LIN TV Corp. Q4 2007 Earnings Call Transcript

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2008-03-11 05:30:10.0

Tags: LIN TV Corp.

Question-and-Answer Session

Operator

(Operator Instructions) We’ll go to Victor Miller - Bear Stearns.

Victor Miller - Bear Stearns

Scott, in terms of the auto, obviously you said for the year it was down, fourth quarter was up, first quarter is trending a little on the sluggish side it seems; Vince said so. What is the overall trend line there? It still sounds like it’s a drag, and it’s 20% of your revenue.

Secondly, in terms of C3, seeing the networks down probably 15% plus. Through the broadcast season Fox is actually up, probably mid single-digits in terms of C2 versus live program ratings. What are you seeing in terms of, as you’re getting into the numbers now at your local stations, what’s the impact of C3 there, and what are you seeing specifically on younger demographic trends?

Are you starting to see some of that winnow away from gaming and other -- and the Internet and things like that in that particular demo, and then one follow-up.

Scott Blumenthal

On the automotive question, yes, it is a little bit sluggish as far as the year. We did finish 5% up in fourth quarter for automotive. Of that, quite frankly, 13% domestic was up; foreign was down 10%. But local dealers were up 15%.

And I bring that up because I think we’re going to see a little bit of that same trend going on this year. As you’re probably well aware, General Motors is now getting out of the selection of the regional agencies, which gives our stations the opportunities to work more directly with the dealer groups and do things that are in the best interest of the markets that they are talking about specifically, rather than national average.

So, is it a little sluggish as the year starts? Yes. But we see opportunities, particularly in the second half as these agencies settle down with the dealer groups around the country? I think the answer to that is yes also, so that we’re going to be able to see, not dramatic, but at least low single-digit growth in the automotive marketplace.

As far as the C3 is concerned, at this level, I will tell you it’s more of a national number than it is local. Most of the local markets are not looking at C3 numbers. The youth market, it’s hard to say because Fox has skewed it so heavily at the beginning of the year.

 

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