Goodwill and other intangible assets

9 Months Ended

Sep. 23, 2012

Goodwill and other intangible assets [Abstract]

Goodwill and other intangible assets

NOTE 4 – Goodwill and other intangible assets

The following table displays goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets, and amortizable intangible assets at September 23, 2012 and December 25, 2011.

(in thousands of dollars)	Sept. 23, 2012				Dec. 25, 2011
	Gross		Accumulated Amortization		Gross		Accumulated Amortization
Goodwill	$	2,943,641	$	—	$	2,864,885	$	—
Indefinite-lived intangibles:
Mastheads and trade names		95,348		—		93,163		—
Television station FCC licenses		255,304		—		255,304		—
Amortizable intangible assets:
Customer relationships		311,249		189,669		298,437		169,499
Other		50,668		23,338		43,624		18,834

Customer relationships, which include subscriber lists and advertiser relationships, are amortized on a straight-line basis over four to 25 years. Other intangibles primarily include developed technology, patents and amortizable trade names. These assets were assigned lives of between three and 21 years and are amortized on a straight-line basis.

The following table summarizes the changes in the Company’s net goodwill balance through September 23, 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		22,731			47,480			—		70,211
Foreign currency exchange rate changes		7,711			682			152		8,545
Total		30,442			48,162			152		78,756
Balance at Sept. 23, 2012
Goodwill		7,765,136			728,651			1,618,674		10,112,461
Accumulated impairment losses		(7,142,217	)		(26,603	)		—		(7,168,820	)
Net balance at Sept. 23, 2012	$	622,919		$	702,048		$	1,618,674	$	2,943,641