Winning On The Web The numbers tell a story of success for Cox Newspapers’ Internet presence. In 2005, the overall online audience increased by 10 percent and the registered user base by approximately 75 percent. Collectively, the 29 sites for Cox’s metro papers, community papers, Spanish language papers, and others generate nearly 8 million unique visitors and over 110 million page views monthly. These statistics demonstrate why digital media revenues have grown 37 percent over the past year. Newspaper sites also bring strategic value. Sites increase overall newspaper Net audience by about 10 percent, attract young adult readers and enable print newsrooms to compete more effectively in the breaking news business.

Supporting Diversity When the National Association of Black Journalists held its 30th annual convention in Atlanta in 2005, Cox showed its commitment to supporting future journalists. The company was the exclusive sponsor for the convention’s professional development program, which provided real-world experience for aspiring journalists. Cox journalists provided opportunities for students to assist in the production of a daily newspaper, radio and television broadcasts, as well as Internet products. All told, Cox provided more than $250,000 in monetary and in-kind donations and demonstrated its leadership in the education, recruitment and retention of diverse newsroom talent.

A Direct Hit on Hunger Valpak, a Cox Newspapers company, has long been known as an effective direct mail tool for advertisers, mailing 19.4 billion coupons in 528 million envelopes to 45 million homes in 2005. It is also an effective partner in the fight against hunger through its partnership with the National Association of Letter Carriers’ (NALC) annual “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign, the largest one-day food drive in the nation. With support from Valpak clients, the NALC and Valpak collected a record 71.3 million pounds of food in 2005. Valpak’s commitment to this cause has been honored as the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program by the Stevie Awards, which recognize great performances in the workplace. Look for Valpak to team with the NALC again in 2006 for another successful food drive.

Time To Open Up In an era when official secrecy is a growing public policy issue, Sunshine Week could not be a more timely endeavor. The weeklong effort in March 2005, spearheaded by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, turned the spotlight on the need for open government through thousands of stories, editorials, columns and cartoons about excessive government secrecy. Cox Newspapers presented hard-hitting coverage in creative ways, including a two-page spread in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that demonstrated stories it had been able to report using state open records laws. Cox Newspapers’ Washington Bureau Chief Andy Alexander, chairman of the American Society of Newspaper Editors’ Freedom of Information Committee, is helping lead the company’s continued commitment in 2006, when Sunshine Week highlights the industry’s push to revamp the federal Freedom of Information Act, among other issues.