-----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,
 OC/Fo9tjXkXylPxJuYmoOiX1gJSsmaBspC4oDmOWYMEvUNCe7XvY2Cxpb4Chjies
 xShvxYxwY3kc75KNnKp+9Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001123292-03-000223.txt : 20030723
<SEC-HEADER>0001123292-03-000223.hdr.sgml : 20030723
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030723150359
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001123292-03-000223
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030721
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030723

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:			MCCORKINDALE DOUGLAS H
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001027152

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06961
		FILM NUMBER:		03798168

	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>
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<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000039899</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GANNETT CO INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GCI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001027152</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MCCORKINDALE DOUGLAS H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman, Pres and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>28.14</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-07-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-07-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</v
alue></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>28.14</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>28.14</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>28.14</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>77.28</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</v
alue></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-07-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-07-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>28.14</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Phantom Stock</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvol
ved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1913</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>77.28</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-01-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1913</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>99643.743</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conv
ersionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>19236</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-08-01</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>19236</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>19236</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmoun
ts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>19236</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-08-01</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><va
lue>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>19236</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>38472</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Upon vesting of the restricted stock units, the reporting person is entitled to receive cash equal to the value of the underlying common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote><footnote id="F2">These shares of phantom stock convert to common stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote><footnote id="F3">These shares of phantom stock are payable on various dates selected by the reporting person or as provided in the Issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F4">The restricted stock units vest in twelve equal month
ly installments, beginning on August 1, 2004.</footnote><footnote id="F5">The restricted stock units vest in twelve equal monthly installments, beginning on August 1, 2005.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Tom Chapple, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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