Scripps CEO, Execs Take Pay Cut

The senior leadership team and members of the board of directors of The E.W. Scripps Co. are taking voluntary salary and fee reductions, effective immediately. The company said it will donate an amount equal to those cuts to a fund to support its employees affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Scripps President-CEO Adam Symson will take a 15% reduction to his salary. The company’s named executive officers will each take a 10% pay cut. This includes Chief Financial Officer Lisa Knutson; Local Media President Brian Lawlor; Executive Vice President, National Media Laura Tomlin; General Counsel Bill Appleton; Senior Vice President, Controller and Treasurer Doug Lyons; Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Carolyn Micheli; and Vice President, Benefits and Compensation Julie McGehee.

The reductions are calculated based on executives’ 2019 salary after their 2020 salary increases were rolled back.

The 11 members of Scripps’ board of directors will take a 15% reduction in their annual cash compensation, and board chairman Rich Boehne also will forego the remainder of his 2020 chairman fees.

The company will make a donation to The Scripps Howard Foundation’s COVID-19 Employee Relief Fund equal to the amount saved as a result of the reduction in salaries and director fees. The Foundation created the fund to help Scripps employees who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 crisis.