The Washington Post Co. on Friday announced its first-quarter profit of US$45.4 million, compared to a loss of $19.2 million in the same period last year, due to the slowdown of the print advertising slump and gains on cable TV and education businesses, mediabistro reported.

The magazine and newspaper businesses, however, did not perform well.

The magazine unit, now mainly made up of Newsweek, was down to $2 million from more than $20 million one year ago. Its newspaper division lost $13.8 million. Its revenue dropped 3 percent year over year to $155.8 million.

Most part of the revenue increase, or 11 percent for the company as a whole, were contributed by Kaplan and its television businesses, not publishing. The company now plans to reduce its traditional role as a publisher even further, according to the Associated Press article posted on Google.

It announced Wednesday to put Newsweek magazine, which has been its asset since 1961, up for sale.