Goodwill and other intangible assets (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 25, 2012

Goodwill, Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets, and Amortizable Intangible Assets

The following table displays goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets, and amortizable intangible assets at March 25, 2012 and December 25, 2011.

(in thousands of dollars)

	Mar. 25, 2012				Dec. 25, 2011
	Gross		Accumulated Amortization		Gross		Accumulated Amortization
Goodwill	$	2,875,651	$	—	$	2,864,885	$	—
Indefinite-lived intangibles:
Mastheads and trade names		93,333		—		93,163		—
Television station FCC licenses		255,304		—		255,304		—
Amortizable intangible assets:
Customer relationships		303,348		176,499		298,437		169,499
Other		44,059		20,332		43,624		18,834

Summary of the Change in Net Goodwill

The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s net goodwill balance through March 25, 2012.

(in thousands of dollars)

	Publishing			Digital			Broadcasting		Total
Balance at Dec. 25, 2011
Goodwill	$	7,643,255		$	680,489		$	1,618,522	$	9,942,266
Accumulated impairment losses		(7,050,778	)		(26,603	)		—		(7,077,381	)
Net balance at Dec. 25, 2011		592,477			653,886			1,618,522		2,864,885
Activity during the period
Acquisitions and adjustments		3,855			12			—		3,867
Foreign currency exchange rate changes		3,399			3,423			77		6,899
Total		7,254			3,435			77		10,766
Balance at Mar. 25, 2012
Goodwill		7,690,816			683,924			1,618,599		9,993,339
Accumulated impairment losses		(7,091,085	)		(26,603	)		—		(7,117,688	)
Net balance at Mar. 25, 2012	$	599,731		$	657,321		$	1,618,599	$	2,875,651