Three major newspaper companies, including Media General, E.W. Scripps Co., and The New York Times Co. have recently [reported](http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/earnings/2008-01-31-ny-times_N.htm?csp=34) disappointing fourth quarter revenues. The culprit, executives say, is sagging classified ad sales resulting from the country’s economic slowdown. Media giant Gannett Company also reported weak profits stemming from disappointing advertising sales, both in print and broadcasting form.
However, there is a silver lining as some newspapers are seeing an increase in online advertising revenues even as print media fails to meet expectations. [Scripps](http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-earnings-scripps-q4-revenues-flat-income-down-8-percent/), for example, saw a “modest” 6.6 percent boost in online ad sales.
