each month of the quarter, we may have seen the floor.
We feel the need to go our own way.