Combined October revenues for the publishing and broadcast operations of Journal Communications were down 2.8% to $38 million. Publishing was down 10.6%. Journal Broadcast Group saw revenues gain 6.3%, with radio down 2% and TV up 11%, with a big boost from political. But political will be done with once the November numbers are released and year-to-date tallies are all in negative territory.
Television revenues for the month were driven by an increase in political advertising, offset by softness in the Mt. Myers, Boise and Palm Springs markets. So, TV revenues gained 11% to $12.8 million.
Radio had declines in all markets except Milwaukee, Springfield and Wichita, and a $240,000 increase in political wasn’t enough to fill the gap. Radio revenues fell 2% to $6.4 million.
Total broadcasting revenues were up 6.3% to $19.3 million.
Publishing revenues fell 10.6% to $18.8 million. Ad revenues was down 15.4% to $13.2 million. Classified dropped 32.9%, retail 7.1% and national 4.6%.
And while broadcasting was up for October, the tally through 10 months of 2008 is still down 1.9%, with radio off 4.6% and TV 0.2%. Publishing is down 8.8%, with advertising off 12.6%.
