Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), The Washington Post Company (WPO): Will Bezos Transform the Newspaper Business?

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While those two publications represent only a small part of Gannett’s massive worldwide operations, the company’s USA Today is an example of a paper that appeals to today’s visually-oriented readers. New CEO Larry Kramer is working to ramp up the company’s digital operations in order to maximize ad revenue.

As a company, Gannett’s efforts are paying off. Local domestic circulation was up (11%) for the fifth quarter in a row and the company’s digital revenue is up 20%, reaching almost 30% of the company’s total revenue. Gannett owns local newspapers and TV stations across the country, as well as websites like CareerBuilder, Metromix, and ShopLocal. Gannett’s strategy to provide specialized information that will bring readers to its websites and newspapers has helped it stand out.

Having Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) under his belt is no guarantee Bezos will be able to turn The Washington Post Company (NYSE:WPO) into a huge success. However, the changes he makes may pave the way for other newspapers to follow. Bezos has a lot of work to catch up with Gannett, who still remains the best newspaper choice for investor dollars.

Stephanie Faris has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com.

The article Will Bezos Transform the Newspaper Business? originally appeared on Fool.com.

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