Barrington Broadcasting reported net revenues of $27.4 million in the first quarter, up 3.2% from the same quarter a year ago. The increase was primarily due to increases in national revenues, which increased 12.4%, and local revenues, which climbed 1.9%.
Barrington's positive national advertising numbers run counter to what other broadcast groups are reporting.
Retransmission revenues increased $0.4 million, or 20.3%.
Barrington's broadcast cash flow for the quarter increased 5.8% to $9.3 million. The company called it "record" cash flow.
"The strength and momentum in national sales more than offset the decrease in political revenues from 2010," said K. James Yager, CEO of Barrington. "We continue to focus and remain committed to the company's three key priorities of re-engineering of our station-level operations, development of direct local sales strategies, and the growth of the stations' local digital platforms. Our focus on these areas contributed to record first quarter Broadcast Cash Flow results."
Barrington is owned and controlled by Pilot Group. Its stations include WNWO Toledo and WEYI-WBSF Flint/Saginaw.
