Press Releases
Barrington Reports First Quarter Operating Results
May 5, 2008 — Hoffman Estates, IL
Barrington Broadcasting Group LLC (“Barrington”) announced today its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2008. Highlights are as follows:
- Gross revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 increased 2.8% to $31.3 million from $30.5 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2007. The increase was primarily due to an increase in political revenues which increased $1.4 million to $1.7 million. Local revenues increased 0.8%, or $0.1 million, to $19.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. National revenues decreased $0.8 million, or 8.5%, to $8.3 million.
- Net revenues (gross revenues less agency commissions and other direct costs) for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 increased 2.6% to $26.7 million from $26.0 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2007.
- Operating expenses for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, not including depreciation and amortization, increased 5.3%, or $1.1 million, to $21.4 million from $20.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2007 primarily as a result of expenses related to the consent solicitation with respect to Barrington’s 10 ˝% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014 which was completed during the quarter. Beginning in the second quarter of 2008, Barrington has initiated certain operating expense reductions, including a reduction in its workforce of approximately 8%. This reduction is expected to be completed during the second quarter and costs associated with the workforce reduction have not yet been determined and will be reported in the second quarter results.
- Broadcast Cash Flow (as defined herein) for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 increased 1.9% to $7.0 million from $6.9 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2007.
For more information regarding this financial information and a definition of Broadcast Cash Flow, see the attachments to this press release.
“As a result of weakness in the national economy, we have moved to utilize new technology and operating structures to drive more efficiency at each of our stations. We believe this will result in greater innovation and improved local programming quality, and these efficiency initiatives will allow us to operate with about 8% fewer employees than we have in the past,” said K. James Yager, Chief Executive Officer of Barrington Broadcasting. “Although we've seen progress in our new approach to converting local newspaper and yellow page advertisers to broadcast television, it has not been enough at this point to fully offset the weakness in national advertising and weak categories like automotive."
Tucker Acquisition
On April 1, 2008, Tucker Broadcasting of Traverse City (“Tucker”), an entity not affiliated with Barrington, completed its acquisition of the assets of television stations WGTU and WGTQ in Traverse City, Michigan. In connection with the acquisition, Tucker entered into a shared services agreement and joint sales agreement with Barrington and Barrington provided credit support of $7 million for Tucker’s debt obligations incurred in connection with the financing of the acquisition.
Conference Call
As previously announced, Barrington will host a conference call to discuss its first quarter results at 11:00 AM (EDT) on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. The dial-in information for the earnings call is as follows: 1-800-366-7640. A telephonic replay of the earnings call will be available beginning on May 6, 2008 at 1:00 PM (EDT) and remain available for 30 days. To access the replay, call 1-800-405-2236 (domestic callers) or 1-303-590-3000 (international callers) and enter access code 11113458#.
During the conference call, representatives of Barrington may discuss and answer one or more questions concerning Barrington's business and financial matters. The responses to these questions, as well as other matters discussed during the call, may contain information that has not been previously disclosed.
Quarterly Report
The information in this press release should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and footnotes contained in Barrington’s quarterly report for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 which will be posted on Barrington’s website (www.barringtontv.com) on May 13, 2008.
Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Broadcast Cash Flow, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA (each as defined in the attachments to this press release) are non-GAAP financial measures (i.e., they are not measures of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles) and should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for consolidated statements of operations and cash flow data prepared in accordance with GAAP. Broadcast Cash Flow, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, as used herein, are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. For definitions of and additional information regarding Broadcast Cash Flow, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of such measures to the most comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP, please see the attachments to this press release.
Broadcast Cash Flow, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are measures commonly used by financial analysts in evaluating performance of companies, including broadcast companies. Accordingly, Barrington believes that Broadcast Cash Flow, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA may be useful in assessing Barrington’s operating performance and its ability to meet its debt service requirements. Barrington also believes that these measures allow a standardized comparison between companies in the broadcast industry, while minimizing the differences from depreciation policies, financial leverage and tax strategies.
About Barrington
Barrington was formed in 2003 to acquire and operate television stations in smaller markets across the United States. Barrington currently owns, operates, or supports the operations of twenty three network affiliated television stations. Barrington is owned and controlled by Pilot Group, with management as its partner. Pilot Group is a non-traditional private investment firm founded in 2003 by a group of operating executives who actively help its management partners achieve their goals.
Forward Looking Statements
The statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to material risks and uncertainties. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Such factors include those risks described from time to time in Barrington’s quarterly reports and annual reports which are furnished pursuant to the Indenture dated as of August 11, 2006, by and among Barrington, Barrington Broadcasting Capital Corporation, the guarantors named therein and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as amended, and which are posted on Barrington’s website. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Barrington does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements in this press release or with respect to matters described herein. Barrington’s results for the quarter ended March 31, 2008 are subject to the completion of its quarterly report for such period.
For further information contact:
Warren Spector
Chief Financial Officer
Barrington Broadcasting Group LLC
Barrington Broadcasting Capital Corporation
847-884-1877
wspector@barringtontv.com