Gannett 10-Q 5 Nov 19 2019 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Cover Page

Cover Page - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Nov. 01, 2019
Cover page.
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-36874
Entity Registrant Name	GANNETT CO., INC.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	47-2390983
Entity Address, Address Line One	7950 Jones Branch Drive,
Entity Address, City or Town	McLean,
Entity Address, State or Province	VA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	22107-0910
City Area Code	703
Local Phone Number	854-6000
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share
Trading Symbol	GCI
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock Shares Outstanding		114,678,510
Entity Central Index Key	0001635718
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31

Condensed Consolidated Balance

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 101,422	$ 93,559
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $10,484 and $11,088	277,360	343,617
Other current assets	120,992	143,385
Total current assets	499,774	580,561
Property, plant and equipment, at cost net of accumulated depreciation of $1,229,463 and $1,412,531	733,334	796,009
Operating lease assets	251,474
Goodwill	774,655	779,597
Intangible assets, net	140,862	170,344
Deferred income taxes	30,962	51,039
Other assets	129,095	100,861
Total assets	2,560,156	2,478,411
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	318,249	387,003
Deferred revenue	115,390	117,083
Short-term portion of revolving credit facility	120,000	0
Other current liabilities	47,606	47,482
Total current liabilities	601,245	551,568
Postretirement medical and life insurance liabilities	57,705	69,938
Pension liabilities	264,197	319,084
Long-term portion of revolving credit facility	0	135,000
Convertible debt	173,148	169,264
Long-term operating lease liabilities	260,124
Other noncurrent liabilities	140,305	198,451
Total liabilities	1,496,724	1,443,305
Equity
Preferred stock of $0.01 par value per share, 5,000,000 shares authorized, none issued	0	0
Common stock of $0.01 par value per share, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 120,393,480 and 118,875,977 shares issued	1,204	1,189
Treasury stock at cost, 5,718,850 and 5,750,000 shares	(49,801)	(50,046)
Additional paid-in capital	1,832,011	1,822,094
Retained earnings (deficit)	(137,561)	(121,435)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(582,421)	(616,696)
Total equity	1,063,432	1,035,106
Total liabilities and equity	$ 2,560,156	$ 2,478,411

Condensed Consolidated Balanc_2

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Allowance for doubtful accounts receivable	$ 10,484	$ 11,088
Accumulated depreciation	$ 1,229,463	$ 1,412,531
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, authorized shares	5,000,000	5,000,000
Preferred stock, issued shares	0	0
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, authorized shares	500,000,000	500,000,000
Common stock, issued shares	120,393,480	118,875,977
Common stock, shares outstanding	114,674,630	113,125,977
Treasury stock, shares	5,718,850	5,750,000

Condensed Consolidated Statemen

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues	$ 635,569	$ 711,714	$ 1,959,331	$ 2,165,433
Operating expenses:
Cost of sales	396,152	446,423	1,210,405	1,355,460
Selling, general and administrative expenses	186,060	200,093	581,230	612,235
Depreciation and amortization	32,281	38,427	104,792	117,057
Gain on sale of property	(7,669)	0	(41,319)	0
Restructuring costs	2,540	11,535	30,270	33,445
Asset impairment charges	632	1,701	1,435	15,940
Total operating expenses	609,996	698,179	1,886,813	2,134,137
Operating income	25,573	13,535	72,518	31,296
Non-operating income (expense):
Interest expense	(6,739)	(7,135)	(20,583)	(17,548)
Other non-operating items, net	(5,393)	9,800	(14,527)	18,153
Non-operating income (expense)	(12,132)	2,665	(35,110)	605
Income before income taxes	13,441	16,200	37,408	31,901
Provision for income taxes	2,796	2,848	11,943	2,620
Net income	$ 10,645	$ 13,352	$ 25,465	$ 29,281
Earnings per share – basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.12	$ 0.22	$ 0.26
Earnings per share – diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.11	$ 0.22	$ 0.25
Advertising and marketing services
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues	$ 345,223	$ 403,374	$ 1,078,786	$ 1,233,849
Circulation
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues	240,591	258,873	740,410	789,265
Other
Operating revenues:
Total operating revenues	$ 49,755	$ 49,467	$ 140,135	$ 142,319

Condensed Consolidated Statem_2

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Net income	$ 10,645	$ 13,352	$ 25,465	$ 29,281
Other comprehensive income, before tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(15,773)	(4,016)	(11,206)	(17,952)
Pension and other postretirement benefit items:
Change in prior service costs	0	0	0	103,416
Amortization of prior service credit, net	(1,294)	(1,308)	(3,958)	(2,113)
Actuarial gain arising during the period	0	0	10,236	13,240
Amortization of actuarial loss	15,455	15,756	46,584	48,109
Other	6,591	1,819	6,732	8,598
Pension and other postretirement benefit items	20,752	16,267	59,594	171,250
Other comprehensive income, before tax	4,979	12,251	48,388	153,298
Income tax effect related to components of other comprehensive income	(4,441)	(3,945)	(14,113)	(33,394)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	538	8,306	34,275	119,904
Comprehensive income	$ 11,183	$ 21,658	$ 59,740	$ 149,185

Condensed Consolidated Statem_3

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 25,465	$ 29,281
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash flow from operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	104,792	117,057
Gain on sale of property	(41,319)	0
Restructuring costs	12,514	13,865
Asset impairment charges	1,435	15,940
Pension and other postretirement expenses, net of contributions	(47,461)	(66,508)
Stock-based compensation	14,559	13,498
Change in other assets and liabilities, net	29,871	18,313
Net cash provided by operating activities	99,856	141,446
Investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(41,268)	(43,863)
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	(131,150)
Payments for investments	(745)	(2,882)
Proceeds from sale of certain assets	23,016	28,422
Proceeds from insurance claim on property	3,500	0
Net cash used for investing activities	(15,497)	(149,473)
Financing activities:
Dividends paid	(55,034)	(54,217)
Payments for employee taxes withheld from stock awards	(1,895)	(3,295)
Proceeds from borrowings under revolving credit agreement	55,000	170,000
Repayments of borrowings under revolving credit agreement	(70,000)	(355,000)
Proceeds from convertible debt	0	195,321
Proceeds from sale and leaseback transaction		41,791
Deferred payments for acquisitions	(5,171)	0
Changes in other financing activities	383	(90)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	(76,717)	(5,490)
Effect of currency exchange rate change on cash	1,216	1,868
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	8,858	(11,649)
Balance of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period	116,861	144,032
Balance of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period	125,719	132,383
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid for taxes, net of refunds	(559)	5,720
Cash paid for interest	9,702	5,437
Non-cash investing and financing activities:
Accrued capital expenditures	$ 1,520	$ 255

Basis of presentation and summa

Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies	NOTE 1 — Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies Description of business: Gannett Co., Inc. (we, us, our, or the company) is an innovative, digitally focused media and marketing solutions company committed to defining, strengthening, and growing our communities through digital engagement while also serving as a trusted, comprehensive digital marketing partner to local and national businesses. Gannett owns ReachLocal, Inc., a digital marketing solutions company, the USA TODAY NETWORK (made up of USA TODAY and 109 local media organizations in 34 states in the U.S. and Guam, including digital sites and affiliates), and Newsquest (a wholly owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom with more than 150 local media brands). Through the USA TODAY NETWORK and Newsquest, Gannett delivers high-quality, trusted content where and when consumers want to engage with it on virtually any device or platform. Additionally, the company has strong relationships with thousands of marketers in both our U.S. and U.K. markets due to our large local and national sales forces and robust advertising and marketing solutions product suite. The company reports in two operating segments: publishing and ReachLocal. Pending merger with New Media Investment Group: On August 5, 2019 , the company entered into an agreement with New Media Investment Group Inc. (New Media) to merge with an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of New Media, with the company surviving the merger. Under the terms of the merger agreement, at the time the merger becomes effective, each issued and outstanding share of Gannett common stock will be automatically converted into (i) 0.5427 shares of common stock of New Media and (ii) the right to receive $6.25 in cash, without interest, plus cash in lieu of any fractional shares of New Media common stock that otherwise would have been issued. The company and New Media have made customary representations, warranties, and covenants in the merger agreement, and the closing of the merger is subject to certain approvals by Gannett's and New Media's respective shareholders at special meetings scheduled to be held on November 14, 2019, and other customary closing conditions. In connection with the merger, New Media filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) and attained effectiveness of a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-233509). The merger is subject to risks and uncertainties, and the company cannot ensure it will be able to complete the merger on the expected timeline or at all. See Note 11 — Commitments, contingencies and other matters for more information related to the pending merger. Basis of presentation: Our condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, they contain all of the adjustments (consisting of those of a normal, recurring nature) considered necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) applicable to interim periods. All intercompany accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 . Use of estimates: The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and judgments inherent in the preparation of financial statements include accounting for income taxes, pension and other postretirement benefits, allowances for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, business combinations, litigation matters, contingencies, and the valuation of long-lived and intangible assets. Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash: Cash equivalents consist of investments with original maturities of three months or less. Restricted cash primarily consists of cash held in an irrevocable grantor trust for our deferred compensation plans and cash held with banking institutions for insurance plans. The restrictions will lapse when benefits are paid to plan participants and their beneficiaries as specified in the plans. The following table presents a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash: September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 101,422 $ 108,563 Restricted cash included in other current assets 2,922 4,615 Restricted cash included in investments and other assets 21,375 19,205 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 125,719 $ 132,383 Leases: We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in Operating lease assets , Other current liabilities , and Long-term operating lease liabilities on our Condensed consolidated balance sheets . Operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. The rates implicit within the company's leases are generally not determinable; therefore, the company uses judgment to determine the incremental borrowing rate used to calculate the present value of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate for each lease is primarily based on publicly available information for companies within the same industry and with similar credit profiles and adjusted for the impact of collateralization, the lease term, and other specific terms included in the company’s lease arrangements. ROU assets are assessed for impairment in accordance with the company’s accounting policy for long-lived assets. Our lease terms include options to extend or terminate. The period which is subject to an option to extend the lease is included in the lease term if it is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. The period which is subject to an option to terminate the lease is included if it is reasonably certain that the option will not be exercised. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For certain equipment leases, we apply a portfolio approach to account for the operating lease ROU assets and liabilities. New accounting pronouncements adopted: The following are new accounting pronouncements that we adopted in the first nine months of 2019 : Leases: On January 1, 2019, the company adopted the FASB's new leasing standard utilizing the modified retrospective transition method by recognizing a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. We elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which allows us to carry forward 1) our historical lease classification, 2) our assessment on whether a contract is or contains a lease, and 3) our treatment of initial direct costs for any leases that exist prior to adoption of the new standard. We have also elected to combine lease and non-lease components and to keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off the balance sheet and recognize the associated lease payments in the Condensed consolidated statements of income on a straight-line basis over the lease term. We did not elect to apply the hindsight practical expedient when determining the lease term and assessing impairment of right-of-use assets. As a result of adopting the new standard, we recorded a one-time adjustment to beginning retained earnings of $13.4 million , consisting primarily of the recognition of deferred gains on sale-leaseback transactions, which are no longer deferred under the new guidance, net of the deferred tax impact. Based on the present value of the lease payments for the remaining lease term of the company's existing leases, we recognized net right-of-use assets of approximately $268.9 million and lease liabilities for operating leases of approximately $317.4 million on January 1, 2019. The standard did not materially impact our Condensed consolidated statements of income or Condensed consolidated statements of cash flows . Refer to Note 3 — Leases for further details on the company's leases. Compensation—Stock Compensation: In June 2018, the FASB issued new guidance which expands the scope of share based compensation accounting by applying, with limited exceptions, the specific requirements of employee stock compensation to the accounting for non-employee awards granted in exchange for goods and services. Adopting this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. New accounting pronouncements not yet adopted: The following are new accounting pronouncements that we are evaluating for future impacts on our financial statements: Intangibles—Internal Use Software : In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance which generally aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. The guidance can be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements. Fair Value Measurement—Disclosure Framework: In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that changes disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements as part of the disclosure framework project. The disclosure framework project aims to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements by focusing on requirements that clearly communicate the most important information to users of the financial statements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements. Compensation—Retirement Plans: In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that changes disclosures related to defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans as part of the disclosure framework project. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements. Financial Instruments—Credit Losses: In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance which amends the principles around the recognition of credit losses by mandating entities incorporate an estimate of current expected credit losses when determining the value of certain assets. The guidance also amends reporting around allowances for credit losses on available-for-sale marketable securities. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Revenues

Revenues	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Revenues	NOTE 2 — Revenues Our revenues are recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Additionally, sales and usage-based taxes are excluded from revenues. The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by source: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Print advertising $ 161,609 $ 204,023 $ 532,047 $ 657,744 Digital advertising and marketing services 183,614 199,351 546,739 576,105 Total advertising and marketing services 345,223 403,374 1,078,786 1,233,849 Circulation 240,591 258,873 740,410 789,265 Other 49,755 49,467 140,135 142,319 Total revenues $ 635,569 $ 711,714 $ 1,959,331 $ 2,165,433 Additionally, approximately 12% of our quarter to date revenues and year to date revenues are generated from international locations. Deferred revenue: Amounts received from customers in advance of revenue recognition are deferred as liabilities. The following table presents changes in the deferred revenue balance for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 by type of revenue: In thousands Advertising and Other Circulation Total Beginning balance $ 35,742 $ 81,341 $ 117,083 Cash receipts 203,216 602,667 805,883 Revenue recognized (201,937 ) (605,639 ) (807,576 ) Ending balance $ 37,021 $ 78,369 $ 115,390 The company’s primary source of deferred revenue is from circulation subscriptions paid in advance of the service provided. The majority of our subscription customers are billed and pay on monthly terms, but subscription periods can last between one and twelve months. The remaining deferred revenue balance relates to advertising and other revenue. The $1.7 million decrease in deferred revenue as compared to the year ended December 31, 2018 is primarily the result of declines in our circulation deferred revenue balance stemming from lower prepaid print subscribers and seasonality in our subscription activity.

Leases

Leases	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Leases	NOTE 3 — Leases We lease certain real estate, vehicles, and equipment. Our leases have remaining lease terms of 1 to 15 years, some of which may include options to extend the leases, and some of which may include options to terminate the leases. The exercise of lease renewal options is at our sole discretion. The depreciable lives of assets and leasehold improvements are limited by the expected lease term unless there is a transfer of title or purchase option reasonably certain of exercise. As of September 30, 2019 , our Condensed consolidated balance sheets include $251.5 million of operating lease right-to use assets, $36.4 million of short-term operating lease liabilities included in Other current liabilities , and $260.1 million of long-term operating lease liabilities. The components of lease expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were as follows: In thousands Three months ended September 30, 2019 Nine months ended September 30, 2019 Operating lease cost (a) $ 17,172 $ 49,985 Short-term lease cost, excluding expenses relating to leases with a lease term of one month or less 414 1,494 Net lease cost $ 17,586 $ 51,479 (a) Includes variable lease costs of $3.6 million and $8.8 million , respectively, and sublease income of $0.7 million and $1.9 million , respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . Future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable leases as of September 30, 2019 are as follows: In thousands Year Ending December 31, (a) 2019 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2019) $ 10,456 2020 56,388 2021 51,392 2022 47,493 2023 39,439 Thereafter 193,955 Total future minimum lease payments 399,123 Less: Imputed interest 102,619 Total $ 296,504 (a) Operating lease payments exclude $3.5 million of legally binding minimum lease payments for leases signed but not yet commenced. Other information related to leases were as follows: In thousands, except lease term and discount rate Nine months ended September 30, 2019 Supplemental information Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities $ 48,714 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations $ 23,887 Gains on sale and leaseback transactions, net $ 5,730 As of September 30, 2019 Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years) 8.7 Weighted-average discount rate 6.7 %

Acquisitions

Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	NOTE 4 — Acquisitions WordStream: In July 2018 , our ReachLocal segment completed the acquisition of WordStream, a provider of cloud-based software-as-a-service solutions for local and regional businesses and agencies, for approximately $132.5 million , net of cash acquired. In addition, up to $20.0 million of additional consideration is payable quarterly beginning in the fourth quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2019 based upon the achievement of certain revenue targets. The fair value of the contingent consideration at the acquisition date was $9.5 million . Based on WordStream's revenue results, the fair value of the remaining contingent consideration as of September 30, 2019 was estimated at $1.3 million and is included within Other current liabilities on the Condensed consolidated balance sheets . We financed the transaction through borrowings under our Credit Facility and cash on hand. The allocation of the purchase price was based upon estimated fair values. The determination of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed has been completed and the final allocation of the purchase price is as follows: In thousands Cash and restricted cash acquired $ 20,954 Other current assets 9,159 Property, plant, and equipment 1,072 Developed technology 63,030 Customer relationships 21,420 Trade names 1,105 Goodwill 66,742 Total assets acquired 183,482 Current liabilities 3,987 Noncurrent liabilities 16,562 Total liabilities assumed 20,549 Net assets acquired $ 162,933 Acquired property, plant, and equipment is depreciated on a straight-line basis over the assets' respective estimated remaining useful lives. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired and represents the future economic benefits expected to arise from other intangible assets acquired that do not qualify for separate recognition, including assembled workforce and non-contractual relationships as well as expected future synergies. Goodwill associated with the acquisition of WordStream is allocated to the ReachLocal segment. We do not expect the purchase price allocated to goodwill and intangibles to be deductible for tax purposes.

Restructuring activities and as

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges	NOTE 5 — Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges In response to the transition of our business from a legacy print publishing business into a digitally focused media and marketing solutions company, we have engaged in a series of individual restructuring programs. These programs are designed to transform and right size our employee base, consolidate facilities, and eliminate costs that are no longer necessary to run the ongoing business as a result of the evolution of the media industry from print to digital and changes in our business model. As a result of executing these restructuring programs, we have incurred severance charges for positions we do not expect to rehire in the future, facility consolidation costs, accelerated depreciation expenses, and certain asset impairment charges. As part of our plans, we are also selling certain assets which we have classified as held-for-sale and for which we have reduced the carrying values to equal the fair values less costs to dispose. Severance-related expenses: We recorded severance-related expenses by segment as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Publishing $ 1,360 $ 3,892 $ 13,670 $ 16,553 ReachLocal 170 393 290 2,165 Corporate and Other 422 266 3,796 862 Total $ 1,952 $ 4,551 $ 17,756 $ 19,580 The activity and balance of the severance-related liabilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 are as follows: In thousands Beginning balance $ 32,974 Expense 17,756 Payments (50,015 ) Ending balance $ 715 Facility consolidation charges and accelerated depreciation: We recorded facility consolidation charges by segment as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Publishing $ 525 $ 1,027 $ 3,011 $ 6,050 ReachLocal 63 766 183 2,539 Corporate and Other — 5,191 37 5,276 Total $ 588 $ 6,984 $ 3,231 $ 13,865 We incurred no accelerated depreciation and $2.7 million of accelerated depreciation for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. We incurred accelerated depreciation of $2.3 million and $12.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. For both years presented, these accelerated depreciation expenses were related to the publishing segment and are included within depreciation expense. Asset impairment charges: We recorded impairment charges for property, plant, and equipment as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Publishing $ 632 $ 1,430 $ 1,435 $ 15,669 ReachLocal — 271 — 271 Total $ 632 $ 1,701 $ 1,435 $ 15,940 Sale of property: In February 2018 , we sold property in Nashville, Tennessee and entered into a 15 -month rent-free leaseback agreement. The sale generated proceeds of approximately $41.8 million and was accounted for under the financing method. In May 2019 , the lease was terminated, and we recognized a gain of $30.6 million on our Condensed consolidated statements of income . In December 2018 , we sold property in Phoenix, Arizona and entered into a 7 -year leaseback agreement. The sale generated proceeds of approximately $33.9 million . We recorded a total deferred gain of $13.2 million at December 31, 2018 , $1.9 million of which was within Other current liabilities and $11.3 million of which was within Other noncurrent liabilities on the Condensed consolidated balance sheets . This deferred gain was recognized in retained earnings as of January 1, 2019 upon adoption of the new leasing standard. Refer to Note 1 — Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies for further details.

Debt

Debt	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Debt	NOTE 6 — Debt Revolving credit facility: We maintain a secured revolving credit facility pursuant to which we may borrow from time to time up to an aggregate principal amount of $500.0 million (Credit Facility). The Credit Facility, which matures on June 29, 2020 , allows us to borrow at an applicable margin above the Eurodollar base rate (LIBOR loan) or the higher of the Prime Rate, the Federal Funds Effective Rate plus 0.50% , or the one month LIBOR rate plus 1.00% (ABR loan). Up to $50.0 million of the Credit Facility is available for issuance of letters of credit. The Credit Facility includes several covenants, all of which we complied with as of September 30, 2019 . As of September 30, 2019 , we had $120.0 million in outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility and $23.1 million of letters of credit outstanding, leaving $356.9 million of availability remaining. On June 29, 2019 , the company’s Credit Facility became current or due to be repaid on June 29, 2020 . As disclosed in Note 1 — Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies , the company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger with New Media on August 5, 2019 . Should the merger not close, management, with Board approval, will obtain such resources for the company by refinancing the existing Credit Facility or obtaining new term debt. Management has the ability and intent to proceed with its plan to refinance the existing Credit Facility or obtain new term debt if necessary. With respect to the pending merger with New Media, the merger would be considered an event of default under the terms of the Credit Facility. As a result, if the merger were to be consummated, all amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility would become immediately due and payable. In connection with the pending merger, New Media has obtained a debt commitment letter from a third party pursuant to which, at the closing of the merger, New Media expects to borrow the funds necessary to, among other things, enable the company to repay all amounts then outstanding under the Credit Facility and terminate the Credit Facility. Convertible debt: On April 9, 2018 , we completed an offering of 4.75% convertible senior notes, resulting in total aggregate principal of $201.3 million and net proceeds of approximately $195.3 million . The notes mature on April 15, 2024 , with our earliest redemption date being April 15, 2022 . The stated conversion rate of the notes is 82.4572 shares per $1,000 in principal or approximately $12.13 per share. The $201.3 million principal value of the notes was bifurcated into debt and equity components. The liability component is reported as convertible debt in the Condensed consolidated balance sheets and was initially measured at fair value using the present value of its cash flows at a discount rate of 7.91% . The carrying value, which approximates fair value, of the liability component was $173.1 million and $169.3 million at September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , respectively. The residual amount is recorded within additional paid-in capital in the equity section of the Condensed consolidated balance sheets and totaled $30.2 million at both September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 . $6.3 million of debt issuance costs were allocated between liabilities and equity in proportion to the allocation of the principal value of the notes, with $5.4 million allocated to liabilities and $0.9 million allocated to equity. These debt issuance costs are amortized over the 6 -year contractual life of the notes. The unamortized discount totaled $24.0 million as of September 30, 2019 , which will be amortized over the remaining contractual life of the notes. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 , interest expense was $2.4 million and $7.2 million , respectively. Amortization of debt issuance costs was $0.2 million and $0.7 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 , respectively. Amortization of the discount was $1.1 million and $3.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 , respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 , interest expense on the notes totaled $2.4 million and $4.5 million , respectively. Amortization of debt issuance costs was $0.2 million and $0.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 , respectively. Amortization of the discount was $1.0 million and $1.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 , respectively. The effective interest rate on the liability component of the notes was 7.91% as of September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 . Consummation of the pending merger with New Media would constitute a "fundamental change" and a “make-whole fundamental change” under the terms of the indenture governing the notes. As a result, holders of the notes will have a right to require the company to repurchase for cash all such holders' notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, or to surrender their notes for conversion at a conversion rate that the company expects to be increased, in accordance with the terms of the indenture governing the notes, for any notes so surrendered for conversion in connection with the merger. Pursuant to the debt commitment letter it has obtained from a third party, New Media currently expects to borrow the funds necessary to enable the company to make any cash payments that may be necessary in connection with such required repurchases or conversions. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 , no shares were issued upon conversion, exercise, or satisfaction of the required conditions because no conversion triggers were met during the period. Refer to Note 12 — Earnings per share for details on the convertible debt's impact to diluted earnings per share under the treasury stock method.

Pensions and other postretireme

Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans	NOTE 7 — Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans We, along with our subsidiaries, have various defined benefit retirement plans, including plans established under collective bargaining agreements. Our retirement plans include the Gannett Retirement Plan (GRP), Newsquest and Romanes Pension Schemes in the U.K. (U.K. Pension Plans), and other defined benefit and defined contribution plans. We also provide health care and life insurance benefits to certain retired employees who meet age and service requirements. Retirement plan costs include the following components: Three months ended September 30, 2019 2018 In thousands Pension OPEB Pension OPEB Operating expenses: Service cost - Benefits earned during the period $ 403 $ 26 $ 589 $ 42 Non-operating expenses: Interest cost on benefit obligation 25,426 704 24,669 742 Expected return on plan assets (36,108 ) — (42,073 ) — Amortization of prior service benefit (481 ) (813 ) (424 ) (884 ) Amortization of actuarial loss (gain) 15,921 (466 ) 15,846 (90 ) Total non-operating expenses (credit) $ 4,758 $ (575 ) $ (1,982 ) $ (232 ) Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans $ 5,161 $ (549 ) $ (1,393 ) $ (190 ) Nine months ended September 30, 2019 2018 In thousands Pension OPEB Pension OPEB Operating expenses: Service cost - Benefits earned during the period $ 1,210 $ 78 $ 1,767 $ 130 Non-operating expenses: Interest cost on benefit obligation 76,797 2,111 76,688 2,224 Expected return on plan assets (109,185 ) — (131,098 ) — Amortization of prior service cost (benefit) (1,518 ) (2,440 ) 538 (2,651 ) Amortization of actuarial loss (gain) 47,982 (1,398 ) 48,379 (270 ) Curtailments — 192 — — Other — (1,018 ) — — Total non-operating expenses (credit) $ 14,076 $ (2,553 ) $ (5,493 ) $ (697 ) Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans $ 15,286 $ (2,475 ) $ (3,726 ) $ (567 ) During the nine months ended September 30, 2019 , we contributed $53.7 million and $6.6 million to our pension and other postretirement plans, respectively. Multi-employer plans that provide pension benefits: During the nine months ended September 30, 2019 , we incurred $9.3 million in restructuring costs on the Condensed consolidated statements of income associated with the assessment by the CWA/ITU Negotiated Pension Plan of the company's share of unfunded benefits due to the company's partial withdrawal as a result of restructuring activities. As of September 30, 2019 , we had pension withdrawal liabilities of $3.7 million included in Current liabilities and $38.7 million included in Other noncurrent liabilities on the Condensed consolidated balance sheets .

Income taxes

Income taxes	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income taxes	NOTE 8 — Income taxes The following table outlines our pre-tax net income and income tax amounts: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Pre-tax net income $ 13,441 $ 16,200 $ 37,408 $ 31,901 Provision for income taxes 2,796 2,848 11,943 2,620 Effective tax rate 20.8 % 17.6 % 31.9 % 8.2 % Our reported effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2019 was higher than the comparable period ended September 30, 2018 due to lower pre-tax net income. The reported effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was higher than the comparable period primarily due to a favorable adjustment of $2.6 million in 2018 related to rate change impacts stemming from tax reform and the release of certain valuation allowances of $3.1 million . In addition, tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 was adversely impacted by $1.9 million from the sale of our Brazil subsidiary. The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate was approximately $23.9 million as of September 30, 2019 and $22.5 million as of December 31, 2018 . The amount of accrued interest and penalties payable related to unrecognized tax benefits was $1.9 million as of September 30, 2019 and $1.2 million as of December 31, 2018 . It is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized benefits with respect to certain of our unrecognized tax positions will increase or decrease within the next 12 months. These changes may be the result of settlement of ongoing audits, lapses of statutes of limitations, or other regulatory developments. At this time, we estimate the amount of gross unrecognized tax positions may be reduced by up to approximately $0.7 million within the next 12 months primarily due to lapses of statutes of limitations and settlements of ongoing audits in various jurisdictions.

Supplemental equity information

Supplemental equity information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Supplemental equity information	NOTE 9 — Supplemental equity information The following tables summarize equity activity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 : Three months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,203 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,827,963 $ (129,834 ) $ (582,959 ) $ 1,066,327 Net income — — — 10,645 — 10,645 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 538 538 Total comprehensive income 11,183 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (18,372 ) — (18,372 ) Restricted stock awards settled — 245 (281 ) — — (36 ) Stock-based compensation — — 4,384 — — 4,384 Other activity 1 — (55 ) — — (54 ) Ending balance $ 1,204 $ (49,801 ) $ 1,832,011 $ (137,561 ) $ (582,421 ) $ 1,063,432 Three months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,187 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,812,537 $ (84,359 ) $ (544,919 ) $ 1,134,400 Net income — — — 13,352 — 13,352 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 8,306 8,306 Total comprehensive income 21,658 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (18,087 ) — (18,087 ) Restricted stock awards settled 1 — (484 ) — — (483 ) Stock-based compensation — — 4,277 — — 4,277 Other activity — — 24 — — 24 Ending balance $ 1,188 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,816,354 $ (89,094 ) $ (536,613 ) $ 1,141,789 Nine months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,189 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,822,094 $ (121,435 ) $ (616,696 ) $ 1,035,106 Net income — — — 25,465 — 25,465 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 34,275 34,275 Total comprehensive income 59,740 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (55,034 ) — (55,034 ) Adoption of new lease guidance (a) — — — 13,443 — 13,443 Restricted stock awards settled 14 245 (4,779 ) — — (4,520 ) Stock-based compensation — — 14,559 — — 14,559 Other activity 1 — 137 — — 138 Ending balance $ 1,204 $ (49,801 ) $ 1,832,011 $ (137,561 ) $ (582,421 ) $ 1,063,432 (a) This amount represents the lease transition adjustment, which is primarily related to the recognition of previously deferred gains on sale leaseback transactions totaling $13.6 million , net of tax. Nine months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,175 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,786,941 $ (64,158 ) $ (656,517 ) $ 1,017,395 Net income — — — 29,281 — 29,281 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 119,904 119,904 Total comprehensive income 149,185 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (54,217 ) — (54,217 ) Convertible debt conversion feature — — 21,534 — — 21,534 Restricted stock awards settled 9 — (3,584 ) — — (3,575 ) Performance share units settled 4 — (2,437 ) — — (2,433 ) Stock-based compensation — — 13,498 — — 13,498 Other activity — — 402 — — 402 Ending balance $ 1,188 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,816,354 $ (89,094 ) $ (536,613 ) $ 1,141,789 Approximately 1.5 million and 1.2 million new shares were issued for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 , respectively. The following tables summarize the components of, and the changes in, Accumulated other comprehensive loss (net of tax) for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 : Nine months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands Retirement Plans Foreign Currency Translation Total Beginning balance $ (929,170 ) $ 312,474 $ (616,696 ) Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 13,333 (11,206 ) 2,127 Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 32,148 — 32,148 Other comprehensive income 45,481 (11,206 ) 34,275 Ending balance $ (883,689 ) $ 301,268 $ (582,421 ) Nine months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands Retirement Plans Foreign Currency Translation Total Beginning balance $ (1,000,790 ) $ 344,273 $ (656,517 ) Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 103,227 (17,952 ) 85,275 Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 34,629 — 34,629 Other comprehensive income 137,856 (17,952 ) 119,904 Ending balance $ (862,934 ) $ 326,321 $ (536,613 ) Accumulated other comprehensive loss components are included in computing net periodic postretirement costs as outlined in Note 7 — Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans . Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive loss related to these postretirement plans include the following: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Amortization of prior service credit, net $ (1,294 ) $ (1,308 ) $ (3,958 ) $ (2,113 ) Amortization of actuarial loss 15,455 15,756 46,584 48,109 Total reclassifications, before tax 14,161 14,448 42,626 45,996 Income tax effect (3,483 ) (3,600 ) (10,478 ) (11,367 ) Total reclassifications, net of tax $ 10,678 $ 10,848 $ 32,148 $ 34,629

Fair value measurement

Fair value measurement	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Fair value measurement	NOTE 10 — Fair value measurement We measure and record certain assets and liabilities at fair value. A fair value measurement is determined based on market assumptions that a market participant would use in pricing an asset or liability. A three-tiered hierarchy draws distinctions between market participant assumptions based on (i) observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets (Level 1), (ii) inputs other than quoted active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2), and (iii) unobservable inputs that require use of our own estimates and assumptions through present value and other valuation techniques in determination of fair value (Level 3). As of September 30, 2019 and December 31, 2018 , assets and liabilities recorded at fair value and measured on a recurring basis primarily consist of pension plan assets. As permitted by U.S. GAAP, we use net asset values as a practical expedient to determine the fair value of certain investments. These investments measured at net asset value have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy. Contingent earn-out liabilities resulting from business combinations are also recorded at fair value on a recurring basis. The fair value estimate of the earn-out liability related to the company’s acquisition of WordStream in July 2018 was $1.3 million as of September 30, 2019 . The WordStream earnout liability is affected by the expected amount and timing of future revenues, which are Level 3 inputs as they have no observable market. The Credit Facility is recorded at carrying value, which approximates fair value, in the Condensed consolidated balance sheets and is classified as Level 3. We also have certain assets requiring fair value measurement on a non-recurring basis. Our assets measured on a non-recurring basis are assets held for sale, which are classified as Level 3 assets and evaluated using executed purchase agreements, letters of intent, or third-party valuation analyses when certain circumstances arise. Assets held for sale totaled $23.0 million as of September 30, 2019 and $23.3 million as of December 31, 2018 .

Commitments, contingencies and

Commitments, contingencies and other matters	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments, contingencies and other matters	NOTE 11 — Commitments, contingencies and other matters Environmental contingency: In March 2011 , the Advertiser Company (Advertiser), a subsidiary that publishes the Montgomery Advertiser , was notified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it had been identified as a potentially responsible party (PRP) for the investigation and remediation of groundwater contamination in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. The Advertiser is a member of the Downtown Environmental Alliance, which has agreed to jointly fund and conduct all required investigation and remediation. In 2016 , the Advertiser and other members of the Downtown Environmental Alliance reached a settlement with the U.S. EPA regarding the costs the U.S. EPA spent to investigate the site. The U.S. EPA has transferred responsibility for oversight of the site to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, which has approved the work plan for the additional site investigation that is currently underway. The Advertiser's final costs cannot be determined until the investigation is complete, a determination is made on whether any remediation is necessary, and contributions from other PRPs are finalized. Litigation in connection with the pending merger: Following the August 5, 2019 announcement of the company's pending merger with New Media, a total of six lawsuits have been filed in various jurisdictions: Stein v. Gannett Co. Inc, et al. , filed on September 11, 2019, Scarantino v. Gannett Co. Inc., et al. , filed on September 16, 2019, Humbert v. Gannett Co. Inc., et al. , filed on September 30, 2019, Steiner v. Gannett Co. Inc., et al. , filed on October 2, 2019, Litwin v. Gannett Co. Inc., et al. , filed on October 17, 2019, and Johnson v. Gannett Co., Inc., et al. , filed on October 23, 2019. The plaintiffs in each action allege, among other things, the company and individual defendants violated Section 14(a) and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act by providing inadequate disclosure regarding the proposed merger either in the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by New Media with the SEC or in the definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed by the company with the SEC. The plaintiffs variously seek, among other things, to enjoin or rescind the merger, an award of damages in the event the merger is consummated, and an award of costs and attorney’s fees; plaintiffs in Scarantino and Steiner also seek class action certification. The company and New Media believe all claims therein are without merit and intend to vigorously defend against them. Other litigation: We are defendants in judicial and administrative proceedings involving matters incidental to our business. While the ultimate results of these proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, we expect the ultimate resolution of all pending or threatened claims and litigation will not have a material effect on our consolidated results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

Earnings per share

Earnings per share	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Earnings per share	NOTE 12 — Earnings per share The following table is a reconciliation of weighted average number of shares outstanding used to compute basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS): In thousands, except per share data Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net income $ 10,645 $ 13,352 $ 25,465 $ 29,281 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic 114,615 113,047 114,529 112,916 Effect of dilutive securities Restricted stock units 1,052 2,354 1,075 2,282 Performance share units 2,562 802 2,045 837 Stock options 3 68 11 78 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted 118,232 116,271 117,660 116,113 Earnings per share - basic $ 0.09 $ 0.12 $ 0.22 $ 0.26 Earnings per share - diluted $ 0.09 $ 0.11 $ 0.22 $ 0.25 For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 , approximately 91,000 and 465,000 outstanding common stock equivalents, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS because their effect would have been anti-dilutive. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 , approximately 180,000 and 900,000 outstanding common stock equivalents, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted EPS because their effect would have been anti-dilutive. On July 23, 2019 , we declared a dividend of $0.16 per share of common stock, which was paid on September 30, 2019 , to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 16, 2019 . Furthermore, on October 16, 2019 , we declared a dividend of $0.16 per share of common stock, payable on November 12, 2019 , to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 1, 2019

Segment reporting

Segment reporting	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Segment reporting	NOTE 13 — Segment reporting We define our reportable segments based on the way the Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM) function which, for the third quarter of 2019, comprised the Chief Executive Officer and former Interim Chief Operating Officer, manages our operations for purposes of allocating resources and assessing performance. Our reportable segments include the following: • Publishing, which consists of our portfolio of local, regional, national, and international newspaper publishers. The results of this segment include local, classified, and national advertising revenues consisting of both print and digital advertising, circulation revenues from the distribution of our publications on our digital platforms, home delivery of our publications, single copy sales, and other revenues from commercial printing and distribution arrangements. The publishing reportable segment is an aggregation of two operating segments: domestic publishing and the U.K. • ReachLocal, which consists exclusively of our ReachLocal digital marketing solutions subsidiaries including SweetIQ and WordStream. The results of this segment include advertising revenues from our search and display services and revenues related to web presence and software solutions provided by ReachLocal. In addition to the above operating segments, we have a corporate and other category that includes activities not directly attributable to a specific segment. This category primarily consists of broad corporate functions and includes legal, human resources, accounting, finance, and marketing as well as activities such as tax settlements and other general business costs. In the ordinary course of business, our reportable segments enter into transactions with one another. While intersegment transactions are treated like third-party transactions to determine segment performance, the revenues and expenses recognized by the segment that is the counterparty to the transaction are eliminated in consolidation and do not affect consolidated results. The CODM function uses adjusted EBITDA to evaluate the performance of the segments and allocate resources. Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial performance measure the company believes offers a useful view of the overall operation of our business. The company defines adjusted EBITDA as net income before (1) income taxes, (2) interest expense, (3) equity income, (4) other non-operating items, (5) restructuring costs, (6) asset impairment charges, (7) certain gains or losses on sales of properties, (8) other items (including acquisition-related expenses, certain business transformation costs, litigation expenses, and gains or losses on certain investments), and (9) depreciation and amortization. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measure is net income. Management considers adjusted EBITDA to be the appropriate metric to evaluate and compare the ongoing operating performance of our segments on a consistent basis across reporting periods as it eliminates the effect of items which we do not believe are indicative of each segment's core operating performance and do not represent ongoing expenses necessary to conduct our day-to-day operations. The following tables present our segment information: Three months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 244,091 $ 101,132 $ — $ — $ 345,223 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 17,795 — — (17,795 ) — Circulation 240,591 — — — 240,591 Other 47,297 — 2,458 — 49,755 Total revenues $ 549,774 $ 101,132 $ 2,458 $ (17,795 ) $ 635,569 Adjusted EBITDA $ 68,964 $ 12,755 $ (19,510 ) $ — $ 62,209 Three months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment Eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 293,808 $ 109,566 $ — $ — $ 403,374 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 15,967 — — (15,967 ) — Circulation 258,873 — — — 258,873 Other 47,736 — 1,731 — 49,467 Total revenues $ 616,384 $ 109,566 $ 1,731 $ (15,967 ) $ 711,714 Adjusted EBITDA $ 72,739 $ 17,340 $ (19,987 ) $ — $ 70,092 Nine months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 781,907 $ 296,879 $ — $ — $ 1,078,786 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 48,413 — — (48,413 ) — Circulation 740,410 — — — 740,410 Other 134,384 — 5,751 — 140,135 Total revenues $ 1,705,114 $ 296,879 $ 5,751 $ (48,413 ) $ 1,959,331 Adjusted EBITDA $ 241,011 $ 32,586 $ (71,840 ) $ — $ 201,757 Nine months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 927,360 $ 306,489 $ — $ — $ 1,233,849 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 46,167 — — (46,167 ) — Circulation 789,265 — — — 789,265 Other 136,803 — 5,516 — 142,319 Total revenues $ 1,899,595 $ 306,489 $ 5,516 $ (46,167 ) $ 2,165,433 Adjusted EBITDA $ 244,855 $ 33,820 $ (67,916 ) $ — $ 210,759 The following table presents our reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net income (GAAP basis) $ 10,645 $ 13,352 $ 25,465 $ 29,281 Provision for income taxes 2,796 2,848 11,943 2,620 Interest expense 6,739 7,135 20,583 17,548 Other non-operating items, net 5,393 (9,800 ) 14,527 (18,153 ) Operating income (GAAP basis) 25,573 13,535 72,518 31,296 Depreciation and amortization 32,281 38,427 104,792 117,057 Gain on sale of property (7,669 ) — (41,319 ) — Restructuring costs 2,540 11,535 30,270 33,445 Asset impairment charges 632 1,701 1,435 15,940 Other items (a) 8,852 4,894 34,061 13,021 Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis) $ 62,209 $ 70,092 $ 201,757 $ 210,759 (a) Includes costs incurred as a direct result of the proxy contest of $17.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and costs incurred related to the pending merger with New Media of $6.7 million and $7.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

Basis of presentation and sum_2

Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of presentation	Basis of presentation: Our condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, they contain all of the adjustments (consisting of those of a normal, recurring nature) considered necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) applicable to interim periods. All intercompany accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 .
Use of estimates	Use of estimates: The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates and judgments inherent in the preparation of financial statements include accounting for income taxes, pension and other postretirement benefits, allowances for doubtful accounts, stock-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, business combinations, litigation matters, contingencies, and the valuation of long-lived and intangible assets.
Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash	Cash and cash equivalents, including restricted cash: Cash equivalents consist of investments with original maturities of three months or less. Restricted cash primarily consists of cash held in an irrevocable grantor trust for our deferred compensation plans and cash held with banking institutions for insurance plans. The restrictions will lapse when benefits are paid to plan participants and their beneficiaries as specified in the plans.
Leases	Leases: We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in Operating lease assets , Other current liabilities , and Long-term operating lease liabilities on our Condensed consolidated balance sheets . Operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term at commencement date. The rates implicit within the company's leases are generally not determinable; therefore, the company uses judgment to determine the incremental borrowing rate used to calculate the present value of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate for each lease is primarily based on publicly available information for companies within the same industry and with similar credit profiles and adjusted for the impact of collateralization, the lease term, and other specific terms included in the company’s lease arrangements. ROU assets are assessed for impairment in accordance with the company’s accounting policy for long-lived assets. Our lease terms include options to extend or terminate. The period which is subject to an option to extend the lease is included in the lease term if it is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. The period which is subject to an option to terminate the lease is included if it is reasonably certain that the option will not be exercised. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For certain equipment leases, we apply a portfolio approach to account for the operating lease ROU assets and liabilities.
New and not yet adopted accounting pronouncements	New accounting pronouncements adopted: The following are new accounting pronouncements that we adopted in the first nine months of 2019 : Leases: On January 1, 2019, the company adopted the FASB's new leasing standard utilizing the modified retrospective transition method by recognizing a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. We elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which allows us to carry forward 1) our historical lease classification, 2) our assessment on whether a contract is or contains a lease, and 3) our treatment of initial direct costs for any leases that exist prior to adoption of the new standard. We have also elected to combine lease and non-lease components and to keep leases with an initial term of 12 months or less off the balance sheet and recognize the associated lease payments in the Condensed consolidated statements of income on a straight-line basis over the lease term. We did not elect to apply the hindsight practical expedient when determining the lease term and assessing impairment of right-of-use assets. As a result of adopting the new standard, we recorded a one-time adjustment to beginning retained earnings of $13.4 million , consisting primarily of the recognition of deferred gains on sale-leaseback transactions, which are no longer deferred under the new guidance, net of the deferred tax impact. Based on the present value of the lease payments for the remaining lease term of the company's existing leases, we recognized net right-of-use assets of approximately $268.9 million and lease liabilities for operating leases of approximately $317.4 million on January 1, 2019. The standard did not materially impact our Condensed consolidated statements of income or Condensed consolidated statements of cash flows . Refer to Note 3 — Leases for further details on the company's leases. Compensation—Stock Compensation: In June 2018, the FASB issued new guidance which expands the scope of share based compensation accounting by applying, with limited exceptions, the specific requirements of employee stock compensation to the accounting for non-employee awards granted in exchange for goods and services. Adopting this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. New accounting pronouncements not yet adopted: The following are new accounting pronouncements that we are evaluating for future impacts on our financial statements: Intangibles—Internal Use Software : In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance which generally aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. The guidance can be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements. Fair Value Measurement—Disclosure Framework: In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that changes disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements as part of the disclosure framework project. The disclosure framework project aims to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements by focusing on requirements that clearly communicate the most important information to users of the financial statements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements. Compensation—Retirement Plans: In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that changes disclosures related to defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans as part of the disclosure framework project. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements. Financial Instruments—Credit Losses: In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance which amends the principles around the recognition of credit losses by mandating entities incorporate an estimate of current expected credit losses when determining the value of certain assets. The guidance also amends reporting around allowances for credit losses on available-for-sale marketable securities. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We are evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Basis of presentation and sum_3

Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Schedule of Cash and Cash Equivalents	The following table presents a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash: September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 Cash and cash equivalents $ 101,422 $ 108,563 Restricted cash included in other current assets 2,922 4,615 Restricted cash included in investments and other assets 21,375 19,205 Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 125,719 $ 132,383

Revenues (Tables)

Revenues (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Disaggregation of Revenue	The following table presents our revenues disaggregated by source: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Print advertising $ 161,609 $ 204,023 $ 532,047 $ 657,744 Digital advertising and marketing services 183,614 199,351 546,739 576,105 Total advertising and marketing services 345,223 403,374 1,078,786 1,233,849 Circulation 240,591 258,873 740,410 789,265 Other 49,755 49,467 140,135 142,319 Total revenues $ 635,569 $ 711,714 $ 1,959,331 $ 2,165,433
Deferred Revenue	The following table presents changes in the deferred revenue balance for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 by type of revenue: In thousands Advertising and Other Circulation Total Beginning balance $ 35,742 $ 81,341 $ 117,083 Cash receipts 203,216 602,667 805,883 Revenue recognized (201,937 ) (605,639 ) (807,576 ) Ending balance $ 37,021 $ 78,369 $ 115,390

Leases (Tables)

Leases (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Lease Cost	The components of lease expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were as follows: In thousands Three months ended September 30, 2019 Nine months ended September 30, 2019 Operating lease cost (a) $ 17,172 $ 49,985 Short-term lease cost, excluding expenses relating to leases with a lease term of one month or less 414 1,494 Net lease cost $ 17,586 $ 51,479 (a) Includes variable lease costs of $3.6 million and $8.8 million , respectively, and sublease income of $0.7 million and $1.9 million , respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 . Other information related to leases were as follows: In thousands, except lease term and discount rate Nine months ended September 30, 2019 Supplemental information Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities $ 48,714 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations $ 23,887 Gains on sale and leaseback transactions, net $ 5,730 As of September 30, 2019 Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years) 8.7 Weighted-average discount rate 6.7 %
Operating Lease Liability, Maturity	Future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable leases as of September 30, 2019 are as follows: In thousands Year Ending December 31, (a) 2019 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2019) $ 10,456 2020 56,388 2021 51,392 2022 47,493 2023 39,439 Thereafter 193,955 Total future minimum lease payments 399,123 Less: Imputed interest 102,619 Total $ 296,504 (a) Operating lease payments exclude $3.5 million of legally binding minimum lease payments for leases signed but not yet commenced.

Acquisitions (Tables)

Acquisitions (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed	The allocation of the purchase price was based upon estimated fair values. The determination of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed has been completed and the final allocation of the purchase price is as follows: In thousands Cash and restricted cash acquired $ 20,954 Other current assets 9,159 Property, plant, and equipment 1,072 Developed technology 63,030 Customer relationships 21,420 Trade names 1,105 Goodwill 66,742 Total assets acquired 183,482 Current liabilities 3,987 Noncurrent liabilities 16,562 Total liabilities assumed 20,549 Net assets acquired $ 162,933

Restructuring activities and _2

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]
Restructuring and Related Costs	Severance-related expenses: We recorded severance-related expenses by segment as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Publishing $ 1,360 $ 3,892 $ 13,670 $ 16,553 ReachLocal 170 393 290 2,165 Corporate and Other 422 266 3,796 862 Total $ 1,952 $ 4,551 $ 17,756 $ 19,580 The activity and balance of the severance-related liabilities for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 are as follows: In thousands Beginning balance $ 32,974 Expense 17,756 Payments (50,015 ) Ending balance $ 715 Asset impairment charges: We recorded impairment charges for property, plant, and equipment as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Publishing $ 632 $ 1,430 $ 1,435 $ 15,669 ReachLocal — 271 — 271 Total $ 632 $ 1,701 $ 1,435 $ 15,940
Schedule of Consolidation Charges and Accelerated Depreciation	Facility consolidation charges and accelerated depreciation: We recorded facility consolidation charges by segment as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Publishing $ 525 $ 1,027 $ 3,011 $ 6,050 ReachLocal 63 766 183 2,539 Corporate and Other — 5,191 37 5,276 Total $ 588 $ 6,984 $ 3,231 $ 13,865

Pensions and other postretire_2

Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Benefit costs	Retirement plan costs include the following components: Three months ended September 30, 2019 2018 In thousands Pension OPEB Pension OPEB Operating expenses: Service cost - Benefits earned during the period $ 403 $ 26 $ 589 $ 42 Non-operating expenses: Interest cost on benefit obligation 25,426 704 24,669 742 Expected return on plan assets (36,108 ) — (42,073 ) — Amortization of prior service benefit (481 ) (813 ) (424 ) (884 ) Amortization of actuarial loss (gain) 15,921 (466 ) 15,846 (90 ) Total non-operating expenses (credit) $ 4,758 $ (575 ) $ (1,982 ) $ (232 ) Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans $ 5,161 $ (549 ) $ (1,393 ) $ (190 ) Nine months ended September 30, 2019 2018 In thousands Pension OPEB Pension OPEB Operating expenses: Service cost - Benefits earned during the period $ 1,210 $ 78 $ 1,767 $ 130 Non-operating expenses: Interest cost on benefit obligation 76,797 2,111 76,688 2,224 Expected return on plan assets (109,185 ) — (131,098 ) — Amortization of prior service cost (benefit) (1,518 ) (2,440 ) 538 (2,651 ) Amortization of actuarial loss (gain) 47,982 (1,398 ) 48,379 (270 ) Curtailments — 192 — — Other — (1,018 ) — — Total non-operating expenses (credit) $ 14,076 $ (2,553 ) $ (5,493 ) $ (697 ) Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans $ 15,286 $ (2,475 ) $ (3,726 ) $ (567 )

Income taxes (Tables)

Income taxes (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	The following table outlines our pre-tax net income and income tax amounts: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Pre-tax net income $ 13,441 $ 16,200 $ 37,408 $ 31,901 Provision for income taxes 2,796 2,848 11,943 2,620 Effective tax rate 20.8 % 17.6 % 31.9 % 8.2 %

Supplemental equity informati_2

Supplemental equity information (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Equity [Abstract]
Schedule of Equity	The following tables summarize equity activity for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 : Three months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,203 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,827,963 $ (129,834 ) $ (582,959 ) $ 1,066,327 Net income — — — 10,645 — 10,645 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 538 538 Total comprehensive income 11,183 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (18,372 ) — (18,372 ) Restricted stock awards settled — 245 (281 ) — — (36 ) Stock-based compensation — — 4,384 — — 4,384 Other activity 1 — (55 ) — — (54 ) Ending balance $ 1,204 $ (49,801 ) $ 1,832,011 $ (137,561 ) $ (582,421 ) $ 1,063,432 Three months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,187 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,812,537 $ (84,359 ) $ (544,919 ) $ 1,134,400 Net income — — — 13,352 — 13,352 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 8,306 8,306 Total comprehensive income 21,658 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (18,087 ) — (18,087 ) Restricted stock awards settled 1 — (484 ) — — (483 ) Stock-based compensation — — 4,277 — — 4,277 Other activity — — 24 — — 24 Ending balance $ 1,188 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,816,354 $ (89,094 ) $ (536,613 ) $ 1,141,789 Nine months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,189 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,822,094 $ (121,435 ) $ (616,696 ) $ 1,035,106 Net income — — — 25,465 — 25,465 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 34,275 34,275 Total comprehensive income 59,740 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (55,034 ) — (55,034 ) Adoption of new lease guidance (a) — — — 13,443 — 13,443 Restricted stock awards settled 14 245 (4,779 ) — — (4,520 ) Stock-based compensation — — 14,559 — — 14,559 Other activity 1 — 137 — — 138 Ending balance $ 1,204 $ (49,801 ) $ 1,832,011 $ (137,561 ) $ (582,421 ) $ 1,063,432 (a) This amount represents the lease transition adjustment, which is primarily related to the recognition of previously deferred gains on sale leaseback transactions totaling $13.6 million , net of tax. Nine months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands, except per share data Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value Treasury Stock Additional Paid-in Capital Accumulated Deficit Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss Total Beginning balance $ 1,175 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,786,941 $ (64,158 ) $ (656,517 ) $ 1,017,395 Net income — — — 29,281 — 29,281 Other comprehensive income, net of tax — — — — 119,904 119,904 Total comprehensive income 149,185 Dividends declared: $0.16 per share — — — (54,217 ) — (54,217 ) Convertible debt conversion feature — — 21,534 — — 21,534 Restricted stock awards settled 9 — (3,584 ) — — (3,575 ) Performance share units settled 4 — (2,437 ) — — (2,433 ) Stock-based compensation — — 13,498 — — 13,498 Other activity — — 402 — — 402 Ending balance $ 1,188 $ (50,046 ) $ 1,816,354 $ (89,094 ) $ (536,613 ) $ 1,141,789
Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	The following tables summarize the components of, and the changes in, Accumulated other comprehensive loss (net of tax) for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 : Nine months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands Retirement Plans Foreign Currency Translation Total Beginning balance $ (929,170 ) $ 312,474 $ (616,696 ) Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 13,333 (11,206 ) 2,127 Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 32,148 — 32,148 Other comprehensive income 45,481 (11,206 ) 34,275 Ending balance $ (883,689 ) $ 301,268 $ (582,421 ) Nine months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands Retirement Plans Foreign Currency Translation Total Beginning balance $ (1,000,790 ) $ 344,273 $ (656,517 ) Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 103,227 (17,952 ) 85,275 Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss 34,629 — 34,629 Other comprehensive income 137,856 (17,952 ) 119,904 Ending balance $ (862,934 ) $ 326,321 $ (536,613 )
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive loss related to these postretirement plans include the following: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Amortization of prior service credit, net $ (1,294 ) $ (1,308 ) $ (3,958 ) $ (2,113 ) Amortization of actuarial loss 15,455 15,756 46,584 48,109 Total reclassifications, before tax 14,161 14,448 42,626 45,996 Income tax effect (3,483 ) (3,600 ) (10,478 ) (11,367 ) Total reclassifications, net of tax $ 10,678 $ 10,848 $ 32,148 $ 34,629

Earnings per share (Tables)

Earnings per share (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	The following table is a reconciliation of weighted average number of shares outstanding used to compute basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS): In thousands, except per share data Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net income $ 10,645 $ 13,352 $ 25,465 $ 29,281 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic 114,615 113,047 114,529 112,916 Effect of dilutive securities Restricted stock units 1,052 2,354 1,075 2,282 Performance share units 2,562 802 2,045 837 Stock options 3 68 11 78 Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted 118,232 116,271 117,660 116,113 Earnings per share - basic $ 0.09 $ 0.12 $ 0.22 $ 0.26 Earnings per share - diluted $ 0.09 $ 0.11 $ 0.22 $ 0.25

Segment reporting (Tables)

Segment reporting (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment	The following tables present our segment information: Three months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 244,091 $ 101,132 $ — $ — $ 345,223 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 17,795 — — (17,795 ) — Circulation 240,591 — — — 240,591 Other 47,297 — 2,458 — 49,755 Total revenues $ 549,774 $ 101,132 $ 2,458 $ (17,795 ) $ 635,569 Adjusted EBITDA $ 68,964 $ 12,755 $ (19,510 ) $ — $ 62,209 Three months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment Eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 293,808 $ 109,566 $ — $ — $ 403,374 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 15,967 — — (15,967 ) — Circulation 258,873 — — — 258,873 Other 47,736 — 1,731 — 49,467 Total revenues $ 616,384 $ 109,566 $ 1,731 $ (15,967 ) $ 711,714 Adjusted EBITDA $ 72,739 $ 17,340 $ (19,987 ) $ — $ 70,092 Nine months ended September 30, 2019 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 781,907 $ 296,879 $ — $ — $ 1,078,786 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 48,413 — — (48,413 ) — Circulation 740,410 — — — 740,410 Other 134,384 — 5,751 — 140,135 Total revenues $ 1,705,114 $ 296,879 $ 5,751 $ (48,413 ) $ 1,959,331 Adjusted EBITDA $ 241,011 $ 32,586 $ (71,840 ) $ — $ 201,757 Nine months ended September 30, 2018 In thousands Publishing ReachLocal Corporate and Other Intersegment eliminations Consolidated Advertising and marketing services - external sales $ 927,360 $ 306,489 $ — $ — $ 1,233,849 Advertising and marketing services - intersegment sales 46,167 — — (46,167 ) — Circulation 789,265 — — — 789,265 Other 136,803 — 5,516 — 142,319 Total revenues $ 1,899,595 $ 306,489 $ 5,516 $ (46,167 ) $ 2,165,433 Adjusted EBITDA $ 244,855 $ 33,820 $ (67,916 ) $ — $ 210,759 The following table presents our reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, In thousands 2019 2018 2019 2018 Net income (GAAP basis) $ 10,645 $ 13,352 $ 25,465 $ 29,281 Provision for income taxes 2,796 2,848 11,943 2,620 Interest expense 6,739 7,135 20,583 17,548 Other non-operating items, net 5,393 (9,800 ) 14,527 (18,153 ) Operating income (GAAP basis) 25,573 13,535 72,518 31,296 Depreciation and amortization 32,281 38,427 104,792 117,057 Gain on sale of property (7,669 ) — (41,319 ) — Restructuring costs 2,540 11,535 30,270 33,445 Asset impairment charges 632 1,701 1,435 15,940 Other items (a) 8,852 4,894 34,061 13,021 Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis) $ 62,209 $ 70,092 $ 201,757 $ 210,759 (a) Includes costs incurred as a direct result of the proxy contest of $17.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and costs incurred related to the pending merger with New Media of $6.7 million and $7.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

Basis of presentation and sum_4

Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies - Narrative (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Aug. 05, 2019$ / sharesshares	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)brandstatesegmentorganization	Jan. 01, 2019USD ($)
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of operating segments | segment		2
Shares converted into common stock (in shares) | shares	0.5427
Cash received per share converted (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 6.25
Adjustment to beginning retained earnings			$ 13,443
Net lease assets		$ 251,474	268,900
Net lease liability		$ 296,504	317,400
U.S.
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of media organizations | organization		109
Number of states in which entity operates | state		34
U.K.
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of media brands, more than | brand		150
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Adjustment to beginning retained earnings			$ 13,400

Basis of presentation and sum_5

Basis of presentation and summary of significant accounting policies - Schedule of Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 101,422	$ 93,559	$ 108,563
Restricted cash included in other current assets	2,922		4,615
Restricted cash included in investments and other assets	21,375		19,205
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash	$ 125,719	$ 116,861	$ 132,383	$ 144,032

Revenues - Disaggregation of Re

Revenues - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 635,569	$ 711,714	$ 1,959,331	$ 2,165,433
Print advertising
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	161,609	204,023	532,047	657,744
Digital advertising and marketing services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	183,614	199,351	546,739	576,105
Total advertising and marketing services
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	345,223	403,374	1,078,786	1,233,849
Circulation
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	240,591	258,873	740,410	789,265
Other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 49,755	$ 49,467	$ 140,135	$ 142,319

Revenues - Narrative (Details)

Revenues - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue		$ (1.7)
International
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Revenue, percentage	12.00%	12.00%
Minimum
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscription period (in months)		1 month
Maximum
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Subscription period (in months)		12 months

Revenues - Deferred Revenue (De

Revenues - Deferred Revenue (Details) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)
Movement in Deferred Revenue [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 117,083
Cash receipts	805,883
Revenue recognized	(807,576)
Ending balance	115,390
Advertising and Other
Movement in Deferred Revenue [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	35,742
Cash receipts	203,216
Revenue recognized	(201,937)
Ending balance	37,021
Circulation
Movement in Deferred Revenue [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	81,341
Cash receipts	602,667
Revenue recognized	(605,639)
Ending balance	$ 78,369

Leases (Details)

Leases (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Jan. 01, 2019
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Operating lease assets	$ 251,474	$ 268,900
Short-term operating lease liabilities	36,400
Long-term operating lease liabilities	$ 260,124
Minimum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Remaining lease term with option to extend	1 year
Maximum
Lessee, Lease, Description [Line Items]
Remaining lease term with option to extend	15 years

Leases - Components of Lease Ex

Leases - Components of Lease Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
Operating lease cost	$ 17,172	$ 49,985
Short-term lease cost, excluding expenses relating to leases with a lease term of one month or less	414	1,494
Net lease cost	17,586	51,479
Variable lease costs	3,600	8,800
Sublease income	$ 700	$ 1,900

Leases - Future Minimum Lease P

Leases - Future Minimum Lease Payments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Jan. 01, 2019
Leases [Abstract]
2019 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2019)	$ 10,456
2020	56,388
2021	51,392
2022	47,493
2023	39,439
Thereafter	193,955
Total future minimum lease payments	399,123
Less: Imputed interest	102,619
Total	296,504	$ 317,400
Lease payments for leases signed but not yet commenced	$ 3,500

Leases - Other Information (Det

Leases - Other Information (Details) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)
Supplemental cash flow information:
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities	$ 48,714
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations	23,887
Gains on sale and leaseback transactions, net	$ 5,730
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years)	8 years 8 months 12 days
Weighted-average discount rate	6.70%

Acquisitions - Narrative (Detai

Acquisitions - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired		$ 0	$ 131,150
WordStream
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	$ 132,500
Contingent consideration	$ 9,500	$ 1,300		$ 20,000

Acquisitions - Schedule of Asse

Acquisitions - Schedule of Assets Acquired, Liabilities Assumed (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill	$ 774,655	$ 779,597
WordStream
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash and restricted cash acquired			$ 20,954
Other current assets			9,159
Property, plant and equipment			1,072
Goodwill			66,742
Total assets acquired			183,482
Current liabilities			3,987
Noncurrent liabilities			16,562
Total liabilities assumed			20,549
Net assets acquired			162,933
Developed technology | WordStream
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets			63,030
Customer relationships | WordStream
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets			21,420
Trade names | WordStream
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets			$ 1,105

Restructuring activities and _3

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges - Severance Related Expenses (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance related expenses	$ 2,540	$ 11,535	$ 30,270	$ 33,445
Severance
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance related expenses	1,952	4,551	17,756	19,580
Operating Segments | Publishing | Severance
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance related expenses	1,360	3,892	13,670	16,553
Operating Segments | ReachLocal | Severance
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance related expenses	170	393	290	2,165
Corporate and Other | Severance
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Severance related expenses	$ 422	$ 266	$ 3,796	$ 862

Restructuring activities and _4

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges - Restructuring Reserve (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Expense	$ 2,540	$ 11,535	$ 30,270	$ 33,445
Severance
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance			32,974
Expense	1,952	$ 4,551	17,756	$ 19,580
Payments			(50,015)
Ending balance	$ 715		$ 715

Restructuring activities and _5

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges - Facility Consolidation Charges and Accelerated Depreciation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	$ 2,540	$ 11,535	$ 30,270	$ 33,445
Facility Closing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	588	6,984	3,231	13,865
Operating Segments | Publishing | Facility Closing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	525	1,027	3,011	6,050
Operating Segments | ReachLocal | Facility Closing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	63	766	183	2,539
Corporate and Other | Facility Closing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	$ 0	$ 5,191	$ 37	$ 5,276

Restructuring activities and _6

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)	Feb. 05, 2018	May 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Feb. 28, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Rent-free leaseback term				15 months
Proceeds from sale of property, plant, and equipment	$ 41,800,000		$ 33,900,000
Gain on sale of property		$ 30,600,000			$ 7,669,000	$ 0	$ 41,319,000	$ 0
Leaseback agreement			7 years
Deferred gain on sale of property			$ 13,200,000
Publishing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Accelerated depreciation					$ 0	$ 2,700,000	$ 2,300,000	$ 12,100,000
Other Current Liabilities
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Deferred gain on sale of property			1,900,000
Other Noncurrent Liabilities
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Deferred gain on sale of property			$ 11,300,000

Restructuring activities and _7

Restructuring activities and asset impairment charges - Asset Impairment Charges (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges	$ 632	$ 1,701	$ 1,435	$ 15,940
Publishing
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges	632	1,430	1,435	15,669
ReachLocal
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset impairment charges	$ 0	$ 271	$ 0	$ 271

Debt - Narrative (Details)

Debt - Narrative (Details)	Apr. 09, 2018USD ($)$ / shares	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)shares	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019USD ($)shares	Sep. 30, 2018USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Convertible debt, liability component		$ 173,148,000		$ 173,148,000		$ 169,264,000
Shares issued in debt conversion (in shares) | shares		0		0
Convertible Debt | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%
Convertible debt, principal	$ 201,300,000
Proceeds from debt	$ 195,300,000
Stated conversion rate	0.0824572
Conversion price (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 12.13
Convertible debt, liability component		$ 173,100,000		$ 173,100,000		169,300,000
Residual amount of convertible debt		30,200,000		30,200,000		$ 30,200,000
Debt issuance costs		6,300,000		6,300,000
Debt issuance costs allocated to debt		5,400,000		5,400,000
Debt issuance costs allocated to equity		900,000		$ 900,000
Contractual life of the notes				6 years
Unamortized discount		24,000,000		$ 24,000,000
Interest expense on notes		2,400,000	$ 2,400,000	7,200,000	$ 4,500,000
Amortization of debt issuance costs		200,000	200,000	700,000	400,000
Amortization of debt discount		$ 1,100,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 3,200,000	$ 1,900,000
Effective interest rate (as a percent)		7.91%	7.91%	7.91%	7.91%
Repurchase price, percentage				100.00%
Line of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Outstanding amount		$ 120,000,000		$ 120,000,000
Remaining borrowing capacity		356,900,000		356,900,000
Line of Credit | Letter of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		50,000,000		50,000,000
Outstanding amount		23,100,000		23,100,000
Line of Credit | Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 500,000,000		$ 500,000,000
Federal Funds Rate | Line of Credit | Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis point spread on variable rate (as a percent)				0.50%
LIBOR | Line of Credit | Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis point spread on variable rate (as a percent)				1.00%
Measurement Input, Discount Rate | Convertible Debt | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Discount rate (as a percent)		0.0791		0.0791

Pensions and other postretire_3

Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans - Retirement Plan Costs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Pension
Company's pension costs
Service cost - Benefits earned during the period	$ 403	$ 589	$ 1,210	$ 1,767
Interest cost on benefit obligation	25,426	24,669	76,797	76,688
Expected return on plan assets	(36,108)	(42,073)	(109,185)	(131,098)
Amortization of prior service benefit	(481)	(424)	(1,518)	538
Amortization of actuarial loss (gain)	15,921	15,846	47,982	48,379
Curtailments			0	0
Other			0	0
Total non-operating expenses (credit)	4,758	(1,982)	14,076	(5,493)
Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans	5,161	(1,393)	15,286	(3,726)
OPEB
Company's pension costs
Service cost - Benefits earned during the period	26	42	78	130
Interest cost on benefit obligation	704	742	2,111	2,224
Expected return on plan assets	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service benefit	(813)	(884)	(2,440)	(2,651)
Amortization of actuarial loss (gain)	(466)	(90)	(1,398)	(270)
Curtailments			192	0
Other			(1,018)	0
Total non-operating expenses (credit)	(575)	(232)	(2,553)	(697)
Total expense (benefit) for retirement plans	$ (549)	$ (190)	$ (2,475)	$ (567)

Pensions and other postretire_4

Pensions and other postretirement benefit plans - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Restructuring costs	$ 2,540	$ 11,535	$ 30,270	$ 33,445
Pension Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Contribution to the defined benefit plans			53,700
Pension Plans | CWA/ITU Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			9,300
Post-retirement Benefits Other Than Pension
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Contribution to the defined benefit plans			6,600
Other Current Liabilities | Multiemployer Plans, Pension
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension withdrawal liability	3,700		3,700
Other Noncurrent Liabilities | Multiemployer Plans, Pension
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension withdrawal liability	$ 38,700		$ 38,700

Income taxes - Pre-tax Net Loss

Income taxes - Pre-tax Net Loss and Income Tax (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Pre-tax net loss	$ 13,441	$ 16,200	$ 37,408	$ 31,901
Income tax benefit	$ 2,796	$ 2,848	$ 11,943	$ 2,620
Effective tax rate	20.80%	17.60%	31.90%	8.20%

Income taxes - Narrative (Detai

Income taxes - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Favorable adjustment related to tax reform		$ 2.6
Release of valuation allowance	$ 3.1
Tax expense increase due to sale of subsidiary	1.9
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	23.9		$ 22.5
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits	1.9		$ 1.2
Estimated decrease in gross unrecognized tax positions within the next 12 months, maximum	$ 0.7

Supplemental equity informati_3

Supplemental equity information - Equity Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, shares in Millions	Jul. 23, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Jan. 01, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)		$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01		$ 0.01
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		$ 1,066,327	$ 1,134,400	$ 1,035,106	$ 1,017,395
Net income		10,645	13,352	25,465	29,281
Other comprehensive income, net of tax		538	8,306	34,275	119,904
Comprehensive income		11,183	21,658	59,740	149,185
Dividends declared		$ (18,372)	$ (18,087)	$ (55,034)	$ (54,217)
Dividend declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16
Adoption of new lease guidance						$ 13,443
Convertible debt conversion feature					$ 21,534
Restricted stock awards settled		$ (36)	$ (483)	$ (4,520)	(3,575)
Performance share units settled					(2,433)
Stock-based compensation		4,384	4,277	14,559	13,498
Other activity		(54)	24	138	402
Ending Balance		1,063,432	1,141,789	1,063,432	1,141,789
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,203	1,187	1,189	1,175
Restricted stock awards settled			1	14	9
Performance share units settled					4
Other activity		1		1
Ending Balance		1,204	1,188	1,204	1,188
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(50,046)	(50,046)	(50,046)	(50,046)
Restricted stock awards settled		245		245
Ending Balance		(49,801)	(50,046)	(49,801)	(50,046)
Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		1,827,963	1,812,537	1,822,094	1,786,941
Convertible debt conversion feature					21,534
Restricted stock awards settled		(281)	(484)	(4,779)	(3,584)
Performance share units settled					(2,437)
Stock-based compensation		4,384	4,277	14,559	13,498
Other activity		(55)	24	137	402
Ending Balance		1,832,011	1,816,354	1,832,011	1,816,354
Accumulated Deficit
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(129,834)	(84,359)	(121,435)	(64,158)
Net income		10,645	13,352	25,465	29,281
Dividends declared		(18,372)	(18,087)	(55,034)	(54,217)
Adoption of new lease guidance						13,443
Ending Balance		(137,561)	(89,094)	(137,561)	(89,094)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		(582,959)	(544,919)	(616,696)	(656,517)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax		538	8,306	34,275	119,904
Ending Balance		$ (582,421)	$ (536,613)	$ (582,421)	$ (536,613)
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Shares issued during period (in shares)				1.5	1.2
Accounting Standards Update 2016-02
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adoption of new lease guidance						$ 13,400
Deferred gain on sale leaseback transaction				$ 13,600

Supplemental equity informati_4

Supplemental equity information - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 1,066,327	$ 1,134,400	$ 1,035,106	$ 1,017,395
Other comprehensive income, net of tax	538	8,306	34,275	119,904
Ending Balance	1,063,432	1,141,789	1,063,432	1,141,789
Retirement Plans
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			(929,170)	(1,000,790)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications			13,333	103,227
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss			32,148	34,629
Other comprehensive income, net of tax			45,481	137,856
Ending Balance	(883,689)	(862,934)	(883,689)	(862,934)
Foreign Currency Translation
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			312,474	344,273
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications			(11,206)	(17,952)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss			0	0
Other comprehensive income, net of tax			(11,206)	(17,952)
Ending Balance	301,268	326,321	301,268	326,321
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(582,959)	(544,919)	(616,696)	(656,517)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications			2,127	85,275
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss			32,148	34,629
Other comprehensive income, net of tax			34,275	119,904
Ending Balance	$ (582,421)	$ (536,613)	$ (582,421)	$ (536,613)

Supplemental equity informati_5

Supplemental equity information - Reclassifications Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Total reclassifications, net of tax	$ 10,678	$ 10,848	$ 32,148	$ 34,629
Net Prior Service Credit | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Total reclassifications, before tax	(1,294)	(1,308)	(3,958)	(2,113)
Actuarial Loss | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Total reclassifications, before tax	15,455	15,756	46,584	48,109
Retirement Plans | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Total reclassifications, before tax	14,161	14,448	42,626	45,996
Income tax effect	$ (3,483)	$ (3,600)	$ (10,478)	$ (11,367)

Fair value measurement - Narrat

Fair value measurement - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets held for sale	$ 23	$ 23.3
WordStream
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration	$ 1.3	$ 20	$ 9.5

Commitments, contingencies an_2

Commitments, contingencies and other matters (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019lawsuit
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Number of lawsuits	6

Earnings per share - Schedule o

Earnings per share - Schedule of EPS (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net income	$ 10,645	$ 13,352	$ 25,465	$ 29,281
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	114,615	113,047	114,529	112,916
Effect of dilutive securities
Effect of dilutive securities - Stock options (in shares)	3	68	11	78
Weighted average number of shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	118,232	116,271	117,660	116,113
Earnings per share – basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.12	$ 0.22	$ 0.26
Earnings per share – diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.11	$ 0.22	$ 0.25
Restricted stock units
Effect of dilutive securities
Effect of dilutive securities - RSUs and PSUs (in shares)	1,052	2,354	1,075	2,282
Performance share units
Effect of dilutive securities
Effect of dilutive securities - RSUs and PSUs (in shares)	2,562	802	2,045	837

Earnings per share - Narrative

Earnings per share - Narrative (Details) - $ / shares	Oct. 16, 2019	Jul. 23, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Common stock equivalents excluded from computation of diluted loss per share			91,000	180,000	465,000	900,000
Dividend declared per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16	$ 0.16
Subsequent Event
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dividend declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.16

Segment reporting - Narrative (

Segment reporting - Narrative (Details)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments	2
Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments	2

Segment reporting (Details)

Segment reporting (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 635,569	$ 711,714	$ 1,959,331	$ 2,165,433
Adjusted EBITDA	62,209	70,092	201,757	210,759
Operating Segments | Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	549,774	616,384	1,705,114	1,899,595
Adjusted EBITDA	68,964	72,739	241,011	244,855
Operating Segments | ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	101,132	109,566	296,879	306,489
Adjusted EBITDA	12,755	17,340	32,586	33,820
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	2,458	1,731	5,751	5,516
Adjusted EBITDA	(19,510)	(19,987)	(71,840)	(67,916)
Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	(17,795)	(15,967)	(48,413)	(46,167)
Advertising and marketing services
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	345,223	403,374	1,078,786	1,233,849
Advertising and marketing services | Operating Segments | Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	244,091	293,808	781,907	927,360
Advertising and marketing services | Operating Segments | ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	101,132	109,566	296,879	306,489
Advertising and marketing services | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Advertising and marketing services | Intersegment Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	(17,795)	(15,967)	(48,413)	(46,167)
Advertising and marketing services | Intersegment Eliminations | Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	17,795	15,967	48,413	46,167
Advertising and marketing services | Intersegment Eliminations | ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Circulation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	240,591	258,873	740,410	789,265
Circulation | Operating Segments | Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	240,591	258,873	740,410	789,265
Circulation | Operating Segments | ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Circulation | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	49,755	49,467	140,135	142,319
Other | Operating Segments | Publishing
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	47,297	47,736	134,384	136,803
Other | Operating Segments | ReachLocal
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	0	0	0	0
Other | Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 2,458	$ 1,731	$ 5,751	$ 5,516

Segment reporting - Reconciliat

Segment reporting - Reconciliation of EBITDA to Operating Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Net income		$ 10,645	$ 13,352	$ 25,465	$ 29,281
Provision for income taxes		2,796	2,848	11,943	2,620
Interest expense		6,739	7,135	20,583	17,548
Other non-operating items, net		5,393	(9,800)	14,527	(18,153)
Operating income (GAAP basis)		25,573	13,535	72,518	31,296
Depreciation and amortization		32,281	38,427	104,792	117,057
Gain on sale of property	$ (30,600)	(7,669)	0	(41,319)	0
Restructuring costs		2,540	11,535	30,270	33,445
Asset impairment charges		632	1,701	1,435	15,940
Other items (a)		8,852	4,894	34,061	13,021
Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP basis)		62,209	$ 70,092	201,757	$ 210,759
Costs incurred related to proxy contest				17,900
Costs incurred related to pending merger		$ 6,700		$ 7,400