Earnings | Signs of hope in Wednesday's report?

The company reports fourth-quarter financial results on Wednesday morning, amid glimmers of growth in advertising sales that emerged toward the end of last year.

Media stock analysts are forecasting revenue of $653 million, down from $772 million in the comparable quarter of 2008, according to the Associated Press' run-up to the quarterly report. Earnings are expected to be 38 cents per share, double the 19 cents in the prior year. That follows $475 million in expense reductions, the news service says. What to watch for, according to the A.P.: "Signs of hope or more misery in a bleak advertising market that has tormented newspapers for the past three years."

CEO Janet Robinson (left) and other top executives are set to host a conference call with analysts at 11 a.m. ET Wednesday, following release of the earnings report before the stock market opens at 9:30 a.m. The call is open to the public, and will be webcast off Corporate's website, here.

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