<PAGE> 1
SCHEDULE 14A
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SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. )
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Gannett Co., Inc.
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<PAGE> 2
[LOGO]
March 19, 1999
Dear Shareholder:
On behalf of your Board of Directors and management, we cordially invite
you to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on Tuesday, May 4,
1999, at 10:00 a.m., at the Company's headquarters, 1100 Wilson Boulevard,
Arlington, Virginia.
At this meeting you will be asked to vote for the election of three
directors and for the election of PricewaterhouseCoopers as the Company's
independent auditors for 1999. These matters are discussed in detail in the
attached proxy statement.
Your Board of Directors believes these proposals are in the best interests
of the Company and its shareholders and recommends that you vote for them.
There also is one shareholder proposal that we understand will be presented
for consideration at the meeting. The shareholder proposal is discussed in the
attached proxy statement. Your Board believes this proposal is not in the best
interests of the Company and its shareholders and recommends that you vote
against it.
It is important that your shares be represented at the meeting whether or
not you plan to attend. Please note that this year you may vote your shares by
telephone or by using the enclosed proxy card. The toll-free telephone number
and instructions are shown on the enclosed proxy card. Alternatively, you can
vote by signing and dating the proxy card and returning it in the envelope
provided.
An admission ticket is required for attendance at the Annual Meeting.
Please see page 1 of the proxy statement for instructions about obtaining
tickets.
Thank you for your continued support.
Cordially,
/s/ John J. Curley /s/ Douglas H. McCorkindale
John J. Curley Douglas H. McCorkindale
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vice Chairman and President
1100 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22234 (703) 284-6000
<PAGE> 3
[LOGO]
------------------------
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON MAY 4, 1999
------------------------
To Our Shareholders:
The Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Gannett Co., Inc. will be held at the
Company's headquarters, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, at 10:00
a.m. on May 4, 1999 for the following purposes:
(1) to elect three directors;
(2) to act upon a proposal to elect PricewaterhouseCoopers as the
Company's independent auditors for the 1999 fiscal year;
(3) to consider a shareholder proposal; and
(4) to transact such other business, if any, as may properly come
before the meeting.
The Board of Directors has set the close of business on March 5, 1999 as
the record date to determine the shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote
at the meeting.
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE NEXT PAGE TO
VOTE USING THE TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER ON THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD OR BY
SIGNING AND DATING THE PROXY CARD AND RETURNING IT PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
RETURN ENVELOPE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU EXPECT TO ATTEND THE MEETING. YOU MAY REVOKE
YOUR PROXY AND VOTE IN PERSON IF YOU DECIDE TO ATTEND THE MEETING.
By Action of the Board of Directors
/s/ Thomas L. Chapple
Thomas L. Chapple
Secretary
Arlington, Virginia
March 19, 1999
<PAGE> 4
[LOGO]
PROXY STATEMENT
1999 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of
proxies by the Board of Directors of Gannett for the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders to be held on May 4, 1999.
The Board set March 5, 1999 as the record date. Shareholders of record on
that date may attend and vote at the Annual Meeting. On that date, there were
279,356,296 shares of Common Stock outstanding and entitled to vote. Each share
is entitled to one vote.
Admission to the meeting is by ticket only. We will provide each
shareholder with one admission ticket. Either you or your proxy are allowed to
use your ticket. If you are a shareholder of record and plan to attend the
meeting, please check the appropriate box on your proxy card, and return it in
the enclosed return envelope. If you vote by telephone, you can request a ticket
when you vote. If you hold shares through an intermediary, such as a bank or
broker, and you plan to attend the meeting, you will need to send a written
request for a ticket, along with proof of share ownership, such as a bank or
brokerage firm account statement or a letter from the broker, trustee, bank or
nominee holding your shares, confirming ownership, to: Secretary, Gannett Co.,
Inc., 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22234. Requests for admission tickets
will be processed in the order in which they are received and must be received
by no later than April 27, 1999. If you decide not to attend the meeting, please
return your ticket to the Secretary, Gannett Co., Inc. at the above address.
You may grant a proxy either by signing a proxy card or by telephone.
Shares represented by proxies will be voted as directed by the shareholder on
the proxy card or by telephone. Unless you direct otherwise, your shares will be
voted for the Board's nominees for director and for the election of auditors,
and against the shareholder proposal. If you deliver a proxy by mail or by
telephone, you have the right to revoke it in writing (by another proxy bearing
a later date), by phone (by another call at a later date), by attending the
meeting and voting in person, or by notifying the Company before the meeting
that you want to revoke it.
If you participate in the Company's Dividend Reinvestment or 401(k) Plans,
your Gannett stock in those plans can be voted on the proxy card accompanying
this Proxy Statement or by telephone. If no instructions are given by you,
shares held in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan will not be voted. All shares in
the 401(k) Plan for which no instructions are received will be voted by the
trustee of the 401(k) Plan in the same proportion as shares for which the
trustee receives instructions.
This Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card are being furnished to
shareholders on or about March 19, 1999.
<PAGE> 5
PROPOSAL 1--ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
YOUR BOARD
The Board of Directors is composed of 11 directors, but following the
retirements discussed below, its size will be reduced to 9 directors. The
By-laws of the Company provide that each director must own at least one thousand
shares of Gannett stock, and each director meets or exceeds this requirement.
The Board is divided into three classes, as equal in number as possible. At each
Annual Meeting of Shareholders, one class of directors is elected for a
three-year term. The Board of Directors held 8 meetings during 1998, and all of
the directors attended at least 75% of the total meetings of the Board and any
committee on which they served.
The Board of Directors conducts its business through meetings of the Board
and its committees. The Management Continuity Committee, the Executive
Compensation Committee, the Audit Committee and the Public Responsibility and
Personnel Practices Committee are four of those committees.
The Management Continuity Committee develops long-range management
succession plans and recommends to the Board candidates for nomination as
directors and for election as officers. In making recommendations for directors
for the 2000 Annual Meeting, the Committee will consider any written suggestions
of shareholders received by the Secretary of the Company by February 2, 2000.
The Committee members are Meredith A. Brokaw, Chair, John J. Curley, and Drew
Lewis. This Committee met 6 times during 1998.
The Executive Compensation Committee makes recommendations concerning the
compensation and benefits of elected officers and senior executives and
administers the Company's executive incentive plans. The Committee members are
Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr., Chair, Stuart T. K. Ho, and Karen Hastie Williams. None
of the members of the Committee is an employee of the Company. This Committee
met 6 times during 1998.
The Audit Committee reviews the Company's auditing practices and procedures
and recommends independent auditors to be elected by the shareholders. The Audit
Committee members are Stuart T. K. Ho, Chair, Drew Lewis, Josephine P. Louis,
Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr. and Karen Hastie Williams. None of the members of the
Committee is an employee of the Company. This Committee met 3 times during 1998.
The Public Responsibility and Personnel Practices Committee monitors the
Company's performance in meeting its obligations of fairness in internal and
external matters and under its equal employment opportunity programs. The
Committee's members are Josephine P. Louis, Chair, Meredith A. Brokaw and Peter
B. Clark. None of the members of the Committee is an employee of the Company.
This Committee met 2 times during 1998.
NOMINEES
The Board intends to nominate the three persons named below for election
this year. All three nominees are currently directors. If they are elected,
their term will run until the Annual Meeting in 2002 or until their successors
are elected. The Company's By-laws provide that a director must retire on or
before the annual meeting following his or her 70th birthday or, in the case of
directors who are also employees, his or her 65th birthday. Peter B. Clark and
Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr. reached age 70 last year and will retire from the Board
at this meeting. The Board elected Samuel J. Palmisano as a director for a term
beginning in November, 1998. He joined the class of directors whose term expires
at this Annual Meeting. The Board also elected H. Jesse Arnelle as a director on
March 1 of this year. He joined the class of directors whose term will expire at
next year's Annual Meeting.
The Board believes that all the nominees will be available and able to
serve as directors. If any nominee is unable to serve, the Board may do one of
three things. The Board may recommend a substitute nominee, reduce the number of
directors to eliminate the vacancy, or fill the vacancy later.
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<PAGE> 6
The shares represented by all valid proxies may be voted for the election of a
substitute if one is nominated.
The three nominees with the highest number of votes will be elected. If a
shareholder, present in person or by proxy, withholds a vote from one or more
directors, the shareholder's shares will not be counted in determining the votes
for those directors. If a shareholder holds shares in a broker's account and has
given specific voting instructions, the shares will be voted as the shareholder
directed. If no instructions are given, under New York Stock Exchange rules the
broker may decide how to vote on the Board nominees.
The principal occupations and business experience of the management
nominees and of the continuing directors are described below.
THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR ELECTION AT THE 1999 ANNUAL MEETING:
MEREDITH A. BROKAW
Mrs. Brokaw, 58, is the founder of Penny Whistle Toys, Inc., in New York
City, and is the author of children's books. She is a director of Conservation
International, Washington, D.C. and Women's First Health Care. She has been a
director of Gannett since 1983.
JOHN J. CURLEY
Mr. Curley, 60, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gannett. He was
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer from 1989 to 1997, President and
Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 1986 to 1989 and President and Chief
Operating Officer from 1984 to 1986. He has served the Company in various other
executive capacities since 1983 and has been a director since 1983.
SAMUEL J. PALMISANO
Mr. Palmisano, 47, is Senior Vice President and Group Executive for IBM
Global Services and serves on IBM's Corporate Executive Committee. He was Senior
Vice President and Group Executive for IBM's Personal Computer Company from 1997
to 1998. He held various other senior executive positions since 1994 with
responsibility for IBM's worldwide strategic outsourcing business. He has been a
director of Gannett since 1998.
THE FOLLOWING DIRECTORS ARE SERVING ON THE BOARD FOR A TERM THAT ENDS AT
THE 2000 ANNUAL MEETING:
H. JESSE ARNELLE
Mr. Arnelle, 65, is of counsel to Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice,
Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He was senior partner at the law firm of Arnelle,
Hastie, McGee, Willis & Greene from 1985 to 1995, and was of counsel to the firm
from 1995 to 1997. He is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of
Pennsylvania State University and is a director of FPL Group, Inc., Textron
Corporation, Eastman Chemical Co., Armstrong World Industries, Waste Management,
Inc. and Union Pacific Resources Group, Inc. He has been a director since March,
1999.
DREW LEWIS
Mr. Lewis, 67, is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Union
Pacific Corporation. He served as the United States Secretary of Transportation
from 1981 to 1983. He is a director of Union Pacific Resources Group Inc.,
American Express Company, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Lucent Technologies,
Millenium Bank, Aegis Communications, and the FPL Group, Inc. He has been a
director of Gannett since 1995.
KAREN HASTIE WILLIAMS
Ms. Williams, 54, is a Partner at the law firm of Crowell & Moring,
Washington, D.C. Ms. Williams is a director of Crestar Financial Services
Corporation, Continential Airlines, Inc., Fannie Mae, and Washington Gas Light
Company. She has been a director since 1997.
3
<PAGE> 7
THE FOLLOWING DIRECTORS ARE SERVING ON THE BOARD FOR A TERM THAT ENDS AT
THE 2001 ANNUAL MEETING:
STUART T.K. HO
Mr. Ho, 63, is Chairman of the Board and President of Capital Investment of
Hawaii, Inc. Mr. Ho is a director of Aloha Airgroup, Inc., Pacific Century
Financial Corporation, and Capital Investment of Hawaii, Inc. He is also a
Trustee of the College Retirement Equities Fund. He has been a director of the
Company since 1984.
JOSEPHINE P. LOUIS
Mrs. Louis, 68, is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eximious Inc.
and Eximious Ltd. She is a director of HDO Productions, Inc. and a trustee of
the Chicago Horticultural Society and the Chicago Historical Society. She has
been a director of Gannett since 1994.
DOUGLAS H. MCCORKINDALE
Mr. McCorkindale, 59, is Vice Chairman and President of Gannett. He was
Vice Chairman and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer from 1985 to 1997.
He has served the Company in various other executive capacities since 1971. He
is a director of Continental Airlines, Inc. and Frontier Corporation and a
director or trustee of a number of investment companies in the family of
Prudential Mutual Funds. He has been a director of Gannett since 1977.
SECURITIES OWNED BY GANNETT MANAGEMENT
The following table shows the number of shares of Gannett common stock
beneficially owned by all directors and by the five most highly compensated
executive officers. The table is correct as of March 5, 1999:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME OF OFFICER OR DIRECTOR TITLE SHARES OWNED
--------------------------- ----- ------------
<S> <C> <C>
John J. Curley......................... Chairman and CEO 1,661,493
Douglas H. McCorkindale................ Vice Chairman and President 1,323,080
Gary L. Watson......................... President/Newspaper Division 242,234
Cecil L. Walker........................ President/Broadcasting Division 114,618
Thomas Curley.......................... Senior Vice
President/Administration,
and President and Publisher,
USA TODAY 163,158
H. Jesse Arnelle....................... Director 1,000
Meredith A. Brokaw..................... Director 11,438
Peter B. Clark......................... Director 6,833
Stuart T.K. Ho......................... Director 18,012
Drew Lewis............................. Director 12,000
Josephine P. Louis..................... Director 116,130
Samuel J. Palmisano.................... Director 1,000
Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr................. Director 24,874
Karen H. Williams...................... Director 1,000
All directors and executive officers as
a group (39) persons including those
named above)......................... 4,866,832
</TABLE>
Each person listed owns less than 1% of Gannett's outstanding shares. All
directors and executive officers as a group beneficially owned 4,866,832 shares
on March 5, 1999. This represents 1.7% of the outstanding shares. The following
shares are included because they may be acquired under stock options by May 5,
1999: Mr. John J. Curley--1,220,000; Mr. McCorkindale--950,000; Mr.
Watson--188,970; Mr. Walker--72,145; Mr. Thomas Curley--116,810; all executive
officers as a group--3,398,405. For all shares owned, each director
4
<PAGE> 8
or executive officer possesses sole voting power and sole investment power,
except for Mr. Ho, who shares investment and voting power with respect to 2,000
shares held in trust.
Some shares have not been listed above because the director or executive
officer has disclaimed beneficial ownership. Ownership of the following shares
is disclaimed because they are held in the names of family members or in trust:
Mr. Clark--600; Mr. McCorkindale--874; Mr. Watson--24; all directors and
executive officers as a group--38,314.
Also included among the shares listed above are the following shares which
are held for individual deferred compensation accounts by The Northern Trust
Company, as Trustee of the Gannett 1987 Deferred Compensation Plan: Mr.
McCorkindale--10,202; Mr. Watson--14,070; Mr. Walker--13,942; Mr. Thomas
Curley--11,005; Mrs. Brokaw--9,438; Mr. Clark--1,233; Mr. Ho--15,448; Mr.
Reynolds--10,874; all directors and executive officers as a group--186,005.
The shares reported above do not include 1,242,254 shares owned on March 5,
1999 by the Gannett Retirement Plan Trust. The following officers of the Company
serve on the Benefit Plans Committee, which has the power to direct the voting
of those shares: John J. Curley, Douglas H. McCorkindale, Richard L. Clapp
(Senior Vice President, Human Resources), Larry F. Miller (Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer), and Gracia C. Martore (Treasurer and
Vice President/Investor Relations).
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS
The Company pays its directors an annual fee and meeting fees. The annual
fee is $45,000. Each director receives $1,500 for each Board meeting attended.
Each committee chair also receives an annual fee of $5,000 and each committee
member, including the chair, receives $1,000 for each committee meeting
attended. Directors who are also employees of the Company receive no director
fees. Directors may elect to defer their fees under the 1987 Deferred
Compensation Plan, which provides for eight investment options, including mutual
funds and a Gannett Common Stock fund.
In 1987, the Company established a Retirement Plan for Directors in which
non-employee members of the Board of Directors could participate. In 1996, the
Board terminated this Plan as to any new directors. The annual benefit under the
Plan is equal to a percentage of the director's highest annual compensation
during the ten years of service preceding the director's retirement from the
Board as follows: 10 years or more, 100%; nine years, 90%; eight years, 80%;
seven years, 70%; six years, 60%; five years, 50%; and less than five years, 0%.
The annual benefit will be paid each quarter for 10 years except for lump sum
payments in the event of death.
COMPENSATION OF GANNETT MANAGEMENT
The Executive Compensation Committee (the "Committee") of the Board of
Directors is responsible for Gannett's compensation and stock ownership programs
for executive officers. The Committee is composed entirely of independent
outside directors. The following is the Committee's report on its compensation
decisions in 1998:
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE
COMPENSATION POLICY: PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
The Executive Compensation Committee continues to place heavy emphasis on
the principle of pay for performance.
One important aspect of pay for performance is the Committee's continued
emphasis on long-term stock compensation, which is consistent with the
Committee's policy of tying the interests of
5
<PAGE> 9
the senior executives closely with those of the Company's shareholders and
creating a greater incentive for key executives to manage the Company so as to
increase shareholder value.
Stock compensation includes long-term awards under the 1978 Long-Term
Incentive Plan, payment of 25% of an executive's bonus in Gannett stock, and
minimum stock ownership guidelines for all executive officers.
THE ELEMENTS OF COMPENSATION AT GANNETT
The compensation program for executive officers is composed of three
elements: salaries, annual bonuses under the Company's Executive Incentive Plan,
and long-term stock awards under the 1978 Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan.
These elements of compensation are designed to provide incentives to
achieve both short-term and long-term objectives and to reward exceptional
performance. Salaries and bonuses result in immediate pay for performance, while
the value of stock awards depends upon long-term results. These elements of
compensation are discussed in detail below.
In 1992, the Committee adopted the following Compensation Policy, which
continues to guide the Committee in making its compensation decisions:
Compensation Policy
The Gannett Board of Directors' Executive Compensation Committee has in
place a compensation program which it believes to be fair to employees and
shareholders and externally competitive and reasonable.
The program is designed to attract, motivate, reward and retain the
broad-based management talent required to achieve corporate objectives and
increase shareholder value. It consists of cash compensation, including
salary and bonus, to reward short-term performance, and long-term stock
awards, including stock incentive rights and stock options, to promote
long-term results.
The Executive Compensation Committee believes that management should
benefit together with shareholders as the Company's stock increases in
value.
To encourage growth in shareholder value, stock options and, except for
certain officers and key executives, stock incentive rights are granted to
key management personnel who are in a position to make a substantial
contribution to the long-term success of the Company. These stock awards
mature and grow in value over time and for that reason represent
compensation which is attributable to service over a period of years. This
focuses attention on managing the Company from the perspective of an owner
with an equity stake in the business.
In making its compensation decisions, compensation comparisons are made
with companies Gannett's size and with companies in news, information and
communications. The Executive Compensation Committee reviews the Company's
and its competitors' earnings to determine where Gannett falls with regard
to the group. The comparison spans one to four years, the same length of
time as stock incentive rights and stock options vest. How the Company's
stock has performed over a similar period of time is also reviewed and
taken into account in the overall compensation plan.
A job grading system is used to make equitable grants. At the lower end of
the management grades, more emphasis is placed on cash and stock incentive
rights with the bonus target increasing through the grades. Options are
given in larger amounts at higher grade levels because these performers can
more directly influence long-term results.
6
<PAGE> 10
COMPENSATION DECISIONS IN 1998
In 1998, the Committee applied the Compensation Policy and continued to
emphasize the important link between the compensation of its executive officers
and the Company's performance relative to its business objectives and its
competitors' performance. The Company's material business objectives are
increasing shareholder value, performance against budget, product quality and
employee development.
In making its compensation decisions, the Committee considered the
Company's performance in the following areas: earnings per share, operating
income as a percentage of sales, return on assets, return on equity, operating
cash flow, stock price, and market value. In addition, the Committee considered
management's recommendations for individual compensation awards. The Committee
also compared the Company's performance to that of its competitors and concluded
that the Company's performance was superior. Companies with comparable revenues
or profits in other industries also were surveyed to ensure that executive
compensation was competitive in the overall marketplace. The Committee believes
that the Company should compensate its executives better than its competitors in
order to continue to attract and retain the most talented people. (References to
"competitors" are to the peer group companies named on page 11.)
While the Committee considered these individual and Company performance
factors in making individual compensation decisions, the Committee applied its
own subjective good judgment in making final determinations.
In 1998, the Committee continued to emphasize key executives' ownership of
Gannett common stock as a component of their compensation. The Committee
continued to oversee the executive share ownership guidelines for the five
highest-paid officers' ownership of Gannett common stock equal to three times
their salary range midpoint and other key executives' ownership of Gannett
common stock equal to their salary range midpoint. All of these officers and key
executives exceed these stock ownership guidelines, with the exception of
certain executives who became subject to these guidelines this year.
The Committee took into account the deductibility of compensation
expenditures under section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Committee
does not believe that rigid compliance with these tax law requirements is always
consistent with sound executive compensation practices intended to improve
shareholder value. $1,400,000 of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John J.
Curley's 1998 compensation and $334,375 of Vice Chairman and President Douglas
H. McCorkindale's 1998 compensation was non-deductible for income tax purposes
under Section 162(m). The Committee anticipates that future compensation of
certain key executives will include some amounts that likewise are not
deductible.
BASE SALARIES: TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN MANAGEMENT TALENT
Base salaries are designed to help attract and retain management talent.
They are derived in part from salary range guidelines developed for each
position in accordance with the Company's Compensation Policy.
The salary ranges are periodically reviewed and compared to the salaries
paid for comparable positions by the Company's competitors and with other
companies of comparable size in the media industry. Companies with comparable
revenues or profits in other industries are also surveyed to ensure that salary
ranges are competitive in the overall marketplace.
Other factors used to establish competitive salary ranges include internal
job values, as determined by senior management, and the state of the economy in
the Company's markets. The Company is both larger than its competitors and has
outperformed them. Those factors and general
7
<PAGE> 11
compensation practices in the media industry have led the Company to place its
management salaries above the median for the comparative companies.
In establishing salaries for executive officers, the Committee considered
the Company's performance, individual performance and experience, and the chief
executive officer's recommendations. The most important factor, however, was the
Committee members' judgments about the appropriate level of salary to motivate
and reward individual executives. The salaries for the five highest paid
officers of the Company, including the chief executive officer, are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME 1997 SALARY 1998 SALARY
---- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C>
John J. Curley................................ $900,000 $900,000
Douglas H. McCorkindale....................... $750,000 $800,000
Gary L. Watson................................ $500,000 $525,000
Cecil L. Walker............................... $415,000 $440,000
Thomas Curley................................. $375,000 $420,000
</TABLE>
Mr. Curley and Mr. McCorkindale have employment contracts, described more
fully on pp. 14 and 15, which provide for minimum salary levels but which had no
other impact on the Committee's deliberations.
EXECUTIVE INCENTIVE BONUS PLAN: TO MOTIVATE YEAR-TO-YEAR
Annual bonuses paid under the Executive Incentive Bonus Plan focus
performance, motivate executive officers and reward them for good performance.
The goal of the Executive Incentive Bonus Plan is to reward higher performing
operating units and individuals with a greater percentage of the total bonus
fund available. Bonus amounts can be and are quite volatile. Bonuses are
determined by an individual performance rating that is applied to a potential
bonus range established as a percentage of salary.
The bonuses for 1998 were determined on the basis of individual performance
in the areas of profit, product and people and, depending on the executive's
responsibilities, the performance of the executive's business unit and/or the
Company's overall performance. First, division performance was evaluated, and
the available bonus fund was allocated by division. Second, each operating
unit's performance was assessed, followed by individual performance evaluations
conducted by senior management. Individual bonus amounts then were determined.
The Committee's review of the bonuses was subjective, based on its knowledge of
the Company, its regular contact with the executives throughout the year and a
review of performance. No relative ranking of these various factors was applied.
In furtherance of the Committee's goal of increasing the stock ownership by
key executives, 25% of the bonuses for 1998 were paid to them in the form of
Gannett common stock. This continues a practice established in 1994. The pre-tax
value of the bonuses awarded to the five highest paid officers of the Company
are as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 BONUS 1998 BONUS
--------------------- -----------------------
NAME CASH GCI SHARES CASH GCI SHARES
---- -------- ---------- ---------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
John J. Curley................ $937,500 4,936 $1,125,000 5,763
Douglas H. McCorkindale....... $881,250 4,640 $1,068,000 5,475
Gary L. Watson................ $300,000 1,579 $ 356,250 1,825
Cecil L. Walker............... $262,500 1,382 $ 315,000 1,613
Thomas Curley................. $251,250 1,323 $ 300,000 1,536
</TABLE>
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<PAGE> 12
LONG-TERM STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN: TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM GROWTH
Long-term stock awards under the 1978 Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan
are based on the performance of Gannett common stock and are designed to align
the executives' interests with those of the Company's shareholders. They are
granted to key executives who are in a position to make a substantial
contribution to the long-term success of the Company, so as to promote the
long-term objectives of the Company. These stock awards may grow in value over
time and for that reason represent compensation which is attributed to service
over a period of years.
It is the Committee's view that executive officers should benefit together
with shareholders as the Company's stock increases in value. Stock awards
successfully focus executives' attention on managing the Company from the
perspective of an owner with an equity stake in the business.
In recent years, the Committee has used two kinds of long-term stock
awards: non-qualified stock options and stock incentive rights ("SIRs"). A
non-qualified stock option is the right to purchase shares of common stock of
the Company within a fixed period of time (eight years for grants through 1995
and ten years thereafter) at the fair market value on the date of grant. A stock
incentive right is the right to receive shares of common stock of the Company
conditioned on continued employment throughout a specified period (typically
four years). Stock incentive rights are not awarded to executive officers.
The Committee decides whether to grant individual long-term stock awards
and the amount of the awards. Long-term stock awards are based on the grade
level of the executive, after an annual examination of the competitive
marketplace. The Company evaluated the competitive marketplace by examining the
Company's competitors and by using a Towers Perrin Media Survey. As is the case
with annual bonuses, the Committee relies in large part on the recommendations
of senior management as to the appropriate level of individual awards to lower
level executives.
Long-term awards are not automatically awarded to each executive each year.
Awards are based on past and expected performance as subjectively evaluated by
management in making recommendations and by the Committee in approving them.
Executives who can more directly influence the overall performance of the
Company are the principal recipients of long-term awards.
The following chart shows the number of stock options awarded to the five
highest paid officers of the Company, including the chief executive officer:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997 1998
NAME OPTIONS OPTIONS
---- ------- -------
<S> <C> <C>
John J. Curley.......................................... 170,000 225,000
Douglas H. McCorkindale................................. 140,000 175,000
Gary L. Watson.......................................... 55,600 82,500
Cecil L. Walker......................................... 33,700 49,500
Thomas Curley........................................... 28,200 38,500
</TABLE>
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION:
As it does each year, the Committee thoroughly reviewed the compensation of
John J. Curley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and its
highest compensated officer. In determining Mr. Curley's compensation, the
Committee reviewed the performance of the Company and its earnings per share,
return on assets, return on equity, operating cash flow, operating income as a
percent of sales, stock price, and market value. For the 1998 fiscal year,
diluted earnings per share, excluding a net non-operating gain principally from
the sale of several businesses, increased 14%, from $2.58 to $2.86. Operating
income as a percent of sales increased from 27.8% to 28.2%. In addition, the
Company's stock price, excluding dividends, increased 4%, from $61.81 to $64.50.
The Company's peer group, consisting of the S&P Publishing/Newspaper Index and
the S&P Publishing
9
<PAGE> 13
Index, excluding dividends, increased 6% and the S&P 500 Index, excluding
dividends, increased 27%. Cumulatively, over the last five years, excluding
dividends, the Company's stock price increased 125%, the peer group increased
117% and the S&P 500 Index increased 164%. In 1998, the Company's total market
value increased from $17.55 billion to $18.0 billion. Each of these factors was
subjectively evaluated by the Committee members without giving particular weight
to any one or more factors.
The Committee concluded that 1998 was another year of record revenues and
earnings for the Company, and Mr. Curley's bonus and salary for 1998 reflected
these results.
To assess the competitiveness of Mr. Curley's compensation, the Committee
surveyed the compensation levels of chief executive officers of the Company's
competitors and of companies with revenues or profits comparable to that of the
Company. Mr. Curley's compensation was above the median for the chief executive
officers surveyed. The Committee decided that the level of Mr. Curley's
compensation is appropriate given the Company's size, its performance and the
industries in which it operates. As a general matter, media industry companies,
particularly broadcasting companies, tend to compensate executives at a higher
level than industrial or commercial enterprises. In particular, the Committee
noted that the Company's revenue is significantly larger than that of its
competitors and its net income and earnings per share set new records.
In recognition of Mr. Curley's superior performance and consistent with the
Committee's goal of increasing the ownership of Gannett Common Stock by key
officers as discussed above, the Committee awarded Mr. Curley 225,000 stock
options in December 1998. It is the Committee's view that the award of these
stock options is an effective way of continuing to tie Mr. Curley's financial
interests to that of the Company's shareholders, since the value of these stock
options is directly linked to increases in shareholder value. Unless the price
of the Company's stock increases, his stock options will be valueless.
In short, the Committee believes that the Company's performance, Mr.
Curley's performance, and the competitive market warrant the compensation
package approved for him.
Executive Compensation Committee
Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr., Chair
Stuart T.K. Ho
Karen Hastie Williams
10
<PAGE> 14
COMPARISON OF SHAREHOLDER RETURN
The following graph compares the performance of the Company's Common Stock
during the period December 31, 1993 to December 31, 1998 with the S&P 500 Index
and a "peer group" combining the companies on the S&P Publishing/Newspaper Index
(Dow Jones & Co., Inc., Gannett Co., Inc., Knight-Ridder, Inc., The New York
Times Company, Times Mirror Company, and Tribune Company) and on the S&P
Publishing Index (The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and Meredith Corporation).
The S&P 500 Index includes 500 U.S. companies in the industrial,
transportation, utilities and financial sectors and is weighted by market
capitalization. The S&P Publishing/Newspaper Index and the S&P Publishing Index
also are weighted by market capitalization.
The graph depicts the results of investing $100 in the Company's Common
Stock, the S&P 500 Index, and the peer group at closing prices on December 31,
1993. It assumes that dividends were reinvested quarterly with respect to the
Company's Common Stock, daily with respect to the S&P 500 Index and monthly with
respect to the S&P Publishing/Newspaper Index and the S&P Publishing Index.
[LINE GRAPH]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GANNETT CO., INC. S&P 500 INDEX PEER GROUP
----------------- ------------- ----------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Dec93 100.00 100.00 100.00
Dec94 95.49 101.32 93.98
Dec95 112.82 139.40 123.50
Dec96 140.41 171.40 150.52
Dec97 235.19 228.59 236.25
Dec98 248.42 293.91 253.81
</TABLE>
11
<PAGE> 15
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
The following table provides a summary of compensation paid to the CEO and
the four other most highly compensated executive officers of the Company for
services rendered to the Company over the past three fiscal years.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
LONG-
TERM
COMPEN-
SATION
ANNUAL COMPENSATION AWARDS(3)
-------------------------------------- ----------
OTHER
ANNUAL SECURITIES ALL OTHER
COMPEN- UNDERLYING COMPEN-
NAME AND SALARY BONUS(1) SATION(2) OPTIONS SATION(4)
PRINCIPAL POSITION YEAR ($) ($) ($) (#) ($)
------------------ ---- ------- --------- --------- ---------- ---------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
John J. Curley...................................... 1998 900,000 1,500,000 6,866 225,000 92,408
(Chairman and CEO) 1997 900,000 1,250,000 4,796 170,000 77,365
1996 800,000 950,000 4,207 280,000 75,203
Douglas H. McCorkindale............................. 1998 800,000 1,425,000 12,883 175,000 60,768
(Vice Chairman and President) 1997 750,000 1,175,000 11,924 140,000 43,141
1996 650,000 875,000 15,402 230,000 43,666
Gary L. Watson...................................... 1998 525,000 475,000 8,557 82,500 34,628
(President/Newspaper Division) 1997 500,000 400,000 6,298 55,600 26,494
1996 480,000 335,000 4,827 80,180 26,989
Cecil L. Walker..................................... 1998 440,000 420,000 4,800 49,500 35,973
(President/Broadcasting Division) 1997 415,000 350,000 4,200 33,700 23,339
1996 385,000 290,000 4,207 51,240 23,848
Thomas Curley(5).................................... 1998 420,000 400,000 5,455 38,500 23,886
(Senior Vice President/Administration and
President & Publisher USA TODAY) 1997 375,000 335,000 4,977 28,200 15,171
1996 350,000 280,000 4,632 42,320 16,282
</TABLE>
- ---------------
(1) Bonus awards may be in the form of cash, deferred cash or shares of Gannett
Common Stock. Bonuses to executive officers were paid 25% in Gannett Common
Stock and 75% in cash or deferred cash.
(2) This column includes amounts paid by the Company under the Medical
Reimbursement Plan and amounts paid in cash to reimburse the five named
officers for the tax impact of certain perquisites.
(3) Under the Company's 1978 Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan, stock awards in
the form of stock options, alternate appreciation rights, performance bonus
units, and option surrender rights may be granted to key management
personnel who are in a position to make a substantial contribution to the
long-term success of the Company.
(4) This column includes the annual premiums paid by the Company on life
insurance policies which are individually owned by the five named officers,
as follows: John J. Curley--$87,608; Mr. McCorkindale--$55,968; Mr.
Watson--$29,828; Mr. Walker--$31,173; and Thomas Curley--$19,086. The column
also includes a matching contribution of $4,800 in Gannett Common Stock
received by each of the five named officers under its 401(k) plan.
(5) John J. Curley and Thomas Curley are brothers.
12
<PAGE> 16
OPTION GRANT TABLE
OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
INDIVIDUAL GRANTS
---------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF
SECURITIES % OF TOTAL
UNDERLYING OPTIONS EXERCISE
OPTIONS GRANTED TO OR BASE
GRANTED EMPLOYEES PRICE EXPIRATION GRANT DATE
NAME (#) IN FISCAL YEAR ($/SH) DATE PRESENT VALUE ($)
---- ---------- -------------- -------- ---------- -----------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
John J. Curley................... 225,000 9.17% $65.00 12/8/08 $3,897,000
Douglas H. McCorkindale.......... 175,000 7.13% $65.00 12/8/08 $3,031,000
Gary L. Watson................... 82,500 3.36% $65.00 12/8/08 $1,428,900
Cecil L. Walker.................. 49,500 2.02% $65.00 12/8/08 $ 857,340
Thomas Curley.................... 38,500 1.57% $65.00 12/8/08 $ 666,820
</TABLE>
This table shows stock options awarded to the five named officers in 1998.
Stock options vest in 25% increments each year after the date of grant.
Accordingly, 25% of the stock options granted in the last fiscal year may be
exercised on December 8, 1999, 50% on December 8, 2000, 75% on December 8, 2001,
and 100% on December 8, 2002. For each stock option granted last year, an option
surrender right ("OSR") was granted in tandem. In the event of a change in
control of the Company, the holder of an OSR has the right to receive the
difference between the exercise price of the accompanying stock option and the
fair market value of the underlying stock at that time. Upon the exercise of an
OSR or a stock option, the accompanying stock option or OSR is automatically
cancelled.
"Grant Date Present Value" has been calculated using the Black-Scholes
model of option valuation. The assumptions used in calculating these values are:
a dividend yield of 1.69%, expected volatility of 20.62%, a risk-free interest
rate of 4.66% and a 7-year expected life. The calculated value of the options on
the grant date was determined to be $17.32 per option.
On December 27, 1998, 19,974,278 shares of Gannett common stock were
available for grants under the 1978 Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan. At that
time, there were 10,572,736 options outstanding with a weighted average exercise
price of $43.59. The expiration dates range from December 30, 1999 to December
8, 2008.
13
<PAGE> 17
STOCK OPTION TABLE
AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NUMBER OF SECURITIES VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
UNDERLYING UNEXERCISED IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
OPTIONS AT FY-END AT FY-END
SHARES (#) ($)
ACQUIRED ON VALUE --------------------------- ---------------------------
NAME EXERCISE(#) REALIZED($) EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE
---- ----------- ----------- ----------- ------------- ----------- -------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
John J. Curley....... 70,000 $3,533,812 1,220,000 555,000 $47,632,500 $8,192,187
Douglas H.
McCorkindale....... 60,000 $2,943,586 950,000 445,000 $36,875,625 $6,655,937
Gary L. Watson....... 42,000 $1,964,437 218,970 182,290 $ 7,922,044 $2,443,527
Cecil L. Walker...... 15,650 $ 574,312 81,145 111,095 $ 2,662,235 $1,512,320
Thomas Curley........ 24,000 $1,059,813 116,810 89,810 $ 4,259,136 $1,250,461
</TABLE>
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS, RETIREMENT AND CHANGE IN CONTROL ARRANGEMENTS
The Company has a Transitional Compensation Plan (the "Plan") which
provides certain payments to key executives of the Company and its subsidiaries
who are terminated without cause within two years after a change in control.
Participants who choose to leave their employment within 30 days after the first
anniversary of the change in control also qualify for payments under the Plan. A
participant entitled to compensation will receive (i) all payments and benefits
earned through the date of termination; (ii) a severance payment of two to three
years' salary and bonus compensation, depending on years of service; (iii) life
insurance and medical benefits for the same period; (iv) extra retirement plan
benefits as though employment had continued for such two-to-three-year period;
and (v) an amount that, after taxes, will equal the amount of any excise tax
imposed on the severance payment under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986. All executive officers included in the Compensation Tables are covered
by the Plan.
If there is a change in control of the Company, as defined in the
Transitional Compensation Plan, options become exercisable in full and stock
incentive rights become payable. In addition, the 1978 Executive Long-Term
Incentive Plan provides for option surrender rights to be granted in tandem with
stock options. In the event of a change in control, option surrender rights
permit the employee to receive a payment equal to the spread between the option
exercise price and the highest price paid for Company shares in connection with
the change in control. If option surrender rights are exercised, the related
options and performance units are cancelled.
The Company has a contract with John J. Curley that provides for his
employment as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, or in such other
senior executive position as is mutually agreed upon, until the earlier of
January 1, 2004 (his normal retirement date) or four years after notice of
termination of his contract. During his employment, Mr. Curley will receive an
annual salary of $800,000 or such greater amount as the Board of Directors
determines and an annual bonus if the Board of Directors decides to pay him one.
If Mr. Curley's employment is terminated by the Company without cause, he will
be entitled to receive his salary for the balance of the term, subject to
certain conditions. The contract also allows him to terminate his employment if
there has been a change in control of the Company, as defined in the contract.
If within two years after a change in control he terminates his employment or if
his employment is terminated by the Company without cause, he will be entitled
to: (i) continued payment of his salary and bonus; (ii) continued insurance and
similar benefits; (iii) a supplemental retirement benefit to make up the
difference between his actual payments under the Company's retirement plans and
the payments that would have been made under the plans if he had remained an
employee through the contract term; (iv) to the extent allowed under the 1978
Executive Long-Term Incentive Plan or other plans, he also will be entitled
immediately to exercise in full, or receive the value of, all stock options
under those plans; and (v) a
14
<PAGE> 18
"gross-up" payment for taxes payable by Mr. Curley as a result of all these
benefits. The post-employment benefits and payments described in this paragraph
are in addition to Mr. Curley's benefits under the Gannett Retirement Plan and
Gannett Supplemental Retirement Plan. The tax laws deny an income tax deduction
to a company for payments that are contingent upon a change in control if those
payments have a present value of more than three times the employee's average
annual compensation for the last five years and are made under an agreement like
the employment agreements described in this Proxy Statement. Further, if this
rule disallows an income tax deduction for any portion of these change in
control payments to Mr. Curley, the amount of the disallowance will increase the
portion of his annual compensation that would be nondeductible under section
162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Senior company executives, including Mr. Curley, are participants in the
Company's Transitional Compensation Plan described above. This plan provides
benefits in the event of a change in control comparable to those under Mr.
Curley's employment agreement. Mr. Curley's participation in that plan would
continue after his employment contract ends as long as he continues as an
employee of the Company.
The Company has a contract with Mr. McCorkindale that provides for his
employment as Vice Chairman and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer or in
such other senior executive position as is mutually agreed upon, until the
earlier of July 1, 2004 (his normal retirement date) or four years after notice
of termination. In August 1997, the Board elected Mr. McCorkindale to the office
of Vice Chairman and President of the Company. During his employment, Mr.
McCorkindale will receive an annual salary of $650,000 or such greater amount as
the Board of Directors shall determine and an annual bonus if the Board of
Directors so determines. If Mr. McCorkindale's employment is terminated without
cause, he will be entitled to receive his annual salary for the balance of the
term, subject to certain conditions. His contract also provides for arrangements
in the event of a change in control of the Company like those described above
for Mr. Curley. Mr. McCorkindale also is a participant in the Transitional
Compensation Plan.
PENSION PLANS
The Company's executive officers participate in the Gannett Retirement
Plan, a defined benefit pension plan which is qualified under Section 401 of the
Internal Revenue Code, and the Gannett Supplemental Retirement Plan, an
unfunded, nonqualified plan. The annual pension benefit under the plans, taken
together, is largely determined by the number of years of employment multiplied
by a percentage of the participant's final average earnings (during the
executive officer's five highest consecutive years). The Internal Revenue Code
places limitations on the amount of pension benefits that may be paid under
qualified plans. Any benefits payable above those limitations will be paid under
the Gannett Supplemental Retirement Plan.
15
<PAGE> 19
The table below may be used to calculate the approximate annual benefits
payable at retirement at age 65 under these two retirement plans to the
individuals named in the above Summary Compensation Table in specified
compensation and years-of-service classifications (subject to a reduction equal
to 50% of the Social Security Primary Insurance Amount payable).
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FINAL 15 YEARS 20 YEARS 25 YEARS 30 YEARS 35 YEARS
AVERAGE OF CREDITED OF CREDITED OF CREDITED OF CREDITED OF CREDITED
EARNINGS SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE
-------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
500,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 267,500 285,000
600,000 180,000 240,000 300,000 321,000 342,000
700,000 210,000 280,000 350,000 374,500 399,000
800,000 240,000 320,000 400,000 428,000 456,000
900,000 270,000 360,000 450,000 481,500 513,000
1,000,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 535,000 570,000
1,500,000 450,000 600,000 750,000 802,500 855,000
2,000,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 1,070,000 1,140,000
</TABLE>
Final Average Earnings includes salaries and bonuses shown on page 12. The
credited years of service as of the end of the last fiscal year for the five
executive officers named in the Compensation Tables are as follows: John J.
Curley--29, Mr. McCorkindale--27, Mr. Watson--29, Mr. Walker--26, and Thomas
Curley--26.
PROPOSAL 2--ELECTION OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The Company's independent auditors are PricewaterhouseCoopers, independent
accountants. At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders will vote on a proposal to
elect independent auditors for the Company's fiscal year ending December 26,
1999. The Audit Committee of the Board has recommended that
PricewaterhouseCoopers be re-elected as independent auditors for 1999. The Board
unanimously recommends that shareholders vote FOR this proposal. Proxies
solicited by the Board will be voted FOR PricewaterhouseCoopers unless otherwise
indicated.
Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers will be present at the Annual
Meeting to make a statement, if they wish, and to respond to appropriate
questions from shareholders.
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL AND OTHER MATTERS
The Company has received the following shareholder proposal. The Board of
Directors recommends a vote AGAINST the proposal, and your proxy will be so
voted unless you specify otherwise.
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by
proxy and entitled to vote on the proposal at the meeting will constitute
approval of the shareholder proposal. Proxies solicited by the Board of
Directors will be voted AGAINST proposal 3 unless otherwise indicated. If a
shareholder, present in person or by proxy, abstains from voting, the
shareholder's shares will not be voted. An abstention from voting has the same
legal effect as a vote "against" a proposal. If a shareholder holds shares in a
broker's account and has given specific voting instructions, the shares will be
voted in accordance with those instructions. If no voting instructions are
given, the shareholder's shares will not be voted with respect to the proposal
and will not be counted in determining the number of shares entitled to vote on
the proposal.
PROPOSAL 3--PERFORMANCE-BASED STOCK OPTIONS
The Communications Workers of America Pension Fund, 501 Third Street, N.W.,
Washington, DC 20001-2797, beneficial owner of 12,500 shares of Gannett Common
Stock, has notified the Company that it intends to present the following
proposal for consideration at the meeting.
16
<PAGE> 20
RESOLVED: That the shareholders of Gannett Co., Inc. urge the Board of
Directors to adopt an executive compensation policy that all future stock option
grants shall be performance-based. For the purposes of this resolution,
performance-based stock options are defined as either (1) stock options with the
exercise price indexed to an appropriate S&P 500 peer group index (such as the
index used in the Company's annual proxy statement); or (2) premium-priced stock
options, which set the exercise price of the option above the current market
value of the stock.
Statement by Shareholder in Support of the Resolution
Compensation policies for senior executives should provide challenging
performance objectives and serve to motivate executives to achieve long-term
shareholder value. However, stock options grants without performance-based
targets can often excessively compensate executives for stock increases due
solely to a general market rise, rather than improved or superior Company
performance. By tying stock option grants to performance goals -- such as
specific stock price targets or exceeding peer group indexes -- senior
executives of Gannett will be motivated to achieve superior performance, rather
than merely meeting the market average (which is what Gannett stock has done
over the five year period between 1992 and 1997).
The need for compensation tied to performance is particularly important at
Gannett because of the exorbitant stock option grants given to top executives.
For example, the Board agreed to give Mr. Curley options in December 1997 for
the purchase of 170,000 shares of Gannett stock. In the two prior years, Mr.
Curley was awarded options for the purchase of more than one-half million shares
of Gannett stock.
When the Board granted 170,000 stock options in December 1997, Mr. Curley
already had exercisable options to purchase more than one million shares that
were valued at more than $32 million, and unexercisable options for the purchase
of additional shares that were worth nearly $10 million.
Stock options are supposed to align the interests of management with those
of the stockholders. But when the options are numbered in the hundreds of
thousands, as here, a relatively small increase in the price of the stock could
permit Mr. Curley to reap millions or tens of millions of dollars, without
providing material benefits to the stockholders.
In response to shareholder concern about the lack of strong
performance-based forms of executive compensation, companies are increasingly
adopting stock option plans that require premium pricing or links to market
indexes. According to Executive Compensation Reports, about 16% of the biggest
U.S. businesses are granting options with attached performance targets, up
substantially from 7% in 1993. Recently, leading companies such as Masco,
DuPont, Monsanto, and Bank of America have adopted performance-based stock
option plans. Prominent compensation firms, including Pearl Meyer, have also
endorsed the concept.
In sum, we believe shareholders of Gannett would be best served if future
stock option grants are performanced-based, motivating senior executives to
achieve superior shareholder returns.
For the above reasons, we urge a vote FOR this resolution.
Statement By The Board of Directors Against the Resolution
Your Board of Directors believes that the Company's executive compensation
program is appropriate and that the changes recommended in the union proposal
are unnecessary.
The Company's executive compensation program, which consists of salary,
annual bonuses and long-term stock awards, including stock options, is
administered by non-management directors, who have structured it to place heavy
emphasis on the executive's performance. Note the detailed discussion beginning
on page 5 of this proxy statement.
17
<PAGE> 21
In 1996, this same stock option plan was approved by more than
three-fourths of the Company's shareholders voting at the meeting.
As the union admits, 84% of major U.S. businesses do not use the form of
stock options that the union urges on Gannett's shareholders. Market-priced
stock options, such as those in use at Gannett, have long been recognized by an
overwhelming majority of companies as providing the most appropriate form of
long term stock compensation in the interests of shareholders. Substantially all
of the Company's competitors grant market-priced stock options to their
executives. Therefore, to best position the Company to retain current
executives, and to attract new ones, we need to be able to offer market-priced
options so we can be competitive with our competitors' compensation packages.
The Company's financial performance speaks for itself. If an individual had
invested $100 in the Company's stock ten years ago (the term of a current stock
option), that investment would have been worth $460 in December, 1998 -- 22.8%
more today than a similar investment in the peer group index shown on page 11.
Thus, your Board believes that the changes outlined in this union proposal
are unnecessary and recommends that shareholders vote against it.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE AGAINST PROPOSAL 3, AND YOUR PROXY
WILL BE SO VOTED UNLESS YOU SPECIFY OTHERWISE.
As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board does not intend to
present any matter for action at the Annual Meeting other than as set forth in
the Notice of Annual Meeting. If any other matters properly come before the
meeting, it is intended that the holders of the proxies will act in accordance
with their best judgment.
To be eligible for inclusion in the proxy materials for the Company's 2000
Annual Meeting, shareholder proposals must be received at the Company's
principal executive offices by November 19, 1999. A shareholder who wishes to
present a proposal at the Company's 2000 Annual Meeting, but who does not
request that the Company solicit proxies for the proposal, must submit the
proposal to the Company's principal executive offices by February 2, 2000.
The cost of soliciting proxies will be borne by the Company. In addition to
the solicitation of proxies by mail, certain of the officers and employees of
the Company, without extra compensation, may solicit proxies personally, by
telephone or other means. The Company also will request brokerage houses,
nominees, custodians and fiduciaries to forward soliciting materials to the
beneficial owners of stock held of record and will reimburse them for forwarding
the materials. In addition, Georgeson & Company, Inc., New York, New York, has
been retained to aid in the solicitation of proxies at a fee of $15,000, plus
out of pocket expenses.
Copies of the 1998 Annual Report have been mailed to shareholders.
Additional copies may be obtained from the Secretary, Gannett Co., Inc., 1100
Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22234.
March 19, 1999
18
<PAGE> 22
P GANNETT CO., INC.
R THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
O ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS-MAY 6, 1997
X
Y
The undersigned hereby appoints John J. Curley and Douglas H.
McCorkindale or either of them, attorneys and proxies each with power of
substitution to represent the undersigned at the Annual Meeting of
Shareholders of the Company, to be held on May 6, 1997 and at any
adjournment or adjournments thereof, with all the power that the
undersigned would possess if personally present, and to vote all shares
of stock that the undersigned may be entitled to vote at said meeting, as
designated on the reverse, and in accordance with their best judgment in
connection with such other business as may come before the meeting.
Nominees for Directors: Drew Lewis, Thomas A. Reynolds, Jr. and
Dolores D. Wharton.
PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTES ON THE REVERSE SIDE. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSALS 1 AND 2. TO VOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS' RECOMMENDATIONS JUST SIGN THE REVERSE SIDE; NO BOXES
NEED TO BE CHECKED. UNLESS MARKED OTHERWISE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE BOARD OF THE DIRECTORS' RECOMMENDATIONS.
----------------
SEE REVERSE
SIDE
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<PAGE> 23
(continued form reverse side)
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE "FOR" PROPOSALS 1 AND 2.
1. ELECTION OF DIRECTORS: VOTE FOR all nominees except those I have
listed below: [ ]
VOTE WITHHELD from all nominees: [ ]
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. PROPOSAL TO ELECT Price Waterhouse as the Company's Auditors.
FOR AGAINST ABSTAIN
[ ] [ ] [ ]
THE PROXIES are authorized to vote in their discretion upon such other
business, if any, as may properly come before the meeting.
I plan to attend the meeting, and I request:
[ ] 1 ticket or [ ] 2 tickets
PLEASE SIGN EXACTLY AS NAME APPEARS HEREON. JOINT
OWNERS SHOULD EACH SIGN. WHEN SIGNING AS ATTORNEY,
EXECUTOR, ADMINISTRATOR, TRUSTEE OR GUARDIAN,
PLEASE GIVE FULL TITLE AS SUCH.
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SIGNATURE(S) DATE
