It closes on the $230 million sale of the digital audio/podcast company to iHeartMedia.
The veteran journalist and media executive will serve as Scripps Washington deputy bureau chief and executive producer of investigations.
TVN Focus On Digital | Facebook Remains TV Stations’ Most Important Social Platform
Facebook overwhelmingly is the most important social media platform for TV stations, say executives for CBS stations, E.W. Scripps, Nexstar, NBCU stations, Fox stations and Meredith. Broadcasters’ relationship with the platform once widely viewed as a “frenemy” continues to evolve, though the opacity of its all-important algorithm still frustrates. Note: This story is available to TVNewsCheck Premium members only. If you would like to upgrade your free TVNewsCheck membership to Premium now, you can visit your Member Home Page, available when you log in at the very top right corner of the site or in the Stay Connected Box that appears in the right column of virtually every page on the site. If you don’t see Member Home, you will need to click Log In or Subscribe.
TVN Executive Session | Scripps’ National Networks See The Future In ‘Self-Bundling’
Lisa Knutson, president of E.W. Scripps’ national networks, says the company is targeting cord-cutting viewers who are pairing a handful of paid streaming subscriptions with free over-the-air options and “assembling their own TV packages.” Note: This story is available to TVNewsCheck Premium members only. If you would like to upgrade your free TVNewsCheck membership to Premium now, you can visit your Member Home Page, available when you log in at the very top right corner of the site or in the Stay Connected Box that appears in the right column of virtually every page on the site. If you don’t see Member Home, you will need to click Log In or Subscribe.
When Mona Morrow joined the Scripps Cincinnati flagship WCPO in 2000 to run community affairs, she brought a simple idea with her — an idea that was way ahead of its time but two decades later is finally gaining widespread support as an important tool for local newsrooms — a community advisory board.
After six years leading E.W. Scripps’ millennial-targeted news network, Blake Sabatinelli has left the company. He’ll be replaced by a yet-unnamed head of network news to oversee both Newsy and Court TV for Scripps.
Exclusives
The E.W. Scripps Co., which acquired Ion Media in part for the broadcast spectrum controlled by Ion, said it plans to take its digital multicast networks over-the-top to cash in on the streaming gold rush. “We don’t really see it as being an either-or sort of proposition for consumers,” said Scripps CEO Adam Symson during an investor day presentation to analysts Wednesday.
Hidden Bias of Good People to run commercial-free on 61 Scripps stations in 41 markets beginning March 8. In addition, the stations are producing multiplatform content to aid viewers in engaging with the topic plus Facebook Live discussions and Zoom Q&As with local experts.
The Doozy and Defy TV multicast reality networks will launch on July 1. Doozy targets women 25-54 and Defy TV aims for men 25-54.
TVN Focus On Journalism | Local TV Embracing Data Journalism
Data-driven reporting and storytelling is on the rise at station groups including ABC, NBC, E.W. Scripps and Tegna, where ever-more sophisticated visualizations and interactive digital projects are helping viewers better navigate — and make more sense of — complex information. Note: This story is available to TVNewsCheck Premium members only. If you would like to upgrade your free TVNewsCheck membership to Premium now, you can visit your Member Home Page, available when you log in at the very top right corner of the site or in the Stay Connected Box that appears in the right column of virtually every page on the site. If you don’t see Member Home, you will need to click Log In or Subscribe.
Richard Steiner joins Scripps after more than 20 years in key positions with WarnerMedia/Turner Broadcasting, where he created and led dozens of nationally recognized products.
Scripps: Core Rebound Better Than Expected
Brian Lawlor, president of local media, said: “Core advertising began to turn around almost immediately after Election Day. “In addition, sports betting has emerged as a material contributor to our travel and leisure category.”
Scripps 4Q Station Revenue Up 43%
The increase to $473 million was driven by political advertising and retransmission consent revenue which helped offset core advertising losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The long-time executive will step down as chairman and retire from the board when his term expires on May 3. Kim Williams will become chair of the board, effective the same date.
The $230 million sale of the audio tech/services provider follows Scripps’ sale of its Stitcher podcast company last October.
“The global pandemic, the focus on racial justice and the intense partisanship of 2020 called on us to work harder and smarter than ever, and today we celebrate a few of the many Scripps employees across the country who rose to the occasion,” says Adam Symson, Scripps’ president.
The group recruits Jodi Chisarick from 20th Television for day-to day oversight of the national general market ad sales teams
E.W. Scripps Co. and its CEO Adam Symson are taking National News Literacy Week seriously. The company’s local local and national outlets are running public service announcements that aim to fight back fake news by urging viewers to be well informed by raising their news literacy fitness.
He will be responsible for the planning and execution of all linear and nonlinear multiplatform research related to the brands, content, marketing, distribution and advertising sales of Scripps’ national networks.
Scripps will continue to operate the Ion Television network on its 48 Ion stations’ primary channels but will cease operations of the Ion multicast networks Ion Plus, Qubo and Shop Ion, effective Feb. 28.
Scripps and the News Literacy Project launch a creative campaign ahead of the second annual National News Literacy Week, Jan. 25-29.
Scripps says the transaction provides about 60% accretion in free cash flow per share. It gives it a portfolio of 60 stations in 41 markets.
Scripps purchased WPIX as part of its acquisition of eight television stations in seven markets from Nexstar. Those stations were being divested in connection with Nexstar Media Group’s acquisition of Tribune Media in September 2019. Scripps granted Nexstar the option to buy back WPIX. The option expired at the end of 2021. Nexstar assigned its option to Mission Broadcasting, and Mission exercised the option.
TVN Focus On Journalism | Collaboration Lessons For A Post-Pandemic World
Newsrooms see a “better normal” in terms of collaboration on the other side of COVID-19. Leaders from E.W. Scripps, Tegna, Fox Owned Stations and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism says remote pandemic projects between universities, stations and even different station groups have revealed new efficiencies in communication and technological fluency that will carry forward.
Here are the complete videos and story links for TVNewsCheck’s NewsTECHForum, featuring a keynote interview with veteran news producer David Bohrman and news and technology leaders from ABC News, Hearst, Tegna, NBCU Owned Television Stations, CBS Owned Stations, ABC Owned Stations, Gray Television, Graham Media, Sinclair, E.W. Scripps, Meredith, BBC, AJ+ and more.
NTF 2020 | TV Reporters Grapple With Heightened Hostility On Social
Social media experts at newsrooms including those of Gray, Fox, Graham and Scripps stations and national outlet Newsy says viewers have ramped up aggressive attacks on their social posts this year. At TVNewsCheck’s NewsTECHForum on Dec. 18, they said a more polarized audience has heightened their need to be more circumspect on social and to diffuse often hostile salvos they receive.
NTF 2020 | Broadcasters Hold Firm On Remote Workflows
Tech leaders at E.W. Scripps, Meredith and Hubbard Broadcasting as well as at tech vendor Avid say that remote production workflows are getting more refined, while vaccine promises also have them hopeful of a return to newsrooms. “The adrenaline that goes through a newsroom is hard to duplicate at home,” said Scripps CTO Ray Thurber at last week’s NewsTECHForum.
Jason Combs, Scripps’ current financial planning VP, will replace Lisa Knutson, who will lead the newly combined businesses of Ion Media, the five Katz networks and Newsy.
The E.W. Scripps Co. has appointed television industry veterans Jeffrey Wolf and Mark Gray to top leadership positions for its new national television networks business. Both will report to Lisa […]
The founder, president and chief executive officer of the Katz networks, is tapped by Scripps to lead the entertainment brands including Bounce, Laff, Grit, Court TV Mystery and the Ion networks.
The E.W. Scripps Co.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Scripps Escrow II, has priced an offering of $550 million aggregate principal amount of new 3.875% senior secured notes and $500 million aggregate principal […]
The E.W. Scripps Co.’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Scripps Escrow II, Inc. has launched an offering of $700 million of new senior secured notes and $500 million of new senior unsecured notes. […]
Dan Perschke, assistant controller, becomes vice president, controller, while Rebecca Riegelsberger is tapped to be treasurer, vice president, tax.
Scripps Hails Growth In TV Political Share
Local Media President Brian Lawlor: “The pool of political dollars nationwide is growing tremendously, and local broadcast is taking an even larger share.” The Scripps TV group benefitted from $96.4 million in political spending.
Scripps 3Q Station Adjusted Revenue Up 32%
The increase to $404 million was driven by political advertising and retransmission consent revenue which helped offset advertising losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The board of directors of The E.W. Scripps Co. today declared a cash dividend for the fourth quarter of 2020. Scripps shareholders of record as of Dec. 15 will receive 5 cents per share, payable on Dec. 24. The dividend will be paid out of the company’s surplus.
E.W. Scripps Spins Up Voter Resources To Counter Election Complexities
In an election year when voting has never been more important — or more complex — E.W. Scripps has rolled out voter resource pages across its 42 markets aggregating local deadlines, rules and instructions, along with drawing from a well of Scripps and Newsy election coverage. Above, a Scripps voter resource page from Cincinnati, similar to ones found in each of the group’s 42 markets.
Spot TV Eyes ’21 Comeback, With Caveats
With the pandemic’s duration uncertain, top ad buyers and sellers say some national clients are shifting buys to local, while per performance, automation and OTT sales are helping towards a recovery. Read the story and/or watch the full video above.
The Stitcher company includes the Midroll advertising rep firm; owned-and-operated podcast networks including the comedy-focused Earwolf; and the Stitcher podcast listening platform.
