Here are some highlights from last week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Aflac Inc. (NYSE: AFL) reported strong Q3 results, declared a dividend, and offered guidance for Q4.
• Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP) Q3 earnings slumped and revenue was hurt by currency translations.
• BP (NYSE: BP) shares leaped higher after it reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings.
• Daimler AG (NYSE: DAI) reported that it returned to profitability in Q3 but warned of decreasing revenue.
• General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD) Q3 earnings beat expectations and it lifted its earnings outlook.
• Hershey Co. (NYSE: HSY) posted strong Q3 earnings and expects full-year earnings ahead of forecasts.

The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) published data for the third quarter earlier today. Can't say I was mightily impressed by the numbers. Sure, there was a profit increase, but the top line wasn't exciting, and the newspaper division, as you might have expected, experienced a sharp decline in sales.

Net revenues rose 2%. Earnings per share came in at $1.81. That was sharply higher than the $1.08 per share recorded in the comparable period. Yet, I think you have to be careful in terms of reading too much positive spin into the growth rate.

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Bidz.com Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDZ) Q4 earnings release included notice about an SEC investigation.
• Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) saw net income drop by almost 50%, falling short of estimates.
• Ducommun Inc. (NYSE: DCO) received an analyst's downgrade after its Q4 earnings release.
• Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) said Q4 earnings fell due to weakness at Gap and Old Navy stores.
• General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) worse-than-expected results prompted speculation about its survival.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected the parade of earnings declines to continue into the final week of February, with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. (NYSE: MSO), Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD), Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN), Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M), DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. (NYSE: DWA), Limited Brands Inc. (NYSE: LTD), Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), Royal Bank Of Canada (NYSE: RY), Del Monte Foods Co. (NASDAQ: DLM), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO), Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL), Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB), RadioShack Corp. (NYSE: RSH), and H.J. Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ) all expected to post lower earnings for the most recent quarter. Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP), Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS), and Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: CTB) are expect to have swung to a loss.

This post is part of a feature on companies and products that our bloggers think are in need of a makeover. See all 26.

Every Sunday like clockwork. I put my copy of the Sunday edition of the New York Times (NYSE: NYT) in front of me at the breakfast table hoping to bask in the gray lady's take on the week's events. Then, the interruptions start. My 2-year-old son wants me to read him a book. Household chores need to be done. Groceries need to be bought, and soon the day has slipped into afternoon football time. The newspaper lies on the kitchen table, waiting to be world.

What my family's weekend routine underscores is that newspaper publishers have not kept up with modern life. The notion of a lazy Sunday afternoon seems quaint to me at times, laughable at others. The woes of newspaper publishers have been repeated endlessly. Circulation is declining. Advertising is plunging. Newsroom budgets are being slashed. Many veteran reporters and editors are counting the days until retirement.

But even though the world has changed, the Sunday newspaper has basically remained the same. Publishers continue to view this as their showcase edition. They publish the best stories by the best writers. Many of these features are long because newspapers figure -- wrongly is my view -- that people have the time to read them. These lengthy opuses win journalism awards and may lead to changes in government policy. Think of the Washington Post's (NYSE: WPO) expose on the horrendous conditions at Walter Reed Army hospital or the Times' scoop on warrantless wiretaps. These pieces, though, are the exceptions. Many stories in Sunday papers -- or in their daily counterparts as well -- are simply too long.

The one last hope failing newspapers could hold onto is that the online versions of their products would grow enough to offset falling print profits. The most recent earnings from the largest chains have raised the question of whether that is possible. Results from The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) have diminished the dream even further.

The numbers for the company's flagship paper, The Washington Post, were remarkably poor. According to The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), "Print ad revenue at the paper declined 22% to $99.8 million in the quarter, compared with an 11% decline in the first quarter." One of the nation's most respected newspapers is simply falling apart.

Online growth at the Post was anemic. It increased only 4% to $29.3 million, not nearly enough to have any meaningful impact on earnings.

The question keeps coming up about what newspapers can do. The stock prices of several of the chains are down over 80% during the last year. Many of these companies have large debt loads.

The only realistic solution may be that editorial staffs will have to be cut by 50% or more. Papers may decide to put out 8 to 16 page news summaries each day in the place of their current products. These smaller papers would point users to their internet sites to get full stories and complete coverage. It would save substantial money on paper and distribution, and it just might force large numbers of readers to web editions. At least that would give the companies a chance, something they do not have now.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

So the earnings crunch continues, and here's a look at some companies scheduled to report results this week that are anticipated to be big winners and losers in terms of earnings growth.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expect the following to report strong earnings growth when compared to the same period of the previous year.

• Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA): $4.10 EPS (+53.9%) on revenue of $3.8 billion (+54.6%)
• EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG): $2.34 EPS (+50.0%) on revenue of $1.7 billion (+62.2%)
• Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP): $0.47 EPS (+44.7%) on revenue of $2.6 billion (+11.5%)
• Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (NYSE: GT): $0.62 EPS (+43.5%) on revenue of $5.3 billion (+7.0%)
• Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES): $2.76 EPS (+38.4%) on revenue of $8.3 billion (+14.6%)
• Murphy Oil Corp. (NYSE: MUR): $2.19 EPS (+35.2%) on revenue of $7.8 billion (+126.2%)
• Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL): $2.08 EPS (+34.6%) on revenue of $1.0 billion (+40.1%)
• U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE: X): $3.91 EPS (+32.0%) on revenue of $5.9 billion (+39.6%)
• Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW): $0.49 EPS (+30.6%) on revenue of $1.7 billion (+21.3%)
• Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM): $2.52 EPS (+27.4%) on revenue of $144.4 billion (+46.8%)

Clearly expectations are high for oil and energy. Other companies expected to report double-digit earnings growth include Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX), CVS Caremark Corp. (NYSE: CVS), NYSE Euronext Inc. (NYSE: NYX), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), and Aetna Inc. (NYSE: AET).

Here are a few highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Amkor Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: AMKR) easily beat estimates and raised its guidance.
• Crocs Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX) posted solid fourth-quarter results on strong overseas sales.
• DealerTrack Holdings (NASDAQ: TRAK) fourth-quarter revenue rose, but the credit crunch hurt results.
• Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN) fourth-quarter earnings soared on strong holiday sales.
• Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: GILT) posted strong quarterly and full-year results.
• HJ Heinz Co. (NYSE: HNZ) raised its guidance productivity gains and favorable exchange rates.
• JAKKS Pacific Inc. (NASDAQ: JAKK) posted solid results, lifted by Hannah Montana and Disney toys.
• Marvel Entertaiment Inc. (NYSE: MVL) earnings doubled despite investment in films not yet released.
• Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM) swung to a fourth-quarter loss despite rising gold prices.
• Safeway Stores Inc. (NYSE: SWY) met fourth-quarter earnings estimates, ending its best year since 2001.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) posted its first $100 billion quarter but lowered its forecast.

Also, Jim Cramer sees Hewlett-Packard as a market bellwether, and Ted Allrich looks at some other bellwether stocks. Sheldon Liber gets a sense of deja vu from Exxon Mobil's (NYSE: XOM) big profits and its tussle with Chavez.

Upcoming results to watch for include Nordstom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M), Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO), Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL), Sprint-Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S), and Sears Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHLD).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

It seems that every couple months there are new buyout rumors regarding the fast-growing social media site, Digg. And, yes, the rumors are buzzing again. The culprit this time is the Valleywag blog.

Of course, the suitors include old media stalwarts that – yet again – can't seem to shoot straight in the new media world. They would include such companies as the New York Times (NYSE: NYT) or the Washington Post (NYSE: WPO).

Oh, and the price tag for the deal is $300 million to $400 million. But, hey, in light of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)'s investment in Facebook, this seems cheap-o.

Ironically enough, Digg recently signed a $100 million ad deal with Mr. Softy. In other words, it seems like Microsoft may be to blame for the craziness in the social media world, huh? And, as a result, it may be making it very expensive for old media companies to buy into the space.

Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook and The Edgar Online Guide to Decoding Financial Statements. He also operates DealProfiles.com.