The report for Century, a cable television company, is among 109 annuals for 1997 "in and analyzed" by annual report expert Sid Cato. This is his 16th year of monitoring the world's annuals, using proprietary computer programs he conceived.

Since September 1983 Cato has published a monthly industry newsletter. The February issue is No. 174 of his Newsletter on Annual Reports. He wrote that "As far back as its 1992 report, Century Communications' honesty was decidedly wanting. As in: absent."

He said it was among the one in five or six early-arriving 1997 annuals he likewise perceived as "less than forthright." Theme of Century's ’97 book, he said, is "Delivering promise." Which, he observed, "has a special irony, somehow, in this context: Promises, yes. Honesty, no."

He said the company's letter to shareholders "contained nary a specific reference to dollar figures. Century waited until Pg. 16 to present 'selected financial data.' What's seen are widening losses—fourfold greater (worse) than in 1993. ($1.96) a share."