Segment Information

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Segment Information [Abstract]

SEGMENT INFORMATION

12. SEGMENT INFORMATION

We determine our business segments based upon our management and internal reporting structure. Our reportable segments are strategic businesses that offer different products and services.

Television includes six ABC-affiliated stations, three NBC-affiliated stations and one independent station. Our television stations reach approximately 10% of the nation’s television households. Television stations earn revenue primarily from the sale of advertising to local and national advertisers.

Our newspaper business segment includes daily and community newspapers in 13 markets in the U.S. Newspapers earn revenue primarily from the sale of advertising to local and national advertisers and from the sale of newspapers to readers.

Syndication and other primarily include syndication of news features and comics and other features for the newspaper industry.

We allocate a portion of certain corporate costs and expenses, including information technology, pensions and other employee benefits, and other shared services, to our business segments. The allocations are generally amounts agreed upon by management, which may differ from an arms-length amount. Corporate assets are primarily cash, cash equivalents and other short-term investments, property and equipment primarily used for corporate purposes, and deferred income taxes.

Our chief operating decision maker evaluates the operating performance of our business segments and makes decisions about the allocation of resources to our business segments using a measure called segment profit. Segment profit excludes interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, divested operating units, restructuring activities, investment results and certain other items that are included in net income (loss) determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Information regarding our business segments is as follows:

	Three months ended						Nine months ended
	September 30,						September 30,
( in thousands )	2011			2010			2011			2010
Segment operating revenues:
Television	$	69,939		$	78,515		$	215,933		$	220,164
Newspapers		95,948			100,416			304,080			321,016
Syndication and other		1,984			4,656			11,250			15,472
Total operating revenues	$	167,871		$	183,587		$	531,263		$	556,652
Segment profit (loss):
Television	$	7,461		$	17,658		$	27,315		$	37,611
Newspapers		1,595			6,645			11,872			37,775
Syndication and other		156			(1,072	)		(1,727	)		(2,371	)
Corporate and shared services		(5,965	)		(8,108	)		(22,325	)		(24,895	)
Depreciation and amortization		(10,052	)		(10,724	)		(30,501	)		(33,920	)
Impairment of long-lived assets		(9,000	)		—			(9,000	)		—
Gains (losses), net on disposal of property, plant and equipment		476			(525	)		234			(1,260	)
Interest expense		(362	)		(741	)		(1,167	)		(2,434	)
Restructuring costs		(2,614	)		(3,206	)		(6,529	)		(10,269	)
Miscellaneous, net		110			39			(622	)		950
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	$	(18,195	)	$	(34	)	$	(32,450	)	$	1,187
Depreciation:
Television	$	4,193		$	4,083		$	12,369		$	12,790
Newspapers		5,254			6,099			16,135			19,251
Syndication and other		13			86			126			371
Corporate and shared services		273			117			919			469
Total depreciation	$	9,733		$	10,385		$	29,549		$	32,881
Amortization of intangibles:
Television	$	80		$	96		$	238		$	283
Newspapers		239			243			714			756
Total amortization of intangibles	$	319		$	339		$	952		$	1,039
Additions to property, plant and equipment:
Television	$	2,701		$	4,320		$	6,204		$	7,440
Newspapers		501			16			1,263			680
Syndication and other		67			65			362			186
Corporate and shared services		9			101			50			391
Total additions to property, plant and equipment	$	3,278		$	4,502		$	7,879		$	8,697

No single customer provides more than 10% of our revenue.