Belo Takes Revenue Hit in October

By: Belo Corp., publisher of the Dallas Morning News and owner of several television stations, said Friday its revenue dropped 8.7 percent in October compared to last year, as a decrease in political advertising on TV hurt results.

Belo said total October revenue fell to $139.5 million from $152.8 million in the same month last year. The decline was driven by a nearly 19 percent drop in revenue at the company's television group, where political ad revenue fell sharply to $2 million from the $25.4 million generated in October during the 2004 election year.

Local and national spot revenue in the television group increased 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively, the company said.

At Belo's newspaper group, which includes the Dallas Morning News, Providence Journal in Rhode Island and Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif., revenue rose 2.7 for the month.

Ad revenue grew 1.9 percent, including a 1.9 percent gain in ad revenue at the Morning News, 3 percent gain at the Providence Journal and 0.4 percent gain at the Press-Enterprise.