-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 BV9dtEmJfwoQWZ77dOk1tJ2eOJiet8+UxoKUBLLopdK7B/9fxDj3vj26N2aWmcJ/
 A1pUSg/E8vyR0ykq7IsoPw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001123292-03-000198.txt : 20030707
<SEC-HEADER>0001123292-03-000198.hdr.sgml : 20030704
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030707133004
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001123292-03-000198
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030702
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030707

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GANNETT CO INC /DE/
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000039899
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	NEWSPAPERS:  PUBLISHING OR PUBLISHING & PRINTING [2711]
		IRS NUMBER:				160442930
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7950 JONES BRANCH DRIVE
		CITY:			MCLEAN
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22107-0910
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7038546000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		7950 JONES BRANCH DRIVE
		CITY:			MCLEAN
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22107-0910

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ARNELLE JESSE
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001078578

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06961
		FILM NUMBER:		03776592

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		GANNETT CO INC
		STREET 2:		7950 JONES BRANCH DRIVE
		CITY:			MCLEAN
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22107
		BUSINESS PHONE:		703-854-6000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		GANNETT CO INC
		STREET 2:		7950 JONES BRANCH DRIVE
		CITY:			MCLEAN
		STATE:			VA
		ZIP:			22107
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-02</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000039899</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GANNETT CO INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GCI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001078578</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ARNELLE JESSE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1750</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>65.95</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2786</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDer
ivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1750</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>78.06</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1036</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Director Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>65.95</value></conversionOrExercis
ePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1750</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-05-07</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-05-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1750</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1750</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwne
rship><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The initial option for 3,500 shares vests in four equal annual installments beginning on May 7, 2002.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Todd A. Mayman, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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