NEW YORK, May 8, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Dow Jones & Company (NYSE:DJ) today reported April advertising revenue and volume for its leading print publications.
Advertising revenue at The Wall Street Journal decreased 12.2% in April on a 12.7% decrease in advertising volume, due to declines in technology, financial and general advertising partially offset by an increase in classified advertising. Technology advertising volume decreased 34.8% as decreases in hardware, office products, communications and technology professional services advertising were partially offset by increases in personal computers and software advertising. Financial advertising volume decreased 15.6% due to decreases in wholesale, insurance and retail advertising. General advertising volume decreased 14.0% as decreases in auto, corporate and professional services advertising were partially offset by increases in travel, public utilities, real estate, aviation, luxury goods and other consumer advertising. Excluding auto advertising volume, general advertising volume increased slightly in April 2007 compared with the prior-year period. Classified advertising volume increased 1.7% due to an increase in other classified and commercial real estate advertising partially offset by a decrease in residential real estate advertising.
At Barron's, total advertising revenue increased 45.5% in April on a 41.5% increase in advertising pages aided by one additional issue in April 2007 versus the prior year period. On a per issue basis, total advertising pages increased 13.2% primarily driven by an increase in financial advertising.
International advertising revenue increased 19.7% in April primarily due to increases in financial advertising at The Wall Street Journal Asia and The Wall Street Journal Europe.
Local Media Group advertising revenue, on a same property basis, decreased 10.5% in April on a 15.4% decline in volume, as severe flooding in New York State and New England in the middle of April 2007 contributed to advertisers canceling planned advertising programs. Decreases in classified (down 16.9%), display (down 5.7%) and non-daily (down 20.1%) advertising revenue were partially offset by an increase in online (up 51.7%) advertising revenue.
Dow Jones & Company (NYSE:DJ) (dowjones.com) is a leading provider of global business news and information services. Its Consumer Media Group publishes The Wall Street Journal, Barron's, MarketWatch and the Far Eastern Economic Review. Its Enterprise Media Group includes Dow Jones Newswires, Factiva, Dow Jones Licensing Services, Dow Jones Indexes and Dow Jones Financial Information Services. Its Local Media Group operates community-based information franchises. Dow Jones owns 50% of SmartMoney and 33% of STOXX Ltd. and provides news content to CNBC and radio stations in the U.S.
The Dow Jones & Company logo is available at http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2636
Dow Jones & Company 2007 Advertising Percentage Increases (Decreases)
from 2006
April Year to Date
Actual Actual
------ ------
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:
Total advertising revenue (12.2%) (4.4%)
Total advertising volume (a) (12.7%) (5.5%)
General (14.0%) (3.0%)
Technology (34.8%) (22.7%)
Financial (15.6%) (1.2%)
Classified & Other 1.7% (3.6%)
International advertising revenue (b) 19.7% 12.3%
Barron's advertising revenue 45.5% 20.6%
Barron's advertising volume 41.5% 17.2%
Ottaway Newspapers advertising revenues: (c)
Display (5.7%) (3.4%)
Classified & Other (16.9%) (10.1%)
Non-daily (20.1%) (17.4%)
Preprint & other (4.4%) (4.0%)
Online 51.7% 62.4%
Total advertising revenues (10.5%) (6.4%)
Ottaway Newspapers advertising volume (d) (15.4%) (10.6%)
(a) For volume comparison purposes, a page in 2007 is considered
equivalent to a page in 2006, despite the page-size decrease in
2007.
(b) Includes the international editions of the Journal and the Far
Eastern Economic Review.
(c) Excludes discontinued operations from the current and prior year
periods.
(d) Excludes discontinued operations from the current and prior year
periods, as well as preprint and online advertising.