Gannett, which owns 23 stations across the country including WUSA in D.C. and KARE in Minneapolis, countered a significant drop in political advertising in the fourth quarter with an 11.3% increase in non-political revenues.

Gannett’s television revenues for the fourth quarter were $192.4 million, $27.9 million less than the $220.2 million brought in during the same period last year.

The company attributes its increase in non-political revenues to significant growth in auto advertising for the quarter.

Gannett also saw a 30.3% increase in retrans revenues, which totaled $21.4 million for the quarter.

“Based on current trends we expect the percentage increase in total television revenues for the first quarter of 2012 to be in the high single digits compared to the first quarter of 2011,” the company announced.