Exhibit 5-1

                              [Gannett Letterhead]


                                                     March 11, 2002


Gannett Co., Inc.
7950 Jones Branch Drive
McLean, Virginia 22107

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        As General Counsel of Gannett Co., Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), I have acted as counsel for the Company in connection with the
preparation of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Additional
Registration Statement") being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
in connection with the issuance, from time to time, of up to $300,000,000
aggregate principal amount of debt securities ("Debt Securities") and warrants
to purchase debt securities ("Warrants") of the Company. The Company previously
filed Registration Statements on Form S-3 (Nos. 33-63673 and 33-58686, as
amended, the "Registration Statement") in connection with the issuance, from
time to time, of up to $1,500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its Debt
Securities and Warrants. The Additional Registration Statement is being filed
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act with respect to the
Registration Statement to register additional securities. The Debt Securities,
if issued, will be issued pursuant to an indenture dated as of March 1, 1983
between the Company and Citibank, N.A., as the trustee, as amended from time to
time (the "Indenture"). The Warrants, if issued, will be issued pursuant to a
Warrant Agreement in substantially the form filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement.

        As counsel to the Company, I have examined originals or copies
certified, or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such documents,
corporate records and instruments as I have deemed necessary or advisable for
the purpose of this opinion. Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that
when (a) the Additional Registration Statement and any amendments thereto shall
have become effective and the Registration Statement shall remain effective and
(b) the Debt Securities and/or Warrants have been duly authorized and duly
executed by the Company and, if appropriate, authenticated as provided in the
Indenture or the Warrant Agreement and when duly paid for and delivered pursuant
to a sale in the manner described in the Registration Statement, including the
prospectus forming a part thereof and any prospectus supplement relating
thereto, the Debt Securities and/or Warrants will be validly issued by the
Company and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company,
enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or
other laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally and general
principles of equity.

        I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Additional Registration Statement and to being named under the caption "Legal
Opinions" in the prospectus included in the Additional Registration Statement
with respect to the matters stated herein. In giving such consent, I do not
admit that I am in the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Act.




                                       -2-


        I hereby further consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to
applications to the securities commissioners of the various states of the United
States, to the extent so required, in connection with the registration of the
Debt Securities and/or Warrants.

        This opinion is intended solely for your benefit in connection with the
transaction described above and, except as provided in the two immediately
preceding paragraphs, may not be otherwise communicated to, reproduced, filed
publicly or relied upon by, any other person or entity for any other purpose
without my express prior written consent. This opinion is limited to the matters
stated herein, and no opinion or belief is implied or may be inferred beyond the
matters expressly stated herein.

                                  Very truly yours,

                                  /s/ Thomas L. Chapple

                                  Thomas L. Chapple