E.W. Scripps

With all categories of advertising down, a 24% increase in retrans revenue keeps things in the positive column. Digital division 2Q revenue was $19.3 million, up 27.2% from a yer ago.

Scripps was already a 5% owner in a portion of the business, so its net purchase price is $292 million for Bounce, Grit, Escape and Laff. Founder Jonathan Katz will continue to lead the Katz networks business. The company, with about 130 employees, will remain based in the Atlanta area.

Scripps has filled its news director vacancy at KMGH Denver by hiring Holly Gauntt from crosstown rival KDVR, a Tribune station. Gauntt grew up in Denver, but her peripatetic career in TV news has taken her to Oklahoma City, Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia and Seattle. 

Nearly eight months after announcing that Rich Boehne (far left) would cede the president and CEO roles to Adam Symson, but continue as chairman, E.W. Scripps finally set the date for the transition: Aug. 8.

2016 Spot Revenue: $692.8 million Stations: 36 in 24 markets Coverage: 18.1% Ownership: E.W. Scripps Co. (NYSE: SSP) Key Executives: Richard A. Boehne, chairman-president-CEO; Adam Symson, COO; Brian Lawlor, SVP, broadcast. What’s Up: Last […]

The two-hour nightly news show is set to launch this summer. It also reveals plans for expanded, long-form original content.

How well Scripps does in its second-quarter comps may have as much to do with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving as it does Ford and General Motors, Scripps Brian Lawlor told securties analysts today. Scripps’ WEWS Cleveland holds the broadcast rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers and it enjoyed a windfall last year when Cavs made the NBA finals and won it in seven games. Scripps is hoping for a repeat.

Even a 24% increase in retrans money to $66.2 million couldn’t make up for much-lower political dollars. Core local and national advertising was down 4.5%.

News from 23 Scripps local TV markets is just a voice command away with the Flash Briefing service.

Television personality and country music artist Kellie Pickler and journalist Ben Aaron will host the still-untitled show created and executive produced by Grammy winner Faith Hill. It debuts on Sept. 18 in 20 of Scripps’ 24 television markets and will be available in national syndication.

Facebook Live has become the preferred platform for video-centric breaking news at Scripps despite some newsroom pushback and concerns about limits on editorial control and the ability to make money from the streams. Above, a story from WFTX Ft. Myers-Naples, Fla., that aired in January.

The board of directors of the E.W. Scripps Co. on Tuesday authorized a new share repurchase program up to $100 million of the company’s Class A common shares. This authorization […]

While the company’s third quarter ad gain was well below guidance due to lower campaign spending, a bright spot cited by SVP Brian Lawlor was that at least it’s not shifting to new media, adding that despite some crowding-out by political, core categories did well during the quarter, with gains registered in all five of its top categories, including a 2.5% gain in automotive.

Strong political and retrans drive the total to $197 million. The digital segment adds another $15.8 million to the company’s overall total.

While many publicly traded station groups have taken a very distinct path toward their digital media investments, one common denominator is forging relationships with third-party aggregators as well as search engine marketing and search engine optimization partners. Here’s how six station groups are taking advantage of their unique strengths to scale their offerings and maintain their leadership positions in digital.

Newsy, the E.W. Scripps-owned video news service, is launching a series leading up to the election to explore issues it believes need more attention.

The Race, which begins Monday on most Scripps stations throughout the nation, will feature interviews with leading political experts and those seeking office. It will air in a number of battleground markets, including Tampa, Cincinnati and Cleveland.

The syndicated news mag from Scripps, which is starting its fifth season, has been sold to stations from other station groups.

E.W. Scripps-owned Midroll will distribute new podcasts from Rosie O’Donnell and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, along with a series on the Boston Strangler killings and new offerings from Entertainment Weekly and American Public Media, the podcaster said at the IAB Podcast Upfront on Wednesday.

TV station groups are realizing that broadcasting is no longer enough — that, while it may be a solid business, it is no longer a great growth business. So they are looking to reinvent themselves by moving into new businesses like digital media and programming that can provide some upside.

E.W. Scripps and Cox Media are among the five station groups launching the Katz Broadcasting diginets.

Stock prices of six publicly-traded TV station groups had a rocky first half due to concerns over leverage as well as political, automotive and overall sustainability of the television business model. The companies bounced back a bit in the second quarter, but were still well below where they were on Jan. 1. Analysts, however, see signs for optimism.

Scripps-owned ABC affiliate WRTV Indianapolis (DMA 27) is canceling its Hometown Sports & News (HTSN) network on digital ch. 6.2 and is replacing it with Grit, a multicast network from […]

12. E.W. SCRIPPS, Cincinnati 2015 Spot Revenue: $617.4 million  Stations: 36 in 24 markets  Coverage: 18.1%  Ownership: E.W. Scripps Co. (NYSE: SSP)  Key Executives: Richard A. Boehne, chairman, president and CEO, E.W. Scripps Co.; Brian […]

The station group’s executives spell out how they are bucking the syndication system with their five-year-old strategy to develop home-grown programming like The List and Right This Minute. “Many in the industry thought we were nuts … and five years later, all of our peers are starting their own programming divisions based on the success that we’re having,” said Brian Lawlor, Scripps SVP, broadcast.

The new programming partnership between the two station groups is open to anything as long as it has a digital dimension. “I don’t like to box shows into a genre,” says Scripps’ Cater Lee. “What it does have to have — first and foremost — is a multiplatform strategy. Anyone who doesn’t think about programming that way is very short-sighted.”

The dip to $171 million was due to lower national and political dollars that weren’t offset by a 45% increase in retrans revenue.

The companies say their new consortium will develop shows for daytime, early fringe and access. It will offer a combined reach of 29% of U.S. households — including 12 of the top 40 DMAs. Scripps’ Brian Lawlor: “Partnering with other broadcast groups rather than competing against them is a dynamic new way to succeed in this industry.” Paul McTear of Raycom Media: “The strength of our two companies with a rich history in local broadcasting will bring a financial and creative strength to this development consortium.”

Under new arrangement, segments from The List will have their own dedicated channel on OwnZones.com.

A determined cadre of station groups remains intent on replacing pricey Hollywood syndication shows with programming of its own. Among the upcoming do-it-yourself offerings is a talk show from Tegna Media hosted by T.D. Jakes set to debut this fall.

Michel Pelletier has been named director of marketing for The List, Scripps’ half-hour daily news magazine show.

The true-crime talk show that has already lined up a test run on Sinclair stations now adds tests on some Tegna and Scripps stations as well.

Ross Jones, investigative reporter at Scripps-owned WXYZ Detroit will join the Scripps Washington Bureau as an investigative correspondent. In his new role, Jones will provide investigative reporting to all Scripps […]

Newsy, a video news provider owned by the E.W. Scripps Co., has been expanding the breadth of its over-the-top offerings, including a completely revamped (and home built) Roku channel. Its consumers are spending more time with Newsy on OTT than other channels, and are more likely to let its story stream run than users on desktop or mobile.

When asked about rumors of layoffs at the company’s Phoenix ABC affiliate, a Scripps spokesperson said the group is “restructuring some positions and eliminating others in an on-going effort to meet the needs of our Phoenix audiences. New jobs also will be created.”

With the new station groups, 80% of U.S. homes can watch streaming local news anytime, anyplace. The announcement follows a similar deal with Tribune Media announced last month, which gave Watchup access to video content from 30 of Tribune’s broadcast stations.

The increase to $147 million was fueled by higher political and digital revenue as well as a 41% rise in retransmission consent money.

With neither general manager nor news director in place, The Denver ABC affiliate is rudderless. The station has floated through two ratings sweeps periods on auto pilot.