BUSINESS MEMO: GANNETT SELLING DIVISION

Gannett, which publishes USA Today and 91 other daily newspapers, is selling its outdoor advertising division to Outdoor Systems Inc. of Phoenix for about $690 million.

The sale of the Outdoor Division provides an opportunity for Gannett to focus its attention on its core businesses, said Gannett chairman John J. Curley.

Gannett, based in Arlington, Va., said it would use the proceeds to pay down debt incurred last year when Gannett merged with Multimedia Inc., a publishing and broadcasting company. That deal cost Gannett $1.7 billion.

Multimedia, now a wholly owned subsidiary, produces such talk shows as Sally Jessy Raphael and Rush Limbaugh and owns television and radio stations and cable systems.

The deal cannot close until regulatory approvals are obtained.