E. W. Scripps Company

The E. W. Scripps Company, also known as Scripps, is an American broadcasting company founded in 1878 as a chain of daily newspapers by Edward Willis "E. W." Scripps and his sister, Ellen Browning Scripps. It was also formerly a media conglomerate. The company is headquartered at the Scripps Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.[2] Its corporate motto is "Give light and the people will find their own way", which is symbolized by the media empire's longtime lighthouse logo.[3]

In terms of assets owned, Scripps is the third largest operator of ABC affiliates, behind Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group, and ahead of Hearst Television and Tegna. Scripps also owns a number of free-to-air multi-genre digital subchannel multicast networks through its Scripps Networks division, including the Ion Television network and Scripps News.

The company started out in the newspaper business, expanding into radio in the mid-1930s and television in the mid-1940s. It sold off its newspaper holdings in 2014 and exited radio in 2018.

History

19th century

The E. W. Scripps Company was founded as a newspaper company on November 2, 1878, when Edward Willis Scripps published the first issue of the Cleveland Penny Press.[4]

In 1894, Scripps and his half-brother, George H. Scripps, organized their various papers into the first modern newspaper chain. In July 1895, it was named the Scripps-McRae League to reflect the leadership of Cincinnati Post general manager Milton A. McRae, a longtime partner. The company expanded during the decade to publish newspapers in California, Denver, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and elsewhere.[4]

20th century

In early November 1922, the Scripps-McRae League was renamed Scripps-Howard Newspapers to recognize company executive Roy W. Howard.[5] On November 23, the E. W. Scripps Company was incorporated and placed in trust for Scripps' children and grandchildren.[6] The company's shares were divided into two types: Class A Common Shares, which were traded on the New York Stock Exchange, and common voting shares, which were not publicly traded and elected a majority of the company's directors (a number of media companies, including the New York Times Company and the Washington Post organization, are governed by this system so that the descendants of the company's founders can keep control of the company). E. W. Scripps died in 1926.

On June 2, 1902, Scripps founded the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), based in Cleveland, Ohio, as a news report service for different Scripps-owned newspapers. It started selling content to non-Scripps owned newspapers in 1907, and by 1909, it became a more general syndicate, offering comics, pictures and features as well. It moved from Cleveland to Chicago in 1915, with an office in San Francisco. NEA rapidly grew and delivered content to 400 newspapers in 1920 and about 700 in 1930.[7] Today, it is the oldest syndicate still in operation.

Scripps created the United Press news agency in 1907 by uniting three smaller syndicates and controlled it until a 1958 merger with William Randolph Hearst's smaller competing agency, INS, to form United Press International. With the Hearst Corporation as a minority partner, UPI continued under Scripps management until it was sold off in 1982.[8][9][10][11] A separate wire service, the Scripps Howard News Service, operated for 96 years from 1917 to 2013.[12]

United Feature Syndicate was formed in 1919 as a division of UP to distribute editorial columns, features and comic strips, and became a dominant player in the syndication market in the fall of 1931 thanks to Scripps' acquisition of the New York World, which controlled the Pulitzer company's syndication arms, Press Publishing Co. and World Feature Service.[13][14][15][12] In May 1978, Scripps merged United Feature Syndicate and Newspaper Enterprise Association to form United Media Enterprises.[16][17]

The company expanded its newspaper holdings throughout the pre-World War II period, acquiring many titles and merging them, including the Rocky Mountain News and Knoxville News-Sentinel. A trickle of closures and sales occurred over the next few decades. In 1966, Scripps' New York World-Telegram was merged into the New York World Journal Tribune, which closed in 1967. Papers in Indianapolis, Washington, Houston and Fort Worth were closed in the 1960s and 1970s, and the former flagship Cleveland Press was sold in 1980. Scripps also closed properties in Memphis, Columbus, Thousand Oaks and El Paso throughout the 1980s and 1990s, while selling the Pittsburgh Press in 1992.

In 1985, the company went into home video foray with its acquisition of Kartes Video Communications in an effort to expand the marketplace.[18] Two years later, Scripps Howard sold off Kartes Video Communications back to its founders, after an aborted deal where Scripps-Howard's acquisition of Hanes failed.[19]

In 1997, Scripps bought daily newspapers in the Texas cities of Abilene, Wichita Falls, San Angelo and Plano, plus the paper in Anderson, South Carolina, from Harte-Hanks Communications, along with 25 non-daily newspapers and San Antonio-based KENS-TV and KENS-AM.[20] The purchase price was to be between $605 and $775 million, depending on a federal ruling.[21] (Scripps eventually spun off all of its newspapers into Journal Media Group in 2015.)

Scripps made its first foray into broadcasting in 1935, forming a company called Continental Radio and buying radio stations WCPO in Cincinnati and WNOX in Knoxville. After the war, In 1947, Scripps opened its first television station, Cleveland-based WEWS-TV, with Memphis-based WMC-TV and Cincinnati-based WCPO-TV in subsequent years.[4] It now owns dozens of TV and radio stations. In the 1980s and 1990s, Scripps became a cable television provider and also developed programming for cable, notably SportSouth (currently FanDuel Sports Network South) in 1990 (in a joint venture with Turner Broadcasting and TCI), Food Network in 1993 and HGTV in 1994. (Scripps spun off its cable properties into Scripps Network Interactive in 2008.)

The company went public with an IPO in 1988 and was traded on the NASDAQ.[4] It owned 20 daily newspapers and 9 television stations at the time, and cable systems in 10 states. The company completed a new downtown Cincinnati headquarters, the 35-story high-rise Scripps Center, in 1990.[22] In 1991, Scripps transferred its shares to the New York Stock Exchange.

21st century

In October 2007, Scripps announced that it would separate into two publicly traded companies: The E. W. Scripps Company (newspapers, TV stations, licensing/syndication) and Scripps Networks Interactive (HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Cooking Channel (formerly known as Fine Living), Travel Channel and Great American Country). The transaction was completed on July 1, 2008.

After a test launch at WFTS-TV in 2009, Scripps television stations launched YouTube channels in 2010. These are similar to YouTube channels operated by Hearst Television and LIN Television.

On February 24, 2011, United Media struck a distribution deal with Universal Uclick (now known as Andrews McMeel Syndication) for syndication of the company's 150 comic strip and news features, which became effective on June 1 of that year.[23][24] At that point, United Media, and by extension the Scripps Company, exited the syndication business.[25]

On September 12, 2011, Scripps partnered with Cox Media Group and Raycom Media to launch Right This Minute, a viral video program. On the same day, Scripps launched The List, a news magazine. Both were part of an approach for "homegrown" programming—programming created by Scripps. Raycom also launched America Now on the same day. The creator of RTM and The List applied this "homegrown" programming approach to Tegna in 2015, with the launch of T.D. Jakes. Scripps launched Let's Ask America in 2013 (now cancelled), partnering with Telepictures to do so, and Pickler and Ben in 2017.

On October 3, 2011, Scripps announced it was purchasing the television arm of McGraw-Hill for $212 million.[26] This purchase nearly doubled the number of Scripps stations to 19 with a combined reach of 13% of U.S. households. Upon the 2012 death of E. W. Scripps' grandson, Robert Scripps, the Edward W. Scripps Trust was dissolved and its stock divided among the surviving trustees.[27]

In December 2013, Scripps acquired the digital video news service Newsy for $35 million.[28]

On July 30, 2014, Scripps and Journal Communications announced that the two companies would merge and spin-off their newspaper assets. The deal created a broadcast group under the E. W. Scripps Company name and retaining the Cincinnati headquarters, and a newspaper company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the Journal Media Group name.[29] The FCC approved the deal on December 12, 2014, and it was approved by shareholders on March 11, 2015.[30] The merger and spinoff were completed on April 1, 2015.[31][32] In turn, Journal Media Group was acquired by Gannett Company on April 8, 2016. Gannett had also shed their television and broadcast operations into a spin-off, Tegna, months after the Scripps-Journal merger.

In April 2016, Demand Media announced the sale of the humor/listicle website Cracked.com to E. W. Scripps.[33] In June, it acquired podcast service Stitcher from Deezer.[34]

On August 1, 2017, Scripps announced the purchase of Katz Broadcasting and its three networks plus Bounce which Katz operates, for $292 million, acquiring the other 95% of the company.[35] The purchase was completed on October 2, 2017.[36] On May 22, 2018, Scripps announced that it was changing its common stock listing back from the NYSE to Nasdaq, which occurred on June 4, 2018.[37]

On November 17, 2025, it was reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group had acquired an 8% stake in Scripps' stock, and was pursuing a potential takeover of the company.[38] Scripps stated that its board "will take all steps appropriate to protect the company and the company's shareholders from the opportunistic actions of Sinclair or anyone else".[39] A takeover attempt would also be complicated by the fact that any deal would have to be approved by the Scripps family, since it holds 93% of the company's voting rights.[39] Scripps adopted a shareholder rights plan after Sinclair made an unsolicited cash-and-stock offer at $7 per-share; on December 16, 2025, the company's board rejected the offer.[40][41]

On January 16, 2026, Sinclair filed letters with the Securities and Exchange Commission documenting its recent exchange with E.W. Scripps regarding a proposed acquisition. In the filing, Sinclair reiterated its willingness to pursue a combination with Scripps, despite the latter’s rejection of its offer.[42]

On January 19, 2026, Sinclair confirmed the statement: “Over the last few weeks, Sinclair has continued to reinforce to Scripps its willingness to engage on a proposed Sinclair-Scripps combination. Scripps has refused the invitations to speak with its single largest shareholder and instead has stated its preference to execute its standalone plan. Our last proposal to Scripps represents a premium of more than 2.4x more over Scripps’ unadjusted share price, while the cash portion alone represents a 32.7% premium over the unadjusted share price. We believe this proposal is attractive to Scripps’ shareholders and, at a minimum, is worthy of engagement. As we evaluate our options, the previously announced strategic review of Sinclair’s Broadcast business and work related to the separation of Ventures will continue. Our Board and management team are committed to unlocking the full potential of both businesses and driving continued value creation for all Sinclair shareholders."[43]

On February 26, 2026, Scripps announced its repurchase of all Inyo stations.[44][45]

Scripps newspapers

Syndicates

The distribution rights to properties syndicated by United Media were outsourced to Universal Uclick in February 2011. While United Media effectively ceased to exist, Scripps still maintains copyrights and intellectual property rights.[23][24]

Scripps also operated United Press International (United Press from its 1907 inception until a 1958 merger with Hearst's International News Service) until selling it off in 1982.

  • United Media (1978–2011), consisted of:
  • United Feature Syndicate (est. 1919) – syndicated many notable comic strips, including Peanuts, Garfield, Li'l Abner, Dilbert, Nancy and Marmaduke
  • Newspaper Enterprise Association (est. 1902) – originally a secondary news service to the Scripps Howard News Service, later evolved into a general syndicate; best known for syndicating Alley Oop, Freckles and His Friends, The Born Loser and Frank and Ernest, in addition to an annual Christmas comic strip[46]

Broadcasting

Scripps' broadcast television stations division—also commonly known as Scripps Media or Scripps Howard Broadcasting, formerly Continental Radio, currently owns or operates 62 television stations in forty-three markets, with full-power and low-power stations as well as rebroadcaster, translator, repeater and satellite stations included. Among them, nineteen ABC affiliates, twelve CBS affiliates, eleven NBC affiliates, six Fox affiliates, two specialty network affiliated stations, and five stations independent of any network affiliation.

History

1935–1947: Early history, radio era

The company was formed in 1935 when Scripps Howard made its foray into broadcasting by purchasing radio station WFBE, renaming it WCPO after newspaper The Cincinnati Post.[47]

Later on, Scripps purchased radio station, WNOX from the Sterchi Brothers furniture chain.[48][49] In 1936, The Commercial Appeal was purchased by the Scripps Howard newspaper chain, which included the WMC stations.[50] In 1937, the Memphis Press-Scimitar bought out WGBC from First Baptist Church of Memphis in 1937 and changed the letters to WMPS.

1947–1977: The television era

In 1947, Scripps expanded its broadcast holdings by opening its first television station, Cleveland-based WEWS-TV. This was followed in 1948 by Memphis-based WMC-TV and Cincinnati-based WCPO-TV in 1949.[4]

The company expanded its television holdings in 1961 by purchasing West Palm Beach station WPTV-TV from the Phipps family. It was followed nearly nine years later by its purchase of its Tulsa station KVOO-TV from Central Plains Enterprises. The sale received FCC approval on November 25, 1970, and was finalized the following month on December 31.[51][52] On January 1, 1971, the day after the Scripps purchase was completed, the station changed its call letters to KTEW-TV (standing for " T ulsa E.W. Scripps", and also easily interpreted as sounding like the phoneticism for "two"). This change was made due to an FCC rule in effect at the time that banned TV and radio stations in the same market, but with different owners from sharing the same call letters.[53]

By 1963, the company has taken on its familiar name Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Company, and made it public.[54]

1977–1994: The independent expansion

In 1977, the company expanded its focus onto independent station territory by purchasing KBMA-TV in Kansas City from the Businessmen's Assurance Company of America, but in 1981 the station was renamed to KSHB-TV. Nearly seven years later, in 1984, after Edwin Cooperstein rebuffed a bid from Tribune Company, Scripps immediately purchased independent station, KNXV-TV in Phoenix. To make room for the sale, Scripps was required to divest itself of radio stations KMEO-AM-FM.[55]

Nearly one year later, Scripps purchased ABC station, WXYZ-TV in Detroit, and independent station WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay from Capital Cities Communications as part of a spin-off reorganization, after the FCC felt that the combination of Cap Cities and ABC exceeded the new ownership limit of 12 stations and the 25% national reach limit.[56][57] On October 9, 1986, two of Scripps' stations in Phoenix and Kansas City became affiliates of the Fox Broadcasting Company television network.[58] A third independent station in Tampa Bay joined Fox in 1988 after WTOG-TV disaffiliated from the network.[59]

In 1988, the broadcasting division of the company started its own production company Scripps Howard Productions in order to produce and market television programs.[54]

From 1990 to 1995, Scripps was a partner in the regional sports network SportSouth, along with Turner Broadcasting and Tele-Communications, Inc.; in 1996 the network was sold to News Corporation and became Fox Sports South.

In the summer of 1990, Scripps bought out the NBC Baltimore affiliate WMAR-TV from Gillett Communications, but in February 1991 the transfer was canceled after Scripps accused Gillett of misreporting WMAR's financial statements. Gillett then took legal action against Scripps,[60] but both sides settled and the sale went forward. Scripps took control of the station in the spring of 1991.[61]

On July 19, 1993, Scripps sold WMC-AM-FM-TV to Atlanta businessman Bert Ellis and his new company, Ellis Communications.[62]

In 1994, Scripps acquired the Knoxville-based Cinetel Productions to serve as a production base for a new home lifestyle-oriented cable network, which would eventually launch in December as HGTV. Scripps later acquired a stake in the Food Network, and launched a spin-off of HGTV known as DIY Network.[63][64][65]

1994–2000: Realignments and change

On May 23, 1994, Fox purchased a 20 percent stake in New World Communications, owner of multiple long-tenured major-market CBS affiliates, in what was a $500 million investment.[66] In turn, 12 stations either owned by—or in the process of being purchased by—New World would switch network affiliations to Fox after existing contracts expired per-station.[67][68] Three of the displaced Fox affiliates were owned by Scripps: KNXV-TV, WFTS-TV and KSHB-TV.[68] This prompted CBS to court Scripps for a deal with KNXV and WFTS, along with long-tenured ABC affiliates WXYZ-TV and WEWS-TV; a proposed deal also included CBS purchasing a minority stake in HGTV.[69] ABC's counteroffer to keep WEWS and WXYZ was met with a demand by Scripps that WMAR, WFTS and KNXV also link with ABC.[70]

The demand came at the expense of two equally long-standing ABC affiliates: WJZ-TV had been with the network since 1948[71] while KTVK emerged in the 1980s as a market leader for local news, albeit family-owned and not part of a larger chain.[72][73] ABC offered $25 million to Scripps to exclude KNXV, which was rejected in what ABC executive Bryce Rathbone stated as Scripps "[having] a gun to their head". Announced on June 15, 1994, the ABC-Scripps agreement included all three stations Scripps demanded join the network, along with WEWS and WXYZ.[74][75] For WFTS, the announcement came with an expedited buildout of a news department,[76] with local newscasts debuting the day of their switch.[77] The other displaced Fox affiliate, KSHB, affiliated with NBC as a replacement for WDAF-TV.[78] ABC later signed an unrelated affiliation deal with WCPO-TV in September 1995, taking effect on June 3, 1996.[79]

In October 1995, Comcast announced the purchase of Scripps' cable provider operation.[80]

In 1997, Scripps bought daily newspapers in the Texas cities of Abilene, Wichita Falls, San Angelo and Plano, plus the paper in Anderson, S.C. from Harte-Hanks Communications, along with 25 non-daily newspapers and San Antonio-based KENS-TV and KENS.[20] The purchase price was to be between $605 and $775 million, depending on a federal ruling.[21] (Scripps eventually spun off all of its newspapers into Journal Media Group in 2015.)

In March 1996, KSHB owner Scripps Howard Broadcasting reached a deal to manage KMCI under a local marketing agreement.[81] That August,[82] KMCI then dropped much of its home shopping programming and rebranded as "38 Family Greats", with a family-oriented general entertainment format from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, with HSN programming being relegated to the overnight hours. The new KMCI lineup included an inventory of programs that KSHB owned but had not had time to air after it switched to NBC in 1994.[83]

Exercising an option from the 1996 pact with Miller, Scripps bought KMCI outright for $14.6 million in 2000, forming a legal duopoly with KSHB.[84] In 1998, the company sold Scripps Howard Productions, and Cinetel Productions was renamed to Scripps Productions.[54]

2000–2008: The Shop at Home era

Scripps also previously owned the Shop at Home Network from 2000 until 2006. Shop at Home in turn owned five television stations, all as a division of its cable network division managed separately from the company's traditional commercial network affiliate stations.

Attempts to use Shop at Home as a complementary service to Food Network and HGTV by selling products connected to personalities of those networks were middling compared to competitors QVC and HSN. On May 22, 2006, Scripps announced that it was to cease operations of the network and intended to sell each of Shop at Home's five owned and operated television stations.[85] Jewelry Television eventually acquired Shop at Home, but Scripps still intended to sell its affiliated stations (Jewelry Television discontinued most Shop at Home operations in March 2008). On September 26, 2006, Scripps announced that it was selling its Shop at Home TV stations to New York City-based Multicultural Television for $170 million.[86]

2008–present: Scripps today

In October 2007, Scripps announced that it would separate into two publicly traded companies: The E. W. Scripps Company (newspapers, TV stations, licensing/syndication) and Scripps Networks Interactive (Cooking Channel (formerly known as Fine Living), DIY Network, Food Network, Great American Country, HGTV, and Travel Channel). The transaction was completed on July 1, 2008.[87]

After a test launch at WFTS-TV in 2009, Scripps television stations launched YouTube channels in 2010. These are similar to YouTube channels operated by Hearst Television and LIN Television.

Scripps was the recipient of the 2012 National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award.[88]

On October 3, 2011, Scripps announced it was purchasing all seven television stations owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies for $212 million; the sale is a result of McGraw-Hill's decision to exit the broadcasting industry to focus on its other core properties, including its publishing unit.[89] This deal was approved by the FTC on October 31[90] and the FCC on November 29.[91] The deal was completed on December 30, 2011.[92]

On February 10, 2014, Scripps announced it has reached a deal to acquire Buffalo ABC affiliate WKBW-TV and Detroit MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYD from Granite Broadcasting for $110 million.[93] The sale was approved by the FCC on May 2, 2014, and was completed on June 16, 2014. This deal has created a duopoly between WMYD and ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV.

On July 30, 2014, Scripps and Journal Communications announced that the two companies would merge and spin-off their newspaper assets. The deal created a broadcast group under the E. W. Scripps Company name and retaining the Cincinnati headquarters, and a newspaper company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the Journal Media Group name.[29] The FCC approved the deal on December 12, 2014, and it was approved by shareholders on March 11, 2015.[30] The merger and spinoff were completed on April 1, 2015.[31][32] In turn, Journal Media Group was acquired by Gannett Company on April 8, 2016. Gannett had also shed their television and broadcast operations into a spin-off, Tegna, months after the Scripps-Journal merger.

On January 25, 2018, it was announced that Scripps had placed its radio station unit for sale. The divestiture of these stations – which were acquired through the company's 2015 acquisition of Journal Communications – would result in the separation of Scripps's television stations in Tulsa, Omaha, Milwaukee, Boise and Tucson from their co-owned radio clusters (in the case of Tulsa, KJRH-TV would be separated from KFAQ for the second time; the two stations, then using the shared KVOO callsign, were first split up in 1970, when Central Plains Enterprises sold the then-KVOO-TV to Scripps).[94] In June 2018, Griffin Communications reached a deal to buy the Scripps Tulsa radio cluster. The sale was completed on July 28, 2018. In July 2018, Good Karma Brands reached a deal to buy the Scripps Milwaukee radio cluster. The sale was completed on November 1, 2018.

On August 20, 2018, Scripps agreed to purchase ABC affiliates KXXV in Waco, Texas and satellite station KRHD-CD in Bryan, Texas and WTXL-TV in Tallahassee, Florida, which are being spun off from the Gray Television-Raycom Media merger in order to alleviate ownership conflicts involving Gray's ownership of CBS affiliate KWTX-TV and its semi-satellite KBTX-TV in the Waco market and CBS affiliate WCTV and Retro Television Network affiliate WFXU in the Tallahassee market.[95][96]

On October 29, 2018, Cordillera Communications announced that it would sell all but one of its television stations to Scripps. KVOA in Tucson, Arizona is not included in the deal as Scripps already owns KGUN-TV and KWBA in that market, and Cordillera will concurrently sell KVOA to Quincy Media.[97] The FCC approved the sale on April 5, 2019,[98] and the sale was completed on May 1.[99]

On March 20, 2019, Scripps announced that it would acquire eight of the 21 (initially 19[100]) stations being divested as part of Nexstar Media Group's $580 million (USD) acquisition of Tribune Media. The Tribune stations include CBS affiliates WTKR in Norfolk and WTVR-TV in Richmond—both in Virginia, along with Fox affiliates KSTU in Salt Lake City, Utah and WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan and CW affiliates WPIX in New York City, WGNT in Norfolk, Virginia and WSFL-TV in Miami, Florida. The only Nexstar station being acquired is CW affiliate KASW in Phoenix, Arizona—which would create a duopoly with longtime Scripps-owned ABC affiliate KNXV-TV. Also, Nexstar has the option to buy WPIX back between March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021.[101][102][103] The FCC approved the sale on September 16 with all of the transactions being completed on September 19.[104][105][106][107][108]

In July 2020, the company sold their Stitcher podcast service and assets to Sirius XM for $325 million.[109]

On September 22, 2020, the company announced it was buying KCDO-TV and KSBS-CD from Newsweb Corporation for $9.5 million, pending approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); this would make them sister stations to ABC affiliate KMGH-TV.[110] For the time being, KCDO has moved Grit to its primary 3.1 subchannel. The sale was completed on November 20.[111]

On September 24, 2020, Scripps announced the acquisition of American media company Ion Media, including its networks, Ion Television, Ion Plus, Qubo, and Ion Shop (three removed a few months later) for $2.65 billion.[112]

Scripps finally completed its sale of WPIX to Mission Broadcasting on December 30, 2020, which will also allow the company to keep three of the Ion stations that were slated to be sold to a new company, Inyo Broadcast Holdings. The sales of WPPX-TV in Philadelphia, KKPX-TV in San Francisco and KPXM-TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota were contingent on whether or not the sale of WPIX would close and be finalized before Scripps completed its acquisition of Ion Media.[113][114]

On October 2, 2024, E.W. Scripps Co. announced that it was laying off more than 200 people as it makes major cutbacks to its national news unit.[115]

1935–1947: Early history, radio era

The company was formed in 1935 when Scripps Howard made its foray into broadcasting by purchasing radio station WFBE, renaming it WCPO after newspaper The Cincinnati Post.[47]

Later on, Scripps purchased radio station, WNOX from the Sterchi Brothers furniture chain.[48][49] In 1936, The Commercial Appeal was purchased by the Scripps Howard newspaper chain, which included the WMC stations.[50] In 1937, the Memphis Press-Scimitar bought out WGBC from First Baptist Church of Memphis in 1937 and changed the letters to WMPS.

1947–1977: The television era

In 1947, Scripps expanded its broadcast holdings by opening its first television station, Cleveland-based WEWS-TV. This was followed in 1948 by Memphis-based WMC-TV and Cincinnati-based WCPO-TV in 1949.[4]

The company expanded its television holdings in 1961 by purchasing West Palm Beach station WPTV-TV from the Phipps family. It was followed nearly nine years later by its purchase of its Tulsa station KVOO-TV from Central Plains Enterprises. The sale received FCC approval on November 25, 1970, and was finalized the following month on December 31.[51][52] On January 1, 1971, the day after the Scripps purchase was completed, the station changed its call letters to KTEW-TV (standing for " T ulsa E.W. Scripps", and also easily interpreted as sounding like the phoneticism for "two"). This change was made due to an FCC rule in effect at the time that banned TV and radio stations in the same market, but with different owners from sharing the same call letters.[53]

By 1963, the company has taken on its familiar name Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Company, and made it public.[54]

1977–1994: The independent expansion

In 1977, the company expanded its focus onto independent station territory by purchasing KBMA-TV in Kansas City from the Businessmen's Assurance Company of America, but in 1981 the station was renamed to KSHB-TV. Nearly seven years later, in 1984, after Edwin Cooperstein rebuffed a bid from Tribune Company, Scripps immediately purchased independent station, KNXV-TV in Phoenix. To make room for the sale, Scripps was required to divest itself of radio stations KMEO-AM-FM.[55]

Nearly one year later, Scripps purchased ABC station, WXYZ-TV in Detroit, and independent station WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay from Capital Cities Communications as part of a spin-off reorganization, after the FCC felt that the combination of Cap Cities and ABC exceeded the new ownership limit of 12 stations and the 25% national reach limit.[56][57] On October 9, 1986, two of Scripps' stations in Phoenix and Kansas City became affiliates of the Fox Broadcasting Company television network.[58] A third independent station in Tampa Bay joined Fox in 1988 after WTOG-TV disaffiliated from the network.[59]

In 1988, the broadcasting division of the company started its own production company Scripps Howard Productions in order to produce and market television programs.[54]

From 1990 to 1995, Scripps was a partner in the regional sports network SportSouth, along with Turner Broadcasting and Tele-Communications, Inc.; in 1996 the network was sold to News Corporation and became Fox Sports South.

In the summer of 1990, Scripps bought out the NBC Baltimore affiliate WMAR-TV from Gillett Communications, but in February 1991 the transfer was canceled after Scripps accused Gillett of misreporting WMAR's financial statements. Gillett then took legal action against Scripps,[60] but both sides settled and the sale went forward. Scripps took control of the station in the spring of 1991.[61]

On July 19, 1993, Scripps sold WMC-AM-FM-TV to Atlanta businessman Bert Ellis and his new company, Ellis Communications.[62]

In 1994, Scripps acquired the Knoxville-based Cinetel Productions to serve as a production base for a new home lifestyle-oriented cable network, which would eventually launch in December as HGTV. Scripps later acquired a stake in the Food Network, and launched a spin-off of HGTV known as DIY Network.[63][64][65]

1994–2000: Realignments and change

On May 23, 1994, Fox purchased a 20 percent stake in New World Communications, owner of multiple long-tenured major-market CBS affiliates, in what was a $500 million investment.[66] In turn, 12 stations either owned by—or in the process of being purchased by—New World would switch network affiliations to Fox after existing contracts expired per-station.[67][68] Three of the displaced Fox affiliates were owned by Scripps: KNXV-TV, WFTS-TV and KSHB-TV.[68] This prompted CBS to court Scripps for a deal with KNXV and WFTS, along with long-tenured ABC affiliates WXYZ-TV and WEWS-TV; a proposed deal also included CBS purchasing a minority stake in HGTV.[69] ABC's counteroffer to keep WEWS and WXYZ was met with a demand by Scripps that WMAR, WFTS and KNXV also link with ABC.[70]

The demand came at the expense of two equally long-standing ABC affiliates: WJZ-TV had been with the network since 1948[71] while KTVK emerged in the 1980s as a market leader for local news, albeit family-owned and not part of a larger chain.[72][73] ABC offered $25 million to Scripps to exclude KNXV, which was rejected in what ABC executive Bryce Rathbone stated as Scripps "[having] a gun to their head". Announced on June 15, 1994, the ABC-Scripps agreement included all three stations Scripps demanded join the network, along with WEWS and WXYZ.[74][75] For WFTS, the announcement came with an expedited buildout of a news department,[76] with local newscasts debuting the day of their switch.[77] The other displaced Fox affiliate, KSHB, affiliated with NBC as a replacement for WDAF-TV.[78] ABC later signed an unrelated affiliation deal with WCPO-TV in September 1995, taking effect on June 3, 1996.[79]

In October 1995, Comcast announced the purchase of Scripps' cable provider operation.[80]

In 1997, Scripps bought daily newspapers in the Texas cities of Abilene, Wichita Falls, San Angelo and Plano, plus the paper in Anderson, S.C. from Harte-Hanks Communications, along with 25 non-daily newspapers and San Antonio-based KENS-TV and KENS.[20] The purchase price was to be between $605 and $775 million, depending on a federal ruling.[21] (Scripps eventually spun off all of its newspapers into Journal Media Group in 2015.)

In March 1996, KSHB owner Scripps Howard Broadcasting reached a deal to manage KMCI under a local marketing agreement.[81] That August,[82] KMCI then dropped much of its home shopping programming and rebranded as "38 Family Greats", with a family-oriented general entertainment format from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, with HSN programming being relegated to the overnight hours. The new KMCI lineup included an inventory of programs that KSHB owned but had not had time to air after it switched to NBC in 1994.[83]

Exercising an option from the 1996 pact with Miller, Scripps bought KMCI outright for $14.6 million in 2000, forming a legal duopoly with KSHB.[84] In 1998, the company sold Scripps Howard Productions, and Cinetel Productions was renamed to Scripps Productions.[54]

2000–2008: The Shop at Home era

Scripps also previously owned the Shop at Home Network from 2000 until 2006. Shop at Home in turn owned five television stations, all as a division of its cable network division managed separately from the company's traditional commercial network affiliate stations.

Attempts to use Shop at Home as a complementary service to Food Network and HGTV by selling products connected to personalities of those networks were middling compared to competitors QVC and HSN. On May 22, 2006, Scripps announced that it was to cease operations of the network and intended to sell each of Shop at Home's five owned and operated television stations.[85] Jewelry Television eventually acquired Shop at Home, but Scripps still intended to sell its affiliated stations (Jewelry Television discontinued most Shop at Home operations in March 2008). On September 26, 2006, Scripps announced that it was selling its Shop at Home TV stations to New York City-based Multicultural Television for $170 million.[86]

2008–present: Scripps today

In October 2007, Scripps announced that it would separate into two publicly traded companies: The E. W. Scripps Company (newspapers, TV stations, licensing/syndication) and Scripps Networks Interactive (Cooking Channel (formerly known as Fine Living), DIY Network, Food Network, Great American Country, HGTV, and Travel Channel). The transaction was completed on July 1, 2008.[87]

After a test launch at WFTS-TV in 2009, Scripps television stations launched YouTube channels in 2010. These are similar to YouTube channels operated by Hearst Television and LIN Television.

Scripps was the recipient of the 2012 National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award.[88]

On October 3, 2011, Scripps announced it was purchasing all seven television stations owned by The McGraw-Hill Companies for $212 million; the sale is a result of McGraw-Hill's decision to exit the broadcasting industry to focus on its other core properties, including its publishing unit.[89] This deal was approved by the FTC on October 31[90] and the FCC on November 29.[91] The deal was completed on December 30, 2011.[92]

On February 10, 2014, Scripps announced it has reached a deal to acquire Buffalo ABC affiliate WKBW-TV and Detroit MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYD from Granite Broadcasting for $110 million.[93] The sale was approved by the FCC on May 2, 2014, and was completed on June 16, 2014. This deal has created a duopoly between WMYD and ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV.

On July 30, 2014, Scripps and Journal Communications announced that the two companies would merge and spin-off their newspaper assets. The deal created a broadcast group under the E. W. Scripps Company name and retaining the Cincinnati headquarters, and a newspaper company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, under the Journal Media Group name.[29] The FCC approved the deal on December 12, 2014, and it was approved by shareholders on March 11, 2015.[30] The merger and spinoff were completed on April 1, 2015.[31][32] In turn, Journal Media Group was acquired by Gannett Company on April 8, 2016. Gannett had also shed their television and broadcast operations into a spin-off, Tegna, months after the Scripps-Journal merger.

On January 25, 2018, it was announced that Scripps had placed its radio station unit for sale. The divestiture of these stations – which were acquired through the company's 2015 acquisition of Journal Communications – would result in the separation of Scripps's television stations in Tulsa, Omaha, Milwaukee, Boise and Tucson from their co-owned radio clusters (in the case of Tulsa, KJRH-TV would be separated from KFAQ for the second time; the two stations, then using the shared KVOO callsign, were first split up in 1970, when Central Plains Enterprises sold the then-KVOO-TV to Scripps).[94] In June 2018, Griffin Communications reached a deal to buy the Scripps Tulsa radio cluster. The sale was completed on July 28, 2018. In July 2018, Good Karma Brands reached a deal to buy the Scripps Milwaukee radio cluster. The sale was completed on November 1, 2018.

On August 20, 2018, Scripps agreed to purchase ABC affiliates KXXV in Waco, Texas and satellite station KRHD-CD in Bryan, Texas and WTXL-TV in Tallahassee, Florida, which are being spun off from the Gray Television-Raycom Media merger in order to alleviate ownership conflicts involving Gray's ownership of CBS affiliate KWTX-TV and its semi-satellite KBTX-TV in the Waco market and CBS affiliate WCTV and Retro Television Network affiliate WFXU in the Tallahassee market.[95][96]

On October 29, 2018, Cordillera Communications announced that it would sell all but one of its television stations to Scripps. KVOA in Tucson, Arizona is not included in the deal as Scripps already owns KGUN-TV and KWBA in that market, and Cordillera will concurrently sell KVOA to Quincy Media.[97] The FCC approved the sale on April 5, 2019,[98] and the sale was completed on May 1.[99]

On March 20, 2019, Scripps announced that it would acquire eight of the 21 (initially 19[100]) stations being divested as part of Nexstar Media Group's $580 million (USD) acquisition of Tribune Media. The Tribune stations include CBS affiliates WTKR in Norfolk and WTVR-TV in Richmond—both in Virginia, along with Fox affiliates KSTU in Salt Lake City, Utah and WXMI in Grand Rapids, Michigan and CW affiliates WPIX in New York City, WGNT in Norfolk, Virginia and WSFL-TV in Miami, Florida. The only Nexstar station being acquired is CW affiliate KASW in Phoenix, Arizona—which would create a duopoly with longtime Scripps-owned ABC affiliate KNXV-TV. Also, Nexstar has the option to buy WPIX back between March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2021.[101][102][103] The FCC approved the sale on September 16 with all of the transactions being completed on September 19.[104][105][106][107][108]

In July 2020, the company sold their Stitcher podcast service and assets to Sirius XM for $325 million.[109]

On September 22, 2020, the company announced it was buying KCDO-TV and KSBS-CD from Newsweb Corporation for $9.5 million, pending approval of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); this would make them sister stations to ABC affiliate KMGH-TV.[110] For the time being, KCDO has moved Grit to its primary 3.1 subchannel. The sale was completed on November 20.[111]

On September 24, 2020, Scripps announced the acquisition of American media company Ion Media, including its networks, Ion Television, Ion Plus, Qubo, and Ion Shop (three removed a few months later) for $2.65 billion.[112]

Scripps finally completed its sale of WPIX to Mission Broadcasting on December 30, 2020, which will also allow the company to keep three of the Ion stations that were slated to be sold to a new company, Inyo Broadcast Holdings. The sales of WPPX-TV in Philadelphia, KKPX-TV in San Francisco and KPXM-TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota were contingent on whether or not the sale of WPIX would close and be finalized before Scripps completed its acquisition of Ion Media.[113][114]

On October 2, 2024, E.W. Scripps Co. announced that it was laying off more than 200 people as it makes major cutbacks to its national news unit.[115]

Scripps Sports (2022–present)

In late 2022, Scripps created an in-house sports division with the intent of offering its local stations or Ion to teams and leagues as an alternative to the fledgling regional sports network.[116] The division, eventually called Scripps Sports, announced on April 20, 2023, a deal with Ion and the WNBA for a broadcast package airing on Friday nights during the regular season, with "WNBA Friday Night Spotlight on Ion" featuring both national and regional telecasts. It marked the WNBA's first agreement with an over-the-air broadcast network other than ABC since 2002, the last year of NBC's tenure as the league's primary broadcast partner.

On May 4, 2023, Scripps Sports announced a deal with a professional sports franchise, the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, with ION affiliate KMCC serving as the flagship of a regional network of stations that would broadcast all non-exclusive regular-season games beginning with the 2023–24 season. KMCC also transferred its Ion Television programming to a subchannel and rebrand as an independent station, with KUPX-TV doing the same. Scripps also did not renew the affiliations with the CW on its second subchannels for its statewide Montana Television Network and converted them to independent stations to accommodate the broadcasts.[117]

On October 5, 2023, Scripps Sports announced a deal with the NHL's Arizona Coyotes, with ABC affiliate KNXV's sub-channel Antenna TV (15.2) serving as the flagship network for all non-national exclusive games in the Phoenix market beginning with the 2023–24 season. The 2nd digital subchannel of KGUN-TV, in Tucson, as well as KUPX and the 2nd digital subchannel of KSTU, in Salt Lake City, also air Coyotes games.[118]

On July 2, Scripps Sports, the sports division of the E. W. Scripps Company, announced a deal with the Florida Panthers, which would put games over the air on WSFL-TV beginning in the 2024–25 season.[119]

Television stations

Stations are arranged alphabetically by state and by city of license.

  • (**) – Indicates station was built and signed on by Scripps.

Former stations

Television

Radio

  • (**) – Indicates station was built and signed on by Scripps.

Television

Radio

  • (**) – Indicates station was built and signed on by Scripps.

National Spelling Bee

Scripps also operates the national (US) spelling bee. The final competition is in Washington, DC, and it is broadcast on Ion Television and Bounce TV. Lower levels are organized by the school, then county and eventually to the final competition.

See also

  • Edward W. Scripps
  • Ellen Browning Scripps
  • James E. Scripps
  • Charles Scripps
  • Scripps News
  • Scripps Networks
  • Scripps Howard Foundation
  • Scripps Howard Awards
  • Scripps Ranch
  • Edward W. Estlow
  • Scripps Networks Interactive

Sources

References

  1. E.W. Scripps Co. 2024 Annual Report (Form 10-K) SEC.gov, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, March 12, 2025^
  2. SSP Profile & Executives – EW Scripps Co – Bloomberg bloomberg.com, retrieved October 18, 2012^
  3. Kevin Osborne. Cover Story: The Light Dims Cincinnati CityBeat, Lightborne Publishing, February 21, 2007, retrieved August 28, 2011^
  4. History – Scripps E.W. Scripps Company, retrieved April 18, 2020^
  5. Syndicate Changes Name The New York Times, November 4, 1922^
  6. Scripps Timeline E. W. Scripps Company, November 29, 1921, retrieved December 30, 2014^
  7. Mark S. Monmonier. Maps with the news: the development of American journalistic cartography University of Chicago Press, 1989, retrieved August 28, 2009^
  8. Joe Alex Morris. Deadline Every Minute The Story of the United Press – ARCHIVE.ORG ONLINE VERSION Doubleday & Company, 1957^
  9. Scripps-Howard Ohio History Central, ohiohistory.com^
  10. UPI History United Press International^
  11. Atwater, James D. U.P.I.: Look Back in Sorrow (book review of Down to the Wire: UPI's Fight for Survival By Gregory Gordon and Ronald E. Cohen) The New York Times, December 24, 1989, retrieved March 15, 2011^
  12. Scripps Howard News Service Will Close Down After 96 Years, Bloomberg News, November 13, 2013. Accessed April 5, 2015.^
  13. Booker, M. Keith. "United Feature Syndicate," in Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas (ABC-CLIO, 2014), p. 399.^
  14. Booker, M. Keith. "United Feature Syndicate," in Comics through Time: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas (ABC-CLIO, 2014), p. 399.^
  15. "United Feature Syndicate Buys Metropolitan Service From Elser: Both Firms Will Retain Separate Identities, With Elser Remaining as Vice-President — Monte Bourjaily to Direct Both Organizations," Editor & Publisher (March 15, 1930). Archived at "News of Yore 1930: Another Syndicate Gobbled," Stripper's Guide (May 4, 2010).^
  16. News Features Services Merge As United Media United Press International, May 19, 1978, retrieved February 23, 2015^
  17. "United Features consolidates," The Comics Journal #44 (Jan. 1979), p. 17.^
  18. Tony Seideman. Scripps Howard Buys Kartes Billboard, November 16, 1985, retrieved December 28, 2021^
  19. Al Stewart. Founder Buys Kartes Vid From Scripps-Howard Billboard, December 12, 1987, retrieved December 28, 2021^
  20. Scripps to Acquire Harte-Hanks Outlets Los Angeles Times, May 20, 1997, retrieved October 14, 2013^
  21. Kenneth N. Gilpin Published: May 20, 1997. Scripps to Buy Harte-Hanks Media Assets The New York Times, May 20, 1997, retrieved October 14, 2013^
  22. Maxim Alter. Then & Now: An interactive look at downtown Cincinnati's past WCPO-TV, E. W. Scripps Company, November 7, 2014, retrieved December 30, 2014^
  23. The E.W. Scripps Company. Universal Uclick to Provide Syndicate Services for United Media PR Newswire, February 24, 2011, retrieved February 24, 2011^
  24. Rob Tornoe. United Media Outsources Content to Universal Uclick Editor & Publisher, April 29, 2011, retrieved 2024-09-09 Rob Tornoe. Universal Uclick takes the reins: 'Pearls Before Swine' and 'Get Fuzzy' have a new home Editor & Publisher, April 2011^
  25. Michael Cavna. RIP, UNITED MEDIA: A century-old syndicate closes its historic doors The Washington Post, July 1, 2011^
  26. Scripps to buy nine television stations from McGraw-Hill E.W. Scripps Company, October 3, 2011^
  27. Press Releases | The E.W. Scripps Company Scripps.com, retrieved October 14, 2013^
  28. Scripps Buys Newsy For $35M To Expand From TV And Newspapers To Digital Video TechCrunch, December 9, 2013, retrieved December 9, 2013^
  29. E.W. Scripps, Journal Merging Broadcast Ops TVNewsCheck, July 30, 2014, retrieved July 31, 2014^
  30. Journal, Scripps shareholders OK transaction; closing expected by early April Milwaukee Business Journal, retrieved March 11, 2015^
  31. Scripps, Journal Merger Complete Broadcastingcable.com, April 2015, retrieved July 18, 2018^
  32. Scripps, Journal Communications Complete Merger And Spinoff Netnewscheck.com, retrieved July 18, 2018^
  33. Demand Media Sells Cracked Business to The E.W. Scripps Company for $39 Million e Business Wire, April 12, 2016, retrieved April 27, 2016^
  34. Janko Roettgers. Scripps Buys Podcast Service Stitcher from Deezer Variety, June 6, 2016, retrieved July 18, 2018^
  35. Diana Marszalek. E.W. Scripps Buys Katz Networks in $302M Deal Broadcasting & Cable, August 1, 2017, retrieved August 2, 2017^
  36. Mark K. Miller. E.W. Scripps Closes $302M Katz Purchase TVNewsCheck.com, October 2, 2017, retrieved November 7, 2017^
  37. Scripps to Transfer Stock Listing to Nasdaq PR Newswire, May 22, 2018^
  38. Lauren Thomas and Joe Flint. Sinclair Takes Stake in E.W. Scripps to Push Takeover Deal The Wall Street Journal, 2025-11-17, retrieved 2025-11-17^
  39. Alexander Coolidge. Sinclair floats merger but E.W. Scripps family may block deal The Enquirer, retrieved 2025-11-19^
  40. Sara Fischer. Scripps adopts poison pill to thwart Sinclair takeover attempt Axios, 2025-11-26, retrieved 2025-12-16^
  41. Todd Spangler. Scripps Rejects Sinclair’s Unsolicited Acquisition Offer Variety, 2025-12-16, retrieved 2025-12-16^
  42. Mark Miller. Sinclair Renews Push For Scripps Merger Amid Board Rejection TV News Check, January 16, 2026, retrieved January 18, 2026^
  43. Sinclair updates on Scripps merger proposal Advanced Television, January 19, 2026, retrieved January 19, 2026^
  44. Jennifer Maas. Scripps CEO Adam Symson Renews Contract Through 2029 Amid Company's Major Cost-Cutting Plan, Reacquisition of 23 ION Affiliate TV Stations Variety, February 26, 2026, retrieved February 27, 2026^
  45. George Winslow. Scripps to Reacquire 23 ION Stations TV Tech, February 26, 2026, retrieved February 28, 2026^
  46. Stripper's Guide: Santa's Secrets, Day 5 Strippersguide.blogspot.com, retrieved July 18, 2018^
  47. Michael A. Martini. Cincinnati Radio Arcadia Publishing, 2011^
  48. WNOX Is Acquired by Scripps-Howard November 1, 1935, retrieved June 15, 2018^
  49. East Tennessee Historical Society, Lucile Deaderick (editor), Heart of the Valley: A History of Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.: East Tennessee Historical Society, 1976), p. 298.^
  50. State of Tennessee Historical Marker, The Commercial Appeal / Publishing Locations. The Historical Marker Database.^
  51. Tulsa VHF Acquired by Scripps-Howard June 15, 1970, retrieved December 21, 2017^
  52. For the Record July 13, 1970, retrieved December 21, 2017^
  53. For the Record November 30, 1970, retrieved December 21, 2017^
  54. History of The E.W. Scripps Company – FundingUniverse www.fundinguniverse.com, retrieved April 27, 2021^
  55. Bud Wilkinson. Scripps-Howard wins OK to buy KNXV-TV Arizona Republic, retrieved December 16, 2020^
  56. Karl Vick. Ch. 28 sells for $40-million St. Petersburg Times, July 27, 1985, retrieved January 18, 2021^
  57. ABC/CCC sells four TV's for $485 million; Detroit, Tampa to Scripps Howard Broadcasting, Broadcasting Publications Inc., July 29, 1985, retrieved 2024-09-10^
  58. Fox Broadcasting Co. reaches affiliate agreements with 79 TV stations to exclusively broadcast offered programming PR Newswire], August 4, 1986^
  59. Janis D. Froelich. Fox switching stations St. Petersburg Times, July 19, 1988, retrieved January 18, 2021^
  60. Eric Siegel. $154.7 Million Purchase of WMAR-TV is Scrapped The Baltimore Sun, February 9, 1991, retrieved April 27, 2021^
  61. Eric Siegel. Final Agreement Reached in Sale of WMAR-TV The Baltimore Sun, April 4, 1991, retrieved April 27, 2021^
  62. Scripps to sell Memphis stations for $65 million United Press International, July 19, 1993, retrieved March 3, 2021^
  63. Susan Packard Drove Home HGTV's Culture While Ratings Sprouted Investors.com, March 24, 2016, retrieved October 26, 2016^
  64. Susan Packard of HGTV and Scripps Networks Interactive shares advice at Business Women First event Albuquerque Business First, retrieved October 26, 2016^
  65. Jack D. Lail. Scripps family considers offers for Knoxville-based Scripps Networks Interactive Knoxville News Sentinel, July 26, 2017, retrieved August 3, 2017^
  66. Mark Dawidziak. Channel 8 to drop CBS for Fox: 40-year affiliation ends in autumn as Fox owner pays $500 million to station's parent. WJW to regain NFL games, lose Letterman. Channels 19, 43 to fight for CBS Akron Beacon Journal, May 24, 1994, retrieved April 29, 2023^
  67. Bill Carter. FOX WILL SIGN UP 12 NEW STATIONS; TAKES 8 FROM CBS The New York Times, May 24, 1994, retrieved October 22, 2012^
  68. Geoffrey Foisie. Fox and the New World order Broadcasting & Cable, May 30, 1994, retrieved April 25, 2013^
  69. Steve McClellan. Counterstrike: CBS targets Scripps Broadcasting & Cable, June 6, 1994, retrieved October 5, 2022^
  70. William Miller. Declaration of William Miller Comments of Southern Broadcast Corporation of Sarasota, Federal Communications Commission, October 29, 1995, retrieved March 16, 2021^
  71. David Zurawik. ABC-TV to switch from WJZ to WMAR The Baltimore Sun, June 17, 1994, retrieved March 28, 2023^
  72. Dave Walker. ABC drops Ch. 3 after 40 years Arizona Republic, June 16, 1994, retrieved December 25, 2021^
  73. Bill Muller. Family-owned Ch. 3 outmuscled for prize The Arizona Republic, June 30, 1994, retrieved March 16, 2021^
  74. Jennifer L. Stevenson. ABC switching channels in bay area St. Petersburg Times, June 16, 1994, retrieved January 30, 2021^
  75. COMPANY NEWS; TV Stations Shift to ABC The New York Times, June 17, 1994, retrieved October 21, 2012^
  76. Walt Belcher. TV stations focus on change Tampa Tribune, June 17, 1994, retrieved January 30, 2021^
  77. Monica Yant. This just in: Ch. 28 will have news St. Petersburg Times, December 9, 1994, retrieved January 30, 2021^
  78. Steve McClellan. Keeping up with the affiliates Broadcasting & Cable, August 1, 1994, retrieved May 4, 2023^
  79. Paul Harper. Trading Places: Diary of WCPO Network Switch The Cincinnati Post, June 7, 1996, retrieved May 1, 2023^
  80. Geraldine Fabrikant. Comcast to Buy Cable Division From Scripps The New York Times, October 30, 1995, retrieved April 22, 2014^
  81. Miller Broadcasting Signs Agreement With Scripps For Future Programming The Belleville Telescope, April 18, 1996, retrieved February 14, 2021^
  82. Howard W. III Triplett. Channel 38: So long, home shopping; hello, reruns Kansas City Star, August 12, 1996, retrieved February 14, 2021^
  83. Randy Covitz. Royals need more TV time Kansas City Star, May 13, 1996, retrieved February 14, 2021^
  84. Elizabeth A. Rathbun. Duopoly rule spurs sellers Broadcasting & Cable, March 6, 2000, retrieved February 14, 2021^
  85. Scripps ceasing Shop at Home operations E. W. Scripps Company, May 16, 2006, retrieved October 28, 2007^
  86. Scripps sells Shop at Home TV stations E. W. Scripps Company, September 26, 2006, retrieved October 28, 2007^
  87. Discovery Closes $14.6B Acquisition Of Scripps Networks Interactive Deadline, March 6, 2018, retrieved June 5, 2022^
  88. NAB Awards National Association of Broadcasters, retrieved June 22, 2021^
  89. McGraw-Hill Sells TV Group To Scripps TVNewsCheck, October 3, 2011^
  90. FTC OK With Scripps/McGraw-Hill Broadcastingcable.com, retrieved July 18, 2018^
  91. Scripps Purchase of McGraw-Hill TVs OK'd TVNewsCheck, November 29, 2011^
  92. Scripps completes McGraw-Hill Stations Buy TVNewsCheck, December 30, 2011, retrieved December 31, 2011^
  93. Scripps Buying Granite TVs in Buffalo, Detroit, TVNewsCheck, Retrieved February 10, 2014^
  94. Scripps To Sell Its Radio Stations All Access, retrieved January 25, 2018^
  95. Jon Lafayette. Tegna, Scripps in Deals to Buy Network Affiliates August 20, 2018, retrieved August 21, 2018^
  96. Adam Jacobson. Gray Spins Land With Lockwood, TEGNA, Scripps Radio-Television Business Report, August 20, 2018, retrieved August 21, 2018^
  97. Quincy Media, Inc. to acquire KVOA-TV Quincy Media, October 29, 2018, retrieved October 29, 2018^
  98. FCC OKs Scripps Purchase of Cordillera Stations, Broadcasting & Cable, April 5, 2019, Retrieved April 5, 2019.^
  99. Scripps Closes Its Acquisition of 15 Television Stations from Cordillera Communications E. W. Scripps Company, May 1, 2019^
  100. Nexstar Selling Stations in Indianapolis for $42.5M Broadcasting & Cable, April 8, 2019, retrieved September 20, 2019^
  101. Mike Farrell. Scripps, Tegna to Buy 19 Nexstar Stations Multichannel, March 20, 2019, retrieved March 20, 2019^
  102. Kari Wethington. Scripps to acquire eight television stations from Nexstar-Tribune merger divestitures Scripps, March 20, 2019, retrieved September 20, 2019^
  103. Nexstar Selling 19 TVs In 15 Markets For $1.32B TVNewsCheck, March 20, 2019, retrieved September 20, 2019^
  104. "Memorandum Opinion and Order", Federal Communications Commission, September 16, 2019, Retrieved September 16, 2019.^
  105. Nexstar Media Group Completes Tribune Media Acquisition Creating The Nation's Largest Local Television Broadcaster Nexstar Media Group, Inc., September 19, 2019, retrieved September 20, 2019^
  106. Nexstar Completes Tribune Media Acquisition TV Technology, September 20, 2019^
  107. Nexstar Completes Acquisition of Tribune Station Group Broadcasting & Cable, September 19, 2019, retrieved September 20, 2019^
  108. Scripps closes acquisition of eight TV stations from Nexstar-Tribune merger divestitures PR Newswire, The E.W. Scripps Company, September 19, 2019, retrieved September 20, 2019^
  109. Ashley Carman. SiriusXM is buying Stitcher for $325 million The Verge, July 13, 2020, retrieved July 14, 2020^
  110. Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, September 22, 2020, retrieved September 25, 2020^
  111. "Consummation Notice", CDBS Public Access, Federal Communications Commission, November 23, 2020, Retrieved November 23, 2020.^
  112. "E.W. Scripps Buys ION Media For $2.65B, With Berkshire Hathaway Investment", Deadline Hollywood, September 24, 2020, Retrieved September 24, 2020.^
  113. Adam Jacobson. Ion/Scripps' Fourth Amendment: TV Trio Not Going To INYO Radio & Television Business Report, Streamline Publishing, Inc., December 16, 2020, retrieved December 30, 2020^
  114. Kari Wethington. SCRIPPS COMPLETES SALE OF WPIX Scripps, The E.W. Scripps Company, December 30, 2020, retrieved December 30, 2020^
  115. Steve Watkins. E.W. Scripps laying off more than 200 as it cuts back its national news operation Cincinnati Business Courier, American City Business Journals, October 2, 2024, retrieved 2024-10-02^
  116. E.W. Scripps announces formation of new sports division ABC News, The Walt Disney Company, December 15, 2022, retrieved December 16, 2022^
  117. VGK and Scripps Partner on Multi-Year Agreement to Air NHL Team's Games May 4, 2023^
  118. Arizona Coyotes, Scripps Sports Form Multi-Year Broadcast Partnership www.nhl.com, 2023-09-06, retrieved 2023-10-06^
  119. Florida Panthers, Scripps Sports partner on multi-year agreement to air National Hockey League team's games NHL.com, retrieved July 2, 2024^
  120. David Carr. Print Is Down, and Now Out: Media Companies Spin Off Newspapers, to Uncertain Futures The New York Times, August 11, 2014^